California mom pleads not guilty in daughter’s murder
Ashlee Buzzard has entered a plea of not guilty to charges of first-degree murder concerning her 9-year-old daughter, Melody. Authorities have outlined a journey across the country marked by efforts to evade capture, ultimately leading to the grim discovery of Melody’s body in Utah.
This week in court, the mother accused of killing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard faced a judge. Meanwhile, the child’s grandmother has expressed her belief that the murder was premeditated. This follows the tragic finding of Melodee’s body in a secluded Utah location, where she had sustained gunshot wounds to the head.
Ashlee Buzzard made her appearance at the Santa Barbara County Superior Court in Lompoc on January 7, where a date was set for her preliminary hearing regarding the murder charge of her daughter. This information was reported by the Santa Barbara Independent.
Buzzard faces charges of first-degree murder following the disappearance and death of Melodee, who went missing in October after embarking on a road trip from California with her mother. Her remains were discovered on December 6 in Wayne County, Utah, nearly two months later. Officials have confirmed that Melodee died from gunshot wounds to the head.
In addition to the murder charge, prosecutors have added two sentencing enhancements against Buzzard. These enhancements include the use of a firearm during the commission of a felony and committing murder while lying in wait, according to reports by the Independent.
On January 7, Ashlee Buzzard was seen being escorted by law enforcement into the Santa Barbara County Superior Court in Lompoc. (KKFX)
Buzzard was arrested on Dec. 23 and arraigned three days later. At that time, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office announced it would seek a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, rather than the death penalty. Buzzard has pleaded not guilty, is being held without bail, and is tentatively scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 21 in Lompoc.
Outside the courthouse, Melodee’s paternal grandmother, Lilly Denes, spoke publicly about the case and reflected on her early impressions of Buzzard, according to the Independent.
“When I met her nine or 10 years ago, she was not like this. I don’t know what happened,” Denes said.
Melodee Buzzard’s grandmother speaks to reporters after a court appearance for Melodee’s mother on Wednesday, Jan. 8. (KKFX)
Denes recalled the first time her son, Rubiell Meza, brought Buzzard to the family home.
“When my son brought her to the house, she was really quiet and just looking at me from head to toe,” Denes said. “I told my son, ‘Mijo, is this lady, is this girl OK? … She’s just staring.’”
Denes said Meza, who later died in a motorcycle accident while Melodee was still an infant, dismissed her concerns at the time, telling her his girlfriend was simply shy.
She told the Independent that while she did not see much of Buzzard afterward, the family embraced Melodee, including hosting a large baby shower.
“All my family came,” Denes said. “That can tell you how much we loved her. We loved our baby, very much.”
Denes also questioned any potential insanity defense, saying she believes the crime was planned.
Ashlee Buzzard, left, the mother of Melodee Buzzard, right, is seen in a surveillance image taken at a rental car business in Lompoc, Calif., on Oct. 7, 2025. (Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office)
“I don’t think that’s right because she planned everything,” Denes said, referencing allegations that Buzzard switched license plates on a rental car during a road trip with Melodee.
Investigators have said Melodee was considered “at-risk” after she failed to appear at school and her whereabouts could not be verified.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown previously said Melodee’s remains were discovered by two people taking photographs in a remote area of rural Utah. Forensic evidence later tied the killing to Buzzard, including ballistic evidence matched by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and DNA analysis by the FBI crime lab, which confirmed the victim’s identity.
Authorities believe Buzzard acted alone and have said there are no additional suspects. The murder weapon has not been recovered, and a motive has not been publicly disclosed.
“This is an extremely tragic case,” Brown said, describing the killing as an instance of maternal filicide, which he called rare and difficult to comprehend. He described the alleged crime as involving “calculated, cold-blooded and criminally sophisticated premeditation.”
“The loss of a child is among the most profound tragedies any community can endure,” Brown said. “That loss is exacerbated when it is at the hand of someone else and particularly at the hand of the one who should have loved them the most.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Buzzard’s lawyer for comment.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
