Investigative Timeline: The Disappearance of 9-Year-Old Melodee Buzzard from Santa Barbara, California

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has stepped in to assist in the search for a young girl, aged 9, who has gone missing from Santa Barbara County.

The latest photograph of Melodee Buzzard available to law enforcement dates back two years. At the age of 9, Melodee stands approximately 4 feet 6 inches tall and weighs around 60 pounds, with brown hair and eyes. Officers caution that her appearance might have altered since the photograph was taken.

Officials report that Melodee, who was receiving home-based education, hasn’t been in contact with her independent studies program since October of the previous year.

According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, evidence suggests Melodee was last seen with her mother, Ashlee Buzzard, as of October 7.

It’s believed that Melodee accompanied her mother on a road trip extending to Nebraska. Authorities have identified the vehicle in question as a rented white Chevrolet Malibu, bearing the license plate number 9MNG101.

Investigators have noted that Ashlee Buzzard has not been forthcoming with information regarding Melodee’s current location.

Authorities announced last week they were looking for Melodee, initially saying she hadn’t been seen since October 2024. The department later said she had been spotted as recently as August 2025, and a sheriff’s spokesperson described her disappearance as “suspicious.” It appears Melodee was homeschooled for at least the last few years, according to the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office urges anyone who has seen Melodee or has had contact with Ashlee Buzzard since Oct. 7 to call the department at 805-681-4150. Tips can be submitted anonymously at 805-681-4171 or www.sbsheriff.org/home/anonymous-tip.

Timeline of Melodee Buzzard’s disappearance from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office:

2023
Most recent photo and verified sighting available at the onset of investigation.