Ashlee Buzzard, the mother of lacking 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, allegedly switched license plates throughout their highway journey in an obvious effort to keep away from detection, based on authorities.
On Oct. 7, Melodee and her mom left on a three-day road trip from Lompoc, California, to the Nebraska space, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s workplace mentioned. Surveillance pictures present the 9-year-old — in what seems to be a wig — at a Santa Barbara-area rental automobile enterprise on Oct. 7, authorities mentioned.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Workplace launched a surveillance picture exhibiting lacking 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard at a automobile rental enterprise in California on Oct. 7, 2025.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Workplace
The final verified sighting of Melodee is now decided to be Oct. 9, sheriff’s spokesperson Raquel Zick informed ABC Information on Monday. Surveillance video reveals Melodee along with her mother that day close to the Colorado-Utah border, Zick mentioned.
The subsequent day, on Oct. 10, Ashlee Buzzard got here dwelling to Lompoc with the automobile she and Melodee had rented on Oct. 7 — however Melodee was not along with her, the sheriff’s workplace mentioned.
Zick mentioned investigators are actually centered on the timeline from Oct. 9 to Oct. 10.
The FBI and Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Workplace are on the lookout for lacking 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard.
FBI
In the course of the highway journey, Ashlee Buzzard allegedly eliminated the automobile’s California license plate, Zick mentioned, and she or he allegedly switched again to the unique plate when she returned dwelling.
It seems “the license plate was switched to keep away from detection … haven’t any different believable cause,” Zick mentioned.
Melodee remains to be thought of a lacking particular person, and no arrests have been made, Zick mentioned.
Ashlee Buzzard has not cooperated with the investigation, based on authorities. Investigators returned to the Buzzard home last week for a follow-up search.
