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

[Batgirl 2.0]

I think the drug mule theory is a good one—it could explain the multiple quick cross-country trips, switching of license plates to avoid detection, use of a child to look less suspicious, use of wigs that could be used to hide drugs, and Nebraska as a destination (either as an end-use destination or a distribution destination). All my opinion.

 

[Megnut]

Boxcutter theory:

If she's moving out, it's why she had moving boxes... and probably packing tape... and ... a boxcutter.

Not everything is sinister.

Enough is, without conflating what isn't.

JMO

 

[ivegotcha]

Here is a video of Ashlee Buzzard placing boxes into the U-Haul truck and .. states she left in the U-Haul but returned in a Uber.

 

[BlaiseFinlay]

Here is a video of Ashlee Buzzard placing boxes into the U-Haul truck and .. states she left in the U-Haul but returned in a Uber.

Does this mean they didn’t follow her? Seems like a missed opportunity.

 

[ivegotcha]

Does this mean they didn’t follow her? Seems like a missed opportunity.

in the video it says that their source tells them that (detectives or fbi) followed her.

 

[Knox]

Is anyone else starting to feel this is ridiculous time-suck? Ashlee said, "I'm an itelligent woman, I'm forty years-old". All the things she stated in the recording with Brewer, apply to her in the situation she's created for herself. Does she have any self-awareness at all?

What's her end-game, does she even have one? Is she just waiting to be arrested on something related to Melodee - then she'll produce her or state her location?

Not to mention the cost of the investigation - we're at day 38 and counting. Is this a waste of resources at this point?

 

[maiarainearcadia]

I get it, but how would you feel if Ashlee was raising your granddaughter? She permanently lost custody of the older daughter, and Melodee twice.

Lilly’s a spicy Grandma who lacks a filter.

It’s not really appropriate to refer to receiving impatient mental health care as being in “the loonie bin” no matter what the context. It only adds to the stigma around mental health. People in need of mental health treatment deserve basic dignity…

 

[maiarainearcadia]

The scary thing to me is despite claims of mental illness she clearly recorded this to protect herself. She knows exactly what she's doing and that makes it even more likely this cold blooded woman will never come clean.

I don’t understand why her recording a conversation somehow negates the possibility of mental illness playing a role in all this…especially if she’s experiencing paranoia.

 

[tara83]

I don’t understand why her recording a conversation somehow negates the possibility of mental illness playing a role in all this…especially if she’s experiencing paranoia.

I think it proves she's not a delusional mess. She's clearly smart enough to plan and protect her own best interest.

 

[Ontario Mom]

Is anyone else starting to feel this is ridiculous time-suck? Ashlee said, "I'm an itelligent woman, I'm forty years-old". All the things she stated in the recording with Brewer, apply to her in the situation she's created for herself. Does she have any self-awareness at all?

What's her end-game, does she even have one? Is she just waiting to be arrested on something related to Melodee - then she'll produce her or state her location?

Not to mention the cost of the investigation - we're at day 38 and counting. Is this a waste of resources at this point?

Because an innocent child is missing, unaccounted for and her parent is not cooperating - no.
I can't consider it a time-suck or a waste of resources.

jmo

 

[Knox]

It’s not really appropriate to refer to receiving impatient mental health care as being in “the loonie bin” no matter what the context. It only adds to the stigma around mental health. People in need of mental health treatment deserve basic dignity…

I agree 100% with your statement.

However, Lilly is 80 years old, her unfiltered choice of words likely reflect both her frustration at the situation and the insensitive view of mental health care which existed long ago. Just guessing, and trying to understand her point of view.

Do not point to my post as a statement or viewpoint on the treatment of mental health. My stance on that subject can be viewed in many different threads here at WS and speaks for itself.

This case is about Melodee, but the focus is solely on Ashlee because she has refused to verify her location.

 

[Izzylizzy]

The scary thing to me is despite claims of mental illness she clearly recorded this to protect herself. She knows exactly what she's doing and that makes it even more likely this cold blooded woman will never come clean.

Yes to "cold bloodied" which to me makes sense because she comes across to me as being void of emotions.
imo

 

[Eli9]

I don’t understand why her recording a conversation somehow negates the possibility of mental illness playing a role in all this…especially if she’s experiencing paranoia.

I would be willing to entertain the idea that she frequently makes recordings of other conversations as well, maybe even the ones with LE.

 

[Megnut]

IME individuals who suffer from paranoia still speak articulately. Out of context, quite credibly and intelligently.

I get the impossible that LE discovered that recorded exchange while investigating the friend's allegations, via a search warrant on her phone. She did not volunteer it AFAIK in order to defend herself. IMO probably because she's paranoid indiscriminately. Everyone who comes to her door, LE, etc. And just because someone might be pathologically paranoid doesn't preclude them from actually be followed.

In this case, she is being followed, she is being hounded. In some ways, the whole world  is after her.

Because her daughter is missing! Her daughter is missing, she's not cooperating with LE, she's not looking for her daughter as far as anyone can tell. She's not making pleas, not hitting the media circuit. She's exhibiting done very peculiar behavior which, when paired with a missing child, makes one wonder if this behavior didn't precede her daughter going missing.

Could it all center around a legitimate fear her daughter would be taken from her multiplied by pathological factors? I think of truly psychotic mothers who nurder their babies, believing this is the only way to save them.

Maybe Ashlee isn't grieving because, wherever Melodee is, Ashlee believes her to be "safe".

I agree with with everyone here who had concluded that Ashlee sounds surprisingly coherent and lucid in that recorded exchange. So do people with dementia, from time to time. Would be very convincing to a passerby...

But none of what she is doing makes sense in light of her daughter being missing.

Notably, she filled that entire recording with verbiage. But said nothing about the only thing that currently matters.

JMO

 

[Knox]

IME individuals who suffer from paranoia still speak articulately. Out of context, quite credibly and intelligently.

I get the impossible that LE discovered that recorded exchange while investigating the friend's allegations, via a search warrant on her phone. She did not volunteer it AFAIK in order to defend herself. IMO probably because she's paranoid indiscriminately. Everyone who comes to her door, LE, etc. And just because someone might be pathologically paranoid doesn't preclude them from actually be followed.

In this case, she is being followed, she is being hounded. In some ways, the whole world  is after her.

Because her daughter is missing! Her daughter is missing, she's not cooperating with LE, she's not looking for her daughter as far as anyone can tell. She's not making pleas, not hitting the media circuit. She's exhibiting done very peculiar behavior which, when paired with a missing child, makes one wonder if this behavior didn't precede her daughter going missing.

Could it all center around a legitimate fear her daughter would be taken from her multiplied by pathological factors? I think of truly psychotic mothers who nurder their babies, believing this is the only way to save them.

Maybe Ashlee isn't grieving because, wherever Melodee is, Ashlee believes her to be "safe".

I agree with with everyone here who had concluded that Ashlee sounds surprisingly coherent and lucid in that recorded exchange. So do people with dementia, from time to time. Would be very convincing to a passerby...

But none of what she is doing makes sense in light of her daughter being missing.

Notably, she filled that entire recording with verbiage. But said nothing about the only thing that currently matters.

JMO

Why did Ashlee enroll Melodee in the Independant Homeschool Program at Lompoc Unified to begin with? If we knew the answer, it might shed some light on where we're at today? Early on, some OP mused that she may have thought she was enrolling Melodee in a program where she didn't interact with a teacher/school at all. Later realising her mistake.

ASFAIK, Melodee has not been in school since 2021 - when it was stated by the paternal family, she was picked up from school after Ashlee exited a treatment program - then she left the area with Melodee (as far as the family knew). I think that would have been Melodee's K year.

LE has only stated Melodee was homeschooled. Lompoc Unified stated Melodee was "first enrolled" in their district back in August this year. Further stating there was no affidavit of homeschool filed for Melodee in the State of California. If Melodee had been attended school in another local district, I would expect we would know that by now through LE, MSM, or at a minimum Social Media through other parents. Not even a whisper on that subject.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

I haven't been following this case but those who are may be interested to hear that the Criminology podcast has just released an episode on it.

Melodee Buzzard Criminology podcast

Listen to Melodee Buzzard and 412 more episodes by Criminology, free! No signup or install needed. Melodee Buzzard. The Monster of Florence Part2.

player.fm

 

[Greenestdays]

But none of what she is doing makes sense in light of her daughter being missing.

To be fair, M is missing from the pov of LE and the general public. It is possible A knows exactly where she is.

 

[LaborDayRN]

The discussion in this episode talks about the possibility of drug trafficking. IMO, this could make sense.

I'm leaning more child trafficking.

 

[Cedars]

To be fair, M is missing from the pov of LE and the general public. It is possible A knows exactly where she is.

However, she cannot stonewall for ever. LE will not give up on locating M.

It seems 6 months without communication or financial/physical support is typically the point where parental rights can be terminated, and after perhaps a longer period of publicity and search with no proof of life, the circumstances of the car trip will be used against her for some type of murder charge.

California Code, Family Code - FAM § 7822 | FindLaw

California Family Code FAM CA FAM Section 7822. Read the code on FindLaw

codes.findlaw.com

JMO

 

[Mauig’ma]

However, she cannot stonewall for ever. LE will not give up on locating M.

It seems 6 months without communication or financial/physisical support is typically the point where parental rights can be terminated, and after perhaps a longer period of publicity and search with no proof of life, the circumstances of the car trip will be used against her for some type of murder charge.

California Code, Family Code - FAM § 7822 | FindLaw

California Family Code FAM CA FAM Section 7822. Read the code on FindLaw

codes.findlaw.com

JMO

That’s reassuring I guess