Melodee Buzzard’s mother arrested in connection with 9-year-old’s killing after her body is found

In a tragic conclusion to a two-month search, the mother of missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard has been arrested on murder charges after her daughter’s remains were found in a remote Utah location. Ashlee Buzzard was taken into custody on Tuesday, accused of first-degree murder in what authorities describe as a cold-blooded and premeditated crime. The discovery was made on December 6 when a couple photographing a rural area in Wayne County, Utah, stumbled upon decomposed human remains. Subsequent DNA analysis confirmed the body was Melodee Buzzard, with a familial match to her mother, Ashlee. Authorities revealed that the young girl had died from gunshot wounds to the head, highlighting the brutality of the act. Melodee was last seen alive on October 9, 2025, near the Colorado-Utah border during a road trip with her mother that began on October 7 from their home in Lompoc, California. Surveillance footage showed Melodee wearing a wig and hoodie, which investigators believe was an attempt to alter her appearance. Ashlee Buzzard returned home alone on October 10, driving the same rental car they had departed in, but without her daughter. Investigators pieced together a timeline using evidence from multiple states. They found that Ashlee Buzzard had switched license plates on the rental vehicle and used wigs to avoid detection. A spent shell casing recovered from the Buzzard home in Lompoc matched one found at the Utah crime scene, and live rounds of similar ammunition were discovered in the rental car. These findings provided crucial links in the case. Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown stated that ‘cold-blooded and criminally sophisticated premeditation and heartlessness’ went into planning the crime, with ‘ruthlessness’ in its execution. Despite the evidence, a motive remains unclear, as Ashlee Buzzard has been uncooperative with investigators. The murder weapon has not been recovered, adding to the mystery. The investigation was initiated on October 14 when a school administrator reported Melodee’s extended absence. Authorities served search warrants at the Buzzard residence and a storage locker, uncovering further evidence. The case has drawn national attention, with the FBI assisting local sheriffs in the multi-state effort. As the legal process begins, Ashlee Buzzard faces charges that could lead to severe penalties. The community and Melodee’s family are left to grieve, especially poignant as the discovery occurred just before Christmas. Sheriff Brown expressed resolve in seeking justice for Melodee, whose life was cut short in a heinous act of violence.