The body of a nine-year-old California girl missing since October was found earlier this month, according to law enforcement sources.
The body of Melodee Buzzard, who was last seen on a road trip with her mother in early October, was found out of state, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told NBC News.
Multiple law enforcement sources told ABC News that Melodee’s body was found in early December in Utah in an area where she and her mother travelled in October.
Law enforcement sources believe that Melodee was killed and that she was likely dead that month, before she was known to be missing, sources said.
Her mother, Ashlee Buzzard, was taken back into police custody, according to video shared with NBC News affiliate KSBY. The video shows Ashlee, 40, being led away from her home by Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Officials on Tuesday morning.
One neighbour told the outlet that the incident was “quiet and quick” and took place shortly before 7:45 a.m. local time. The neighbour added that authorities banged on the door with a metal tool and eventually used that tool to pry open the door and gain access to the home.
Ashlee was taken into custody following DNA results from the recovered remains, ABC News reports.
The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office posted on its X account that it would share “major developments” in the case at a press conference scheduled for 2 p.m. PST.
The investigation into Melodee’s disappearance began on Oct. 14 when a school administrator reported Melodee’s extended absence.
Through the ongoing investigation, detectives found evidence that the young girl was with her mother as recently as Oct. 7.
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“Investigators have also determined that Ashlee may have traveled with Melodee anywhere between Lompoc, Calif. and the state of Nebraska,” police added.
“Through their ongoing investigation, detectives have narrowed the critical timeline to between October 7 and October 10, 2025. Investigators have confirmed that Ashlee was seen returning to her Lompoc residence on October 10, driving the same rental vehicle she departed with on October 7 — but Melodee was not in the car.”
On Nov. 6, police released additional information in the ongoing search for Melodee, including a portion of the surveillance video from Oct. 7, and updated investigative details indicating Ashlee may have changed her appearance during the road trip.
“Detectives are now sharing a segment of the video footage taken on October 7, 2025, at a rental car location in Lompoc, California. The footage corresponds to previously released still images and shows both Ashlee and Melodee wearing wigs,” police said.
Investigators believe that Ashlee swapped wigs throughout their trip, “changing to a darker wig that is similar in color and style to the one Melodee was seen wearing.”
“This change in appearance is believed to have been intentional to avoid recognition during travel,” police added.
Through the Santa Barbara County sheriff’s investigation, detectives confirmed that Ashlee left California with Melodee on Oct. 7, driving a rented white 2024 Chevrolet Malibu that initially displayed a California licence plate.
Detectives believed that Ashlee and Melodee travelled as far as Nebraska, with a return route that included Kansas.
On Oct. 8, the rented car was observed with New York licence plates that did not belong to the vehicle or Ashlee. Police believe the New York plates were “used as a false or switched plate to avoid detection.”
“When the Malibu was returned to the Lompoc rental agency, the original California plate was back on the vehicle,” police said.
Detectives confirmed that Melodee was last seen on Oct. 9 on video surveillance in the region of the Colorado-Utah border.
Police said Ashlee had been “uncooperative” and had “not provided any information about Melodee’s current location or welfare.”
Detectives were working with local, state and federal partners. The FBI joined the investigation on Oct. 18 and searches were conducted at the family’s residence and in surrounding areas.
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