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, in line with 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 stated. Surveillance photos present the 9-year-old — in what seems to be a wig — at a Santa Barbara-area rental automotive enterprise on Oct. 7, authorities stated.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Workplace launched a surveillance picture exhibiting lacking 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard at a automotive 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 instructed ABC Information on Monday. Surveillance video reveals Melodee along with her mother that day close to the Colorado-Utah border, Zick stated.
The subsequent day, on Oct. 10, Ashlee Buzzard got here house to Lompoc with the automotive she and Melodee had rented on Oct. 7 — however Melodee was not along with her, the sheriff’s workplace stated.
Zick stated 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
Throughout the highway journey, Ashlee Buzzard allegedly eliminated the automotive’s California license plate, Zick stated, and she or he allegedly switched again to the unique plate when she returned house.
It seems “the license plate was switched to keep away from detection … haven’t any different believable purpose,” Zick stated.
Melodee remains to be thought of a lacking particular person, and no arrests have been made, Zick stated.
Ashlee Buzzard has not cooperated with the investigation, in line with authorities. Investigators returned to the Buzzard home last week for a follow-up search.
