This article was underwritten in part by the Mickey Flacks Journalism Fund for Social Justice, a proud, innovative supporter of local news. To make a contribution go to sbcan.org/journalism_fund.
Law enforcement has recovered the body of Melodee Buzzard, the missing 9-year-old Vandenberg Village girl, and arrested Melodee’s mother, Ashlee Buzzard. Ahead of a press conference on December 23, KEYT News reported that Melodee’s paternal grandmother, Lilly Denes, shared this news with the station.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office began investigating Melodee’s disappearance on October 14, after an employee of Lompoc Unified School District reported that Melodee had not been attending school. Melodee and her mother, Buzzard, visited Mission Valley Independent Study School in August to register Melodee, according to the school district.
Melodee was later referred to her local school, most likely nearby Buena Vista Elementary. Mission Valley said the school does this when a family fails to pick up assignments. It is unclear the exact timeline for reporting Melodee’s long absence to law enforcement.
Law enforcement, later joined by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, determined that Buzzard had rented a car and left with Melodee on October 7. Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s office said in press releases that Buzzard drove to the Nebraska area and then back, with Melodee’s last sighting near the Utah–Colorado border on October 9. Buzzard switched license plates and wore wigs on the trip. Melodee is also seen wearing a wig in surveillance footage from the rental car business on October 7.
Reporting from ABC News says that Melodee’s body was recovered in the Utah area in early December, and that she was likely dead before the missing person investigation began.
After receiving DNA results from Melodee’s body, law enforcement arrested Buzzard on Tuesday.
In a press release about a news conference today, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office said it would not comment at this time. It will hold the news conference at 2 p.m. in Santa Barbara.
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