Executive Summary
- Ashlee Buzzard, mother of missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, was arrested on a felony false imprisonment charge unrelated to her daughter’s case.
- The charge alleges she prevented a paralegal from leaving her home while in possession of a box cutter.
- A former FBI agent described the arrest as a common tactic to gain custody of a suspect and apply pressure in a major investigation.
- Buzzard is held on $100,000 bail with a special hold requiring her to prove the legitimacy of the bail funds.
- The search for Melodee Buzzard, who is considered an at-risk missing child, is ongoing.
Ashlee Buzzard, the mother of a missing 9-year-old girl from Vandenberg Village, California, has been arrested and charged with felony false imprisonment. Authorities have confirmed that the charge is unrelated to the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of her daughter, Melodee Buzzard.
The false imprisonment charge stems from an incident last week involving a local paralegal. The alleged victim reported to authorities that he was at Buzzard’s home to offer assistance in the search for Melodee when Buzzard allegedly brandished a box cutter and prevented him from leaving the residence.
According to former FBI agent Tom Parker, who is not involved in the case, arresting a primary suspect on unrelated charges is a common investigative strategy. “It’s also a method of putting pressure on them to get from them all the information they might have about what happened, whether they were involved or not,” Parker stated, noting it gives investigators control and access for interviews.
Buzzard is being held on $100,000 bail, which is subject to a Penal Code 1275 hold. Santa Maria-based attorney Michael B. Clayton explained that this hold requires the defendant to prove the funds for bail were obtained through legitimate means before release can be secured. A false imprisonment conviction can carry a sentence of up to three years.
The search for Melodee Buzzard continues. She was last seen on October 9, and surveillance footage showed her traveling with her mother across multiple states. However, Ashlee Buzzard later returned to California alone and has reportedly been uncooperative with the investigation. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office considers Melodee to be an at-risk missing child.
Ashlee Buzzard is scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday morning. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.