Missing California 9-Year-Old Melodee Buzzard Found Dead After Two Months; Close Relatives Under Suspicion

What started as concern over a young girl's unexplained school absence would culminate weeks later in a shocking roadside discovery and a murder arrest.

At first, there was nothing dramatic about it. A school district administrator noticed that nine-year-old Melodee Buzzard had stopped showing up and had not been heard from in weeks. The absence was flagged, and a welfare check was requested. It was the kind of concern meant to prevent tragedy.

Instead, it marked the beginning of one. When investigators contacted Melodee's mother, Ashlee Buzzard, they expected answers. Authorities say Ashlee could not provide clear or verifiable information about where her daughter was or when she had last been seen. Days passed, and Ashlee did not cooperate with investigators.

A Child Vanishes as Silence and Secrecy Set In

According to authorities, Melodee was last seen on October 7, 2025, the day she left her Lompoc, California, home with Ashlee. That same day, the two rented a vehicle and began what investigators later described as a three-day road trip toward the Nebraska area.

Surveillance footage from a California car rental business captured Melodee that day. She was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled up and what investigators believe was a wig used to alter her appearance.

Authorities later alleged that Ashlee also wore wigs during the trip and swapped them multiple times as they traveled across state lines. Two days later, on October 9, Melodee appeared again on surveillance footage, this time at a rest stop near the Utah-Colorado border.

Sheriff Bill Brown said investigators believe that sighting marked the last time the nine-year-old was seen alive. Ashlee returned to Lompoc alone on October 10 with the rented vehicle. Melodee did not return with her. By October 14, concern had hardened into alarm.

The Lompoc Unified School District formally reported Melodee missing after flagging her prolonged absence. Deputies went to the home. They went back again. Each time, authorities say, Ashlee refused to cooperate and offered no reasonable explanation for where her daughter was.

A search warrant was served on October 15. Melodee was not found. The FBI joined the investigation days later as the girl was formally listed as an at-risk missing child.

A Roadside Discovery Brings a Grim Answer

The search did not end with a rescue. On December 6, nearly two months after Melodee vanished, a man and a woman taking photographs along a rural road in Wayne County, Utah, came across a sight investigators would later describe as devastating.

Decomposing human remains had been left along the side of the road. At the time, the body could not be identified. More than two weeks later, on December 22, the FBI crime lab delivered the confirmation authorities feared.

DNA testing matched the remains to familial DNA belonging to Ashlee. Brown said Melodee had sustained gunshot wounds to her head. The following day, on December 23, Ashlee, 40, was arrested on murder charges.

Evidence Investigators Say Tells a Chilling Story

At a news conference, Brown described what authorities say is overwhelming evidence pointing back to the child's mother.

"This level of criminal activity is particularly shocking given the calculated, cold-blooded and criminally sophisticated premeditation and heartlessness that went into planning it and the ruthlessness that went into actually committing the crime," he said .

"We have recovered a significant amount of evidence that clearly indicates that this heinous crime was committed by Ashlee, Melodee's mother, and the very person upon who she relied upon and trusted the most in this world," he continued.

Investigators said an expended shell casing recovered inside Ashlee's home matched casings found at the Utah crime scene. Live ammunition similar to the rounds recovered near Melodee's body was also found inside Ashlee's vehicle. A murder weapon has not been recovered.

Authorities further alleged that Ashlee made deliberate efforts to prevent detectives from finding her daughter. As of Tuesday, officials said she remained uncooperative and appears to have acted alone. A motive has not been determined.

Family Says They Had Not Seen Her for Years

As the investigation unfolded, Melodee's extended family spoke publicly about long-standing fears for the child's well-being. "We haven't seen her in over four years due to the mother not allowing the family to see her," said Lizabeth Meza, Melodee's aunt.

She described Melodee as affectionate and joyful. "She has a beautiful smile. She's very, very loving, very welcoming. She loved to be around her family," Meza said, adding that Melodee's father died in a motorcycle crash when she was just six months old.

Neighbors in Vandenberg Village echoed the concern, saying they rarely saw the girl, and some had not seen her in at least a year. CPS and investigators were seen canvassing the neighborhood as authorities collected surveillance footage from nearby homes.

A Child Lost and Questions That Remain

At the close of the news conference, Brown addressed the loss that had rippled far beyond one family. "Today we stand together in grief, but also with resolve. Melodee deserved a far better life than she had," he stated.

Nearly two months after a school absence raised the first quiet alarm, the search for Melodee ended not with answers, but with a child dead and the person meant to protect her facing the most serious accusation of all.

A separate tragedy involving a child of a similar age unfolded earlier this year in Georgia, underscoring the devastating impact of violent crimes involving young children.

On May 28, 2025, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) posted a press release on its government website about two deaths. It revealed that it was working with the Brooklet Police Department to conduct the death investigation involving individuals in Brooklet, Bulloch County.

According to preliminary information, on May 27 at approximately 7:45 p.m., officers from the Brooklet Police Department and the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call.

The caller reported an unresponsive child locked in a car at Brooklet City Park. When the police arrived, they found a child dead in the backseat with an apparent gunshot wound. A man, also dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, was found in the front seat.

Officers discovered a handgun on his lap and identified him as James Lee Mayo, 37. The child was identified as his daughter, Emily Grace Mayo, nine. The GBI revealed that their bodies would be taken to its Medical Examiner's Office in Pooler for autopsies.

The child's aunt, Amber Healy, has since created a GoFundMe fundraiser, initially hoping to raise $10,000. As of publication, she had gathered $29,075. Speaking about her late niece, Amber shared that the little girl had "the most joyful smile and the biggest heart."

She loved laughing, dancing, singing, animals, being outside, playing Roblox, talking to her cousins, and spending time with her friends. Amber noted how Emily was already "sassy and dramatic" for someone so young.

The fundraiser highlighted the late child's plans for the future: "She was excited to go into fourth grade after summer break." Emily adored her family, with Amber sharing, "We loved her more than we could put into words. The world lost a huge light."

The aunt concluded by asking for prayers, especially for her sister, Courtney Badgett, Emily's mother, adding, "No parent should have to make these decisions." In an update, she expressed deep gratitude for the overwhelming support their GoFundMe campaign received.

She explained that the original post was written quickly due to the immediate demand and apologized for its lack of detail, citing the family's intense grief. Amber clarified that news reports inaccurately referred to the family as the "Mayos" because James "didn't deserve her."

She stated that Emily was taken by someone who was supposed to protect her, but instead, he was "sick." The aunt mentioned that she is currently writing her late niece's obituary and described the surreal nature of their loss. She shared plans for a candlelight vigil at Brooklet Park and a memorial service.

Concluding her update, she thanked everyone for their love and support and requested continued prayers during this difficult time. Amber mourned her niece not only through the fundraiser but also through Facebook.

In a post filled with bittersweet photos showing Emily from childhood until recently, Amber continued expressing her grief. The aunt described her devastation over the loss of her niece, emphasizing disbelief that such a tragedy had happened to their family.

She apologized for not responding to the many people reaching out, while expressing deep appreciation for the prayers and love. Amber revealed that Emily was "taken from us" in a "most tragic way" and criticized media outlets for inaccurate reporting.

Recalling that fateful day, she said, "I was on the phone with my sister when she went to go find her baby. On the phone when [sic] she found their car." Amber recounted being with Courtney when news of Emily's death broke, noting that her sister had not been informed that night.

She shared the profound grief their family feels, stating, "I had to hold my 12 year old [sic] daughter all night long as she screamed and cried for her cousin. They were attached at the hip, even 100s of miles apart."

Amber further described Emily as full of life, loving, and welcoming to all. She condemned her father, labeling him as "selfish and evil," and noted, "He was supposed to be bringing her home to celebrate my Dad's birthday. Then he pulled into the park instead."

James allegedly took Emily's life before ending his own, an act that has left the family shattered and broken. Amber clarified that they do not mourn him and stressed that his family was not responsible; he alone was.

The aunt in mourning concluded by expressing an enduring love for Emily and sorrow at her absence, stating that they are broken and uncertain about how to move forward without her.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "help" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.