Found Deceased CA - Melodee Buzzard, 9, Vandenberg Village, 14 Oct 2025 *Mother arrested*

[Knox]

Yes, all this and any information the defense can obtain about probable cause. This is a weird case; there remains the possibility that Melodee was killed for a reason related to another crime. Although it seems unlikely that any other crime is worse than murder, the defense may want to know what LE was thinking when searching.

MOO

I'm wondering if a gag order is going to be imposed after the unsealing occurs.

 

[tricia]

Hi Everyone.
Need your help.
We need help with two cases that require a family lawyer's help.
First case:
Melodee's family needs a lawyer. This would be strictly pro bono. It is for an issue involving Melodee. A family lawyer from California would be best, but not necessary.
Second case:
Need help with a ruling of a suicide that really looks like murder. It is a woman who had a restraining order against the father of her kids/husband. The restraining order was for him to stay away from the kids. Now that she is deceased, he may end up with the kids. Again, pro bono.
The case is not on Websleuths.com.
The restraining order is in Idaho.
If you can help with one or both of these, please email Stacy at [email protected]
If you have any questions, please do not post in this thread; email Stacy instead.
Thank you so very much!!!
Tricia

 

[FromGermany1]

So what do we think about the Hobbs Motion which will be filed by the defense?

What part of the investigation are they protecting? Sealed warrants, informants? Wonder if we were on track when we discussed the possibility she was transporting things for profit.

Hopefully she wasn't transporting her daughter as some "goods".

 

[TMich6811]

Dbm

 

[tlcya]

A preliminary hearing for Ashlee Lynn Buzzard, charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of her 9-year-old daughter, Melodee Buzzard, was postponed again Wednesday because defense attorneys said they are still awaiting key forensic discovery.
[snip]
During the hearing, the court addressed defense requests related to sealed search warrants. Sutherland requested an ex parte order signed by the judge that would allow warrant affidavits to be released to the defense while remaining sealed from public view. Judge Dunkle agreed, and informed the court that future sealed warrants would be handled through the same process, eliminating the need for additional motions.
Preliminary hearing delayed again in Ashlee Buzzard case, discovery continues

preliminary now set for Feb. 11.

 

[Jo in Calif]

At the defense’s request, Buzzard waived her time for another month, now extending through April.

This means her preliminary hearing will not take place before then, as her public defender Erica Sutherland told the court she is missing a “significant amount of discovery,” which she described as essentially all forensic evidence.

Sutherland asked that Buzzard’s case be put on the calendar for Feb. 11 so an update can be provided then on when the defense can expect the requested documents from the prosecution.
Preliminary hearing not until April. This is when we will discover things.
Feb 11 will just be an update.

Judge allows defense access to sealed warrants in murder case involving Ashlee Buzzard

A permanent gag order will remain in effect during the remainder of criminal proceedings against the Vandenberg Village mother charged with murdering her 9-year-old daughter last fall.

www.ksby.com

 

[ivegotcha]

Judge is allowing access to defense .......

Judge allows defense access to sealed warrants in murder case involving Ashlee Buzzard

 

[Jo in Calif]

DBM

 

[Knox]

At the defense’s request, Buzzard waived her time for another month, now extending through April.

This means her preliminary hearing will not take place before then, as her public defender Erica Sutherland told the court she is missing a “significant amount of discovery,” which she described as essentially all forensic evidence.

Sutherland asked that Buzzard’s case be put on the calendar for Feb. 11 so an update can be provided then on when the defense can expect the requested documents from the prosecution.
Preliminary hearing not until April. This is when we will discover things.
Feb 11 will just be an update.

Judge allows defense access to sealed warrants in murder case involving Ashlee Buzzard

A permanent gag order will remain in effect during the remainder of criminal proceedings against the Vandenberg Village mother charged with murdering her 9-year-old daughter last fall.

www.ksby.com

This is going to be a long drawn out case with little information released prior to trial?

 

[Jo in Calif]

When Meza’s attorney asked why he chose Contreras, Beebe responded, “Well, it’s a little bit arbitrary,” adding that Melodee seemed to have a closer and longer-term relationship with the relatives on her mother’s side.

Contreras, represented by Noelle Gaston from the Law Office of Christopher S. Biely, submitted 36 photos reportedly showing what her attorney called the “close bond” with Melodee.

Judge Rules as Half-Sisters Fight Over Return of Melodee Buzzard’s Remains

Melodee Buzzard’s adult half-sisters appeared in a Santa Maria courtroom Monday amid a dispute about who should make decisions regarding the 9-year-old’s

www.noozhawk.com

Maternal side very quiet through all of this. They evidently involved with Melodie much more than the paternal side.

 

[Seattle1]

I don’t think what you describe is close to what the circumstances were. The paternal family (Uncle) had custody of Melody at CPS’s request the last time Ashlee was hospitalized for treatment.

Maternal side very quiet through all of this. They evidently involved with Melodie much more than the paternal side.

I get the feeling that due to the mother's mental health issues, the relationships were a bit more complicated than even the Court understood from the battling half-sisters.

For example, we know that CPS placed Melodee in the care of her paternal uncle (deceased father's brother) because the agency deemed this was best for the health and welfare of the child, and her paternal grandmother, Lily Denes, who was often seen at updates by investigators, had previously initiated adoption of Melodee until Ashlee was released from the mental hospital, and went into hiding with the child-- not even allowing her to attend school. JMO

Body of missing Melodee Buzzard is found months after she vanished

Ashlee Buzzard, 40, was arrested at her Lompoc by Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department deputies at around 7:40 am on Tuesday.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Lizabeth Meza, Melodee's aunt, previously told the Daily Mail that Buzzard had lost custody of Melodee in the past because of mental health woes and allegedly admitted psychological issues run in her family.

'There were so many hurdles, just so much going on within the family,' Meza said in tears.

'And it just saddens me that there was so much going on at that time that we weren't able to keep in contact with Melodee, and nobody had a relationship with her.

'The system failed her by giving her back to a mother time and time again when she was unstable. There is just so many emotions that go through my mind when I think of that little girl.'

Melodee's [paternal] grandmother, Lilly Denes, also claimed the child's mentally ill mother wanted to 'cut' her off from the 'entire world.'

Denes was in the process of adopting the nine-year-old when Ashlee 'took her away from us' after being released from the mental hospital in 2021, she told Fox News Digital.

'That lady is mentally ill bad,' she told the outlet.

 

[Jo in Calif]

The Contreras filing noted that Melodee’s father never legally sought to establish paternity and that his family, including the half-sister, never petitioned for relative placement or visitation.

Judge Rules as Half-Sisters Fight Over Return of Melodee Buzzard’s Remains

Melodee Buzzard’s adult half-sisters appeared in a Santa Maria courtroom Monday amid a dispute about who should make decisions regarding the 9-year-old’s

www.noozhawk.com

 

[Seattle1]

We know that Melodee's father was killed when she was only 6 months old, and as for both half sisters, Corinna Meza and Destynee Contreras, I don't recall seeing their names reported here before this hearing.

However, I'd say that Ms. Contreras claim that Melodee's paternal family were never involved in her life is patently false when it's long been reported/linked here that her Uncle Marvin Meza (dad's older brother) and his wife had custody of Melodee in 2020 after Ashely lost custody, and that her paternal grandmother (Lilly Denes) was in the process of adopting her in 2021 when Ashley was first granted visitation after a long absence, and started working towards regaining custody. I recall first hearing this from Vinnie Politan on Court TV early during the missing investigation. Doubtful Vinnie just made it up!

But more important here is that the Court is supervising the disposition of this tragic child's remains and working with the parties so that her services will not become media events, or used for fundraising.

2/2/26

Melodee Buzzard's belongings removed from home as court finalizes memorial arrangements

A judge on Monday sorted out memorial plans for nine-year-old Melodee Buzzard and how her family will be involved.

www.ksby.com