Latest Update on Missing 9-Year-Old Melodee Buzzard

As of November 16, 2025, the search for Melodee Buzzard, a 9-year-old girl from Lompoc, California, remains active and urgent, led by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office with FBI assistance. Melodee is described as approximately 4 feet 6 inches tall, weighing 60 pounds, with brown curly hair and brown eyes. She was last confirmed seen on October 9, 2025, via surveillance video near the Colorado-Utah border, wearing a wig and hooded sweatshirt. There have been no verified sightings since, and her mother, Ashlee Buzzard, has not cooperated with investigators. Authorities believe Melodee is at high risk.

Key Timeline of Events

Here's a summary of the confirmed details from the investigation:

Date	Event
August 2025	Last known photo/sighting of Melodee prior to the road trip; she was participating in a remote homeschool program through Lompoc Unified School District.
October 7, 2025	Ashlee Buzzard (40) rents a white 2024 Chevrolet Malibu in Lompoc and leaves with Melodee. Surveillance shows both wearing wigs, believed to be an intentional disguise. The car's original California license plate (9MNG101) is later swapped for a fake New York plate (HCG9677) to avoid detection.
October 7–9, 2025	The vehicle travels east through Utah, northwest Arizona, Nevada, and as far as Nebraska/Kansas (over 1,500 miles one way). Route includes stops in Green River, UT; Panguitch, UT; Primm, NV; and Rancho Cucamonga, CA on the return.
October 9, 2025	Last sighting: Video captures Melodee and Ashlee near the Colorado-Utah border.
October 10, 2025	Ashlee returns alone to the family home in Vandenberg Village, CA, driving the rental car. Melodee is not with her.
October 14, 2025	Melodee reported missing by school officials after prolonged absence; no homeschool affidavit on file. Authorities search the home but find no trace.
October 15, 2025	FBI joins the investigation; search warrant executed at the home.
October 24, 2025	Vigil held by Melodee's paternal family.
November 6, 2025	Unrelated incident: Ashlee allegedly confines a man (Tyler Brewer, a process server) in her home using multiple locks and threatens him with a box cutter. Brewer claims Ashlee shared details about Melodee's possible location in Utah during this encounter, though he questions her reliability due to her mental state.
November 7, 2025	Ashlee arrested on felony false imprisonment charge (unrelated to Melodee's case). Bail set at $100,000; held at Santa Barbara County Northern Branch Jail.
November 12, 2025	Ashlee pleads not guilty; released on GPS monitoring with a no-contact order for the victim. Prosecutors cite her history of disguises and plate-swapping as flight risk factors.
November 15, 2025	Melodee's paternal grandmother, Lilly Denes, publicly states Ashlee had isolated Melodee from family for years, attempting to "cut her off from the entire world." Denes was in the process of adopting Melodee when Ashlee fled with her shortly after the father's death. Ashlee's own mother, Lori Miranda, describes a "twisted childhood" marked by homelessness and abuse, with no contact since 2023.

Current Status and Leads

• Investigation Focus: Detectives are piecing together the exact separation point, likely between October 9–10 along the return route. The 3,000+ mile round trip in three days raises questions about feasibility, including stops for rest, fuel, and food. A witness at a Phillips 66 station reported seeing Melodee in a purple wig. Brewer's claim points to Utah as a potential area of interest, but it's unverified.

• Ashlee's Background: Reports indicate mental health struggles, unpaid debts (multiple civil suits), and a history of evading family. She attempted to rent another car post-return, possibly to retrieve Melodee.

• Public Response: Vigils continue, and social media awareness is high (e.g., #MelodeeBuzzard). The FBI has released travel maps and photos to jog memories.

How to Help

If you have information about Melodee or saw a white Chevrolet Malibu (or similar) with the described plates in Utah, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, Nebraska, Kansas, or California around October 7–10:

• Call Santa Barbara Sheriff's Detectives: (805) 681-4150

• Anonymous Tip Line: (805) 681-4171

• Online: sbsheriff.org tips form

• FBI Tip Line: 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov

The family and authorities urge sharing Melodee's image widely—time is critical. Updates are expected as the investigation progresses. 17GEN4.com

17GEN4.com