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

[Cedars]

With cameras, data tracking, and DNA, she had no chance. Just the pings in her rental car would have given a route she drove there and back.
MOO

However, I got the distinct impression that if that couple hadn't accidentally spotted her, police would never have found her.

IMO, part of the planning and premediation LE refer to, was disabling the vehicle gps and not bringing her phone.

I think the only clues they had, may have been where she.used her credit card for gas....

JMO

 

[Winterhike]

I wonder what the purpose of the long drive was, or if there is one. We know Melodee was murdered and dumped in Utah on the return trip, but driving all the way to Kansas and Nebraska to begin with is still unusual to me. Was it supposed to be an added attempt at keeping people from locating Melodee’s remains, and if so, why not bury the body? It all just seems so unnecessary and bizarre. I think about all the business and people they passed on that multi state trip that would’ve gladly ensured Melodee was safe, and all the opportunities Ashlee had to turn around or make a different choice. So unbelievably sad.

JMO

I want to know more about this too. What’s in Nebraska? If the murder was premeditated as far back as before their departure from CA, why bring Melodee all the way to Nebraska and then kill her when they were almost home again? If they weren’t being so clear about the premeditation that would make me think that Ashlee just snapped about something as they were driving through there.

I’m also remembering those other reports of sightings in Utah that mentioned a purple-haired companion. Was that Melodee? If so, why bother with all the disguises—why not kill her earlier so she wouldn’t be spotted? All that to say I wonder if there was some reason that Melodee needed to be with her for whatever she was doing in Nebraska.

 

[Warwick1991]

Dumped like she was garbage by a horrible monster who doesn't deserve to be called a 'mom'.
What a disturbing sight.
Poor people.

But Melodee's spirit was already gone and in paradise.
No more pain, hunger and loneliness.
(We may never know what Ashlee may have put her through, & it's a guess -- but she might attempt to picture herself as a good, but misunderstood mother ?)

Even if the other family members were able to get custody, Ashlee might have fought tooth and nail for the daughter she didn't deserve and made Melodee's life a misery ?
Just wish it could have turned out differently for this young girl.
Omo.

Eta : It's surprising that Ashlee didn't at least bury her victim ?
Melodee might never have been found, then ?
Shot her and just left her little body laying in plain sight.

Perhaps there was a shallow grave that was uncovered by weather or animal activity. We don't know yet.

 

[tlcya]

I think the motive was "if I can't have her, nobody can"

maybe, if she was aware she would end up on CPS radar again due to the school. But also I suspect there was a very real concern that if CPS saw and interviewed her child Melodee would divulge horrible abuse, that would terminate her rights forever and land her in jail.

I suspect perhaps she made the problem go away rather than risk it causing her very real legal consequences. And now here we are, where because of her own actions she faces far worse ones.

 

[ivegotcha]

But the PI said she had made the trip many times which I do believe since the rental car people said she was there often… so what was different this time?…

previous test runs, some people run the scenes through their minds here its possible she did both... moo

 

[tlcya]

I want to know more about this too. What’s in Nebraska? If the murder was premeditated as far back as before their departure from CA, why bring Melodee all the way to Nebraska and then kill her when they were almost home again? If they weren’t being so clear about the premeditation that would make me think that Ashlee just snapped about something as they were driving through there.

I’m also remembering those other reports of sightings in Utah that mentioned a purple-haired companion. Was that Melodee? If so, why bother with all the disguises—why not kill her earlier so she wouldn’t be spotted? All that to say I wonder if there was some reason that Melodee needed to be with her for whatever she was doing in Nebraska.

I am betting all that driving was, in part, to hype herself up to actually go through with it, and also she premeditated the killing but the body disposal and when were still question marks in her mind. So she drove all around from state to state, looking for that perfect opportunity, the right spot, with no witnesses and the nerve to follow through to all combine in the right moment.

Until finally, on the return leg of the trip it became now or never, so she found the spot, no traffic at the time, suggested they get out and take some pictures or stretch their legs, and at long last, followed through with her plot to murder her child.

 

[deoneta]

Regarding Ashlee's mental state, there is definitely "something wrong" there, just like there was "something wrong" with Diane Downs, Susan Smith, Lori Daybell, etc. As other have stated, I just can't see an insanity plea because of the planning and subsequent coverup. MOO

 

[Spectrix]

I am betting all that driving was, in part, to hype herself up to actually go through with it, and also she premeditated the killing but the body disposal and when were still question marks in her mind. So she drove all around from state to state, looking for that perfect opportunity, the right spot, with no witnesses and the nerve to follow through to all combine in the right moment.

Until finally, on the return leg of the trip it became now or never, so she found the spot, no traffic at the time, suggested they get out and take some pictures or stretch their legs, and at long last, followed through with her plot to murder her child.

I was thinking this too.
I also wonder if the previous road trips had been planned in order to kill Melodee, but she didn't have the courage to go through with it.

--

 

[Spectrix]

Eta : It's surprising that Ashlee didn't at least bury her victim ?
Melodee might never have been found, then ? Shot her and just left her little body laying in plain sight.

Perhaps there was a shallow grave that was uncovered by weather or animal activity. We don't know yet.

As above, in some articles it was reported that the remains were found in a shallow grave.

--

 

[tlcya]

I am not familiar with Utah but it is possible I would think that AB left her unburied but maybe covered with some scrub or otherwise hastily concealed from view from the road. Perhaps in hopes that predators or scavengers would help dispose of her child's remains.

 

[Cedars]

maybe, if she was aware she would end up on CPS radar again due to the school. But also I suspect there was a very real concern that if CPS saw and interviewed her child Melodee would divulge horrible abuse, that would terminate her rights forever and land her in jail.

I suspect perhaps she made the problem go away rather than risk it causing her veyr real legal consequences. And now here we are, where because of her own actions she faces far worse ones.

Yes, a 9 year old is no longer as compliant to mother. She wants other kids to play with, she may have wanted to go to school and might start complaining and talking back to her mother, who is trying to keep her suffocatingly close. M would never go back to being the docile little child.

Whatever the details, IMO it was ultimately about control. I think Ashlee was determined that she would retain control over M, come hell or high water. And rather than go through any potential future ordeal, she would just eliminate the possibility of ever feeling out of control.

And it didn't work, not at all.

 

[Sjöberg]

I really don't get what we have here.

At first I thought (hoped?) that the mum was having a manic/psychotic episode (and a lot of the details do line up for that). But now we have more premediatation etc and scary details to fully believe that. Then I thought it could have been hateful and cold and calculated like the media said, but there was also so much illogical stuff and they stated they still don't have a motive, so frankly I don't really believe that either.

So what happened here? Was Ashley fuelled by dislike and hate towards the kid (with possible history of physical abuse etc)? Or was it posession and jealousy and not wanting her to be taken from her (if I can't have her, no-one can)? Or was it panic about being cornered in some way, like was Melodee refusing to do something or trying to do something that she absolutely did not want to approve? Or was it a combination with one of them and a health crisis on top of that?

I'd really need more history on their relationship to conclude anything. Her google searches and device history will hopfully tell a story.

 

[Lebowski]

it seems like all AB's fighting to keep custody of MB probably wasn't about her bond with her daughter (as one might have guessed before we learned that she executed her). so then, what was it? i believe AB's mother said she has had MH problems since childhood. maybe AB had been told all her life that she didn't have her act together* and AB had a huge resentment built up about it. (*that is how mentally healthy people often perceive MH problems, though on a practical level it was probably true here.) then, the fighting to keep her daughter was more like a "f you, i can do this!" -- a proud, defiant thing that was more about herself than her daughter. MB was just a task she had been given.

though in fact she wasn't able to do it. she was too dysfunctional to take care of a kid by herself. probably barely able to take care of herself. and yet the normal difficulties and frustrations of parenting were still there. made worse by the fact that MB's father had passed away and she was doing it alone. made even worse by her decision to cut herself off from her support network. she boxed herself in with her "i can do this!" defiance, so things boiled like in a pressure cooker. ...well past the pressure healthy parents can related to, past the level even other parents who kill their children reach, to the level where she viscerally hated her daughter. ...but couldn't admit she was unable to take care of her. so she executed her.

all my speculation only.

 

[agilbe]

I hope she gets what she deserves in prison. You know Melodee prob just thought this was a road trip and didn’t know her own disgusting mother was going to shoot her in the head!!!

DBM

 

[tlcya]

what does Ashlee Buzzard face being tried in California:

Penalties​

In California, those found guilty of first-degree murder can receive one of three possible sentences:

• 25 years to life in prison
• Life imprisonment without parole
• The death penalty

Special circumstances require a sentence of life without parole (LWOP) or the death penalty, including:

• Hate crimes
• Use of a weapon of mass destruction
• Murder of a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or judge
• Murder with gang enhancements

California’s governor suspended the death penalty in 2018. However, execution for capital murder remains on the books. California uses lethal injection and cyanide gas for execution.
California First Degree Murder Laws - FindLaw

 

[TMich6811]

I’m sticking with my original guess for motive

Melodee

 

[PromotedPawn]

Read this terrible news while on a trip with my own daughter, just a few years older than Melodee. I really hoped there would be a better outcome here. The selfishness of this pathetic excuse for a parent is unfathomable. RIP Baby girl.

 

[ErinC]

Regarding Ashlee's mental state, there is definitely "something wrong" there, just like there was "something wrong" with Diane Downs, Susan Smith, Lori Daybell, etc. As other have stated, I just can't see an insanity plea because of the planning and subsequent coverup. MOO

Diane Downs. THAT'S who she reminds me of that I couldn't think of. Calmly putting rounds into their children, not a single fk given. The only thing different is that Diane had an observable motive (i.e. a man) and we haven't seen anything straightforward like that with AB. It will be interesting to see how this shakes out.

 

[layer]

what does Ashlee Buzzard face being tried in California:

I'm confused. Why would she be tried in California? Wasn't the murder in Utah?

 

[Winterhike]

I am betting all that driving was, in part, to hype herself up to actually go through with it, and also she premeditated the killing but the body disposal and when were still question marks in her mind. So she drove all around from state to state, looking for that perfect opportunity, the right spot, with no witnesses and the nerve to follow through to all combine in the right moment.

Until finally, on the return leg of the trip it became now or never, so she found the spot, no traffic at the time, suggested they get out and take some pictures or stretch their legs, and at long last, followed through with her plot to murder her child.

What if all the premeditation, disguises, presence of a weapon, rental car, and switched plates were actually not about the murder but about hiding whatever she was driving to Nebraska to do? And originally Melodee was just along for the ride because that’s how Ashlee handles childcare while simultaneously committing crimes? What if in the past this had been fine, but during this trip Melodee was older and more aware and started asking questions that she never asked before, and that was enough for Ashlee to either panic or make a decision to kill her?

ETA: if they know what was happening in Nebraska, I hope it comes out eventually.