Authorities have arrested Ashlee Buzzard, 40, on suspicion of murdering her nine-year-old daughter, Melodee Buzzard, whose body was discovered in a rural area of Utah.
The young girl, missing from Santa Barbara County, was found with gunshot wounds to the head on December 6 by a couple taking photos near State Route 24. Investigators linked bullet cartridges found near Melodee’s body to a used cartridge case found in Ashlee’s home, according to Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown.
The search for Melodee began after a school administrator reported her prolonged absence on October 14. Ashlee had left California with Melodee on October 7, traveling through several states, including Nevada, Arizona, and Utah, before returning alone on October 10. During their journey, the pair altered their appearances and the license plate of their rented vehicle to avoid detection.
Sheriff Brown described the crime as “calculated, cold-blooded,” and premeditated, though the motive remains unclear. He stated, “Melodee deserved a far better life than she had.” Ashlee Buzzard is being held without bail and is expected to face first-degree murder charges. The investigation continues as authorities search for the murder weapon.
Melodee’s disappearance and tragic death have deeply affected her community in Vandenberg Village, with family and friends gathering for a candlelight vigil in her memory. Her father passed away when she was just six months old, leaving her grandmother, Lilly Denes, to express the family’s grief: “Melodee was lovable, always smiling and well-behaved.”
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