UPDATE (2:35 p.m.) – Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown confirms the body of Melodee Buzzard was found in a rural area outside Caineville, Utah on Dec. 6.
Sheriff Brown says evidence clearly indicates the 9-year-old’s mother, Ashlee, is responsible for the “heinous crime,” calling it calculated, cold-blooded, premeditated and criminally sophisticated.
WATCH: Sheriff Bill Brown holds press conference on Ashlee Buzzard’s arrest
Santa Barbara County Sheriff press conference on discovery of Melodee Buzzard’s body, mother’s arrest
When sharing an updated timeline, Sheriff Brown says Melodee was last seen with her mother at a stop on the Colorado side of the Colorado-Utah border on Oct. 9, adding they believe the girl died shortly after that stop.
Her body was discovered on Dec. 6 by two people taking pictures in the area of East State Route 24 in Wayne County. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and notified the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office of the discovery two days later.
Due to the state of decomposition, DNA confirmation was needed to positively identify the remains.
Sheriff Brown says Melodee died from multiple gunshot wounds to the head, adding that cartridge cases found at the crime scene were positively linked to a cartridge case that was found at Ashlee’s Mars Avenue home during a search on Oct. 30.
Melodee’s remains were positively identified on Monday, Dec. 22, leading to the arrest of Ashlee on Tuesday.
Sheriff Brown says they do not have possession of the murder weapon and they have yet to establish a motive for the killing.
Authorities say it’s believed Ashlee acted alone and no one else was involved.
She is being held in the Santa Barbara County Jail without bail.
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UPDATE (12:19 p.m.) – Ashlee Buzzard has been booked at the Santa Barbara County Southern Branch Jail on suspicion of murder. She is being held without bail.
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UPDATE (10:58 a.m.) – Melodee Buzzard’s paternal grandmother tells KSBY that detectives notified her that Melodee’s body has been discovered. A press conference is planned for 2 p.m. Tuesday where major developments in the case involving Melodee are expected to be released. KSBY will be carrying that press conference live on KSBY and KSBY.com.
Ashlee Buzzard was seen being taken into custody shortly before 7:45 a.m. Authorities were back at the home at around 9 a.m. and left shortly before 10:30 a.m. after putting brown bags into a van.
KSBY
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ORIGINAL STORY: The mother of missing child Melodee Buzzard is back in custody.
Video taken by neighbors and obtained by KSBY shows Ashlee Buzzard, 40, being led away from her Mars Avenue home in Vandenberg Village by Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Officials Tuesday morning.
One neighbor described the incident as quiet and quick, starting shortly before 7:45 a.m. The neighbor says authorities banged on the door with a metal tool and eventually used it to pry open the door and gain access to the home.
The screen door on the front of the Mars Avenue home now sits slightly ajar, appearing to be unable to close following the arrest.
KSBY
The screen door on the front of Ashlee Buzzard’s home sits ajar Tuesday morning, shortly after she was taken into custody.
A sheriff’s spokesperson has not responded to KSBY’s requests for comment on the incident.
Nine-year-old Melodee was last seen Oct. 9 during a three-day road trip authorities say the mother and daughter took, spanning as far east as Nebraska. It was also announced that Ashlee and Melodee both wore wigs and that the license plate on the rental car used during the trip had been changed at least once.
The investigation into her disappearance began Oct. 14 when school administrators notified authorities of the girl’s prolonged absence.
KSBY
A sign outside Melodee Buzzard’s Vandenberg Village home reads, “Where is Melodee?”
Authorities say Ashlee has been uncooperative with the investigation, providing no information as to where her daughter may be. The FBI is assisting with the investigation.
Ashlee was arrested back in November on a false imprisonment charge, connected to an incident at her home with a man who claimed Ashlee would not let her leave.
WATCH: Investigation continues two months after Melodee Buzzard’s disappearance
Investigation continues two months after Melodee Buzzard’s disappearance
During a preliminary hearing in that case, the judge ruled there was not enough evidence for the case to move forward and the charge against Ashlee was dismissed.
KSBY is continuing to follow the latest developments in this case and will have more on KSBY.com and KSBY News as information comes in.
