CA CA - Melodee Buzzard, 9, Vandenberg Village, 14 Oct 2025

[Knox]

The newly-released, 10-second-long video starts off with Ashlee and her daughter, Melodee Buzzard, looking at each other on Oct. 7 at a Lompoc car rental business. Ashlee then turns away, her cell phone and wallet appearing to be on the rental car counter and a credit card-shaped item in her hand.

On Thursday, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office announced they believe Ashlee changed wigs during her road trip, at one point wearing a darker wig that resembles the one Melodee is seen wearing in the surveillance video.

Mother of missing Vandenberg Village girl changed wigs during road trip, investigators say

Investigators are releasing surveillance video they say was taken at the start of a road trip Ashlee Buzzard took with her 9-year-old daughter last month.

www.ksby.com

 

[Amy0077]

This video is creepy. Poor Melodee.

 

[Knox]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1986574820709179528

Updated Information in Search for Missing At-Risk Child, Surveillance Video Shared​

Posted November 6, 2025
Lompoc, Calif. – Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives are releasing additional information in the ongoing search for missing at-risk 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, including a portion of the surveillance video from October 7, 2025, and updated investigative details indicating that Melodee’s mother, Ashlee Buzzard, may have changed her appearance during travel.

Detectives are now sharing a segment of the video footage taken on October 7, 2025, at a rental car location in Lompoc, California. The footage corresponds to previously released still images and shows both Ashlee and Melodee wearing wigs. Investigators also believe that Ashlee swapped wigs throughout the trip, changing to a darker wig that is similar in color and style to the one Melodee was seen wearing. This change in appearance is believed to have been intentional to avoid recognition during travel.

Summary of Previously Released Information

The Sheriff’s Office began its investigation on October 14, 2025, when a school administrator reported Melodee’s prolonged absence. Deputies attempted to locate Melodee and her mother, Ashlee, at their residence in Lompoc but were only able to speak with Ashlee, who provided no verifiable explanation for Melodee’s whereabouts. A search of the residence confirmed Melodee was not there.

Through their investigation, detectives confirmed the following:

• Ashlee left California with Melodee on October 7, 2025, driving a rented white 2024 Chevrolet Malibu that initially displayed California license plate 9MNG101.
• Detectives believe Ashlee and Melodee traveled as far as Nebraska, with a return route that included Kansas.
• Beginning October 8, 2025, the Malibu was observed with a New York license plate: HCG9677. The plate does not belong to the vehicle or Ashlee and is believed to have been used as a false or switched plate to avoid detection. When the Malibu was returned to the Lompoc rental agency, the original California plate was back on the vehicle.
• Detectives have confirmed that Melodee was last seen on October 9, 2025, on video surveillance in the region between the Colorado–Utah border. Ashlee has continued to refuse cooperation and has not confirmed Melodee’s location or welfare.

Travel Route – Communities Asked to Review Surveillance

Detectives believe the Malibu traveled through the following areas on or around October 9, 2025:

• Green River, Utah
• Panguitch, Utah
• Northwest Arizona
• Primm, Nevada
• Rancho Cucamonga, California

The Sheriff’s Office has released a travel-route map and is urging businesses, gas stations, hotels, rest stops, and community members in these areas to review surveillance footage from October 9–10, 2025.

Detectives are asking anyone who has seen Melodee or has information about her whereabouts to contact the Sheriff’s Office through one of the following methods:

• Detectives Line: (805) 681-4150
• Anonymous Tip Line: (805) 681-4171
• Online Tips: www.sbsheriff.org/home/anonymous-tip/

Detectives will continue to provide updates as new information becomes available that does not compromise the integrity of the investigation.

 

[Knox]

Green River to Rancho Cucamonga

www.google.com

 

[Knox]

Investigators must have a working theory on what happened to Melodee by now, right?

 

[TMich6811]

View attachment 623730

Green River to Rancho Cucamonga

www.google.com

Looks like based on their noted location, her path was something like this as far as they know now

 

[Gigglingtoes]

The newly-released, 10-second-long video starts off with Ashlee and her daughter, Melodee Buzzard, looking at each other on Oct. 7 at a Lompoc car rental business. Ashlee then turns away, her cell phone and wallet appearing to be on the rental car counter and a credit card-shaped item in her hand.

On Thursday, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office announced they believe Ashlee changed wigs during her road trip, at one point wearing a darker wig that resembles the one Melodee is seen wearing in the surveillance video.

Mother of missing Vandenberg Village girl changed wigs during road trip, investigators say

Investigators are releasing surveillance video they say was taken at the start of a road trip Ashlee Buzzard took with her 9-year-old daughter last month.

www.ksby.com

Guys I don’t like Meloddes body language! My daughter is her age and that just looks like she is very uncomfortable and I would say nervous or scared.

 

[TMich6811]

Looks like based on their noted location, her path was something like this as far as they know now

Actually when you put it in and add the stops, panguitch is just an off shoot rather than taking a diff route

https://maps.app.goo.gl/gsfeP588YwGUVcGWA?g_st=ic

 

[TMich6811]

Whole route something like this depending on where in Nebraska she was

I’d still like to know why they think this is different than what was planned

https://maps.app.goo.gl/gsfeP588YwGUVcGWA?g_st=ic

 

[Gigglingtoes]

From green river on- they have no footage of Melodee.

 

[TMich6811]

The whole route is national Forrest after green river. You can hop off of 70 on 89 and that would take you straight to Panguitch.

I wonder if the visual in green river to the visual in Panguitch aligns with appropriate travel time from a to b

 

[Gigglingtoes]

The whole route is national Forrest after green river. You can hop off of 70 on 89 and that would take you straight to Panguitch.

I wonder if the visual in green river to the visual in Panguitch aligns with appropriate travel time from a to b

WTH did she do!?

 

[Lebowski]

i wish we knew how many images/sightings they have of ashlee without melodee. if there was only like 1 or 2 between green river and LA, the point where melodee was left behind (or whatever happened) might be anywhere from green river to like las vegas. but if there's a whole bunch of them, they can probably constrain the possible locations pretty well.

 

[Gigglingtoes]

I’m surprised how quiet the paternal family is being..

 

[Slamalam]

I still cannot believe they don’t have Ashlee in custody! They are actively searching for Melodee. There is one person who was with her when she disappeared, doesn’t seem concerned about her whereabouts, but won’t confirm where she is or that she’s safe. Is it because there is no evidence that a crime has happened? Is that why they can’t bring her in? There aren’t any official charges? Ugh

 

[starlightstarbright]

Mai don’t understand the technology, but if they know based on phone data that she was at a specific intersection near the gas station, why can’t they figure out where she might have taken a little detour and stopped for an hour? That would surely be the place to look. They have her phone now. Our phones track us everywhere. There must be some data that shows a drop off point somewhere.

I just worry that we’re 4 weeks later now and if she’s dropped Melodee off to ‘hide’ her somewhere, 4 weeks is a long time to survive on your own with no one looking out for you. MOO

 

[truthfinder2019]

Family of Melodee Buzzard asks for help as new video of the missing girl surfaces

As the authorities release new surveillance video of missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, the girl's paternal aunt pleaded with the public to help bring her niece home. Hunter Sowards reports.

www.cbsnews.com

She has received moving card board boxes :

 

[katydid23]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1986243469481025762

Well now we know she was with someone else at least in Utah. Purple hair, estimated age 30, no indication of male or female given in the article. Doesn’t say anyone saw Melodee?

She cares about kittens, where’s her damn kid!! Just keeps getting more bizarre!

It may have been a purple wig---worn to avoid a real description of the person.

If it was really a purple haired person from the area, many locals would know who it was, imo.

 

[katydid23]

witness said they had a california plate. if that's true, and she didn't just mentally retcon that, i'd say it adds to the credibility.

But it's confusing because wasn't it said she had put NY license plates on the rental?

 

[katydid23]

The newly-released, 10-second-long video starts off with Ashlee and her daughter, Melodee Buzzard, looking at each other on Oct. 7 at a Lompoc car rental business. Ashlee then turns away, her cell phone and wallet appearing to be on the rental car counter and a credit card-shaped item in her hand.

On Thursday, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office announced they believe Ashlee changed wigs during her road trip, at one point wearing a darker wig that resembles the one Melodee is seen wearing in the surveillance video.

Mother of missing Vandenberg Village girl changed wigs during road trip, investigators say

Investigators are releasing surveillance video they say was taken at the start of a road trip Ashlee Buzzard took with her 9-year-old daughter last month.

www.ksby.com

That's creepy that Mom was later wearing her daughter's wig. Does that mean she didn't need it for Melodee anymore?