😱 HEARTBREAKING BETRAYAL: A smiling 9-year-old girl hops into a rental car with her mom for a “fun road trip”… only to end up EXECUTED on a desolate Utah highway…

Now, in a packed courtroom, cold-eyed Ashlee Buzzard stares blankly and pleads NOT GUILTY as family members gasp and sob in disbelief.

Wigs to disguise them. Swapped license plates. Backing into gas stations to dodge cameras. Returned home ALONE.

Sheriff calls it “calculated, cold-blooded” evil. What kind of monster does this to their own little girl?

Full chilling timeline + courtroom drama that will infuriate you 👇🔥

Ashlee Lynn Buzzard, 40, entered a not guilty plea Friday in a tense Santa Barbara County courtroom packed with family members and media, facing charges of first-degree murder in the shooting death of her 9-year-old daughter, Melodee Elani Buzzard. The arraignment, held on December 26, 2025, drew audible gasps and murmurs from attendees when the plea was announced, prompting the judge to call for order.

Buzzard appeared in custody via video link, standing expressionless alongside her public defender as Superior Court Judge John McGregor formally read the charges, which include special allegations of lying in wait and personal discharge of a firearm causing death. Prosecutors announced they would not seek the death penalty, and Buzzard was ordered held without bail. A temporary gag order was issued to limit public statements amid intense media coverage.

The case stems from a multi-state road trip in early October 2025 that ended in tragedy. Melodee’s decomposed remains were discovered on December 6 by a couple taking photographs in a remote area near Caineville in Wayne County, Utah. An autopsy revealed multiple gunshot wounds to the head as the cause of death. FBI DNA analysis confirmed the identity on December 22, leading to Buzzard’s arrest the following day at her Vandenberg Village home in Lompoc.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown described the crime as “calculated, cold-blooded and criminally sophisticated,” emphasizing the premeditation and heartlessness involved. “This level of criminal activity is particularly shocking given the… premeditation and heartlessness that went into planning it,” Brown said during a press conference announcing the arrest.

Investigators believe the killing occurred shortly after October 9, when Melodee was last seen alive on surveillance footage near the Colorado-Utah border during the return leg of the trip. Buzzard returned alone to California on October 10 in the rented 2024 Chevrolet Malibu.

The investigation began on October 14 when a school administrator reported Melodee’s prolonged absence. Deputies contacted Buzzard at the family home on Mars Avenue, but she provided no verifiable explanation for her daughter’s whereabouts and was described as uncooperative.

Surveillance video from a Lompoc rental car agency on October 7 captured Buzzard and Melodee, both appearing to wear wigs—Buzzard in thick golden curls and Melodee with a hoodie over bangs—as they picked up the vehicle. Authorities later determined Buzzard switched the license plate to one from New York and routinely backed into gas stations to avoid camera detection.

The pair’s route took them through multiple states: outbound via Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, and Nebraska; return via Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California. Detectives released a detailed timeline on October 24 to seek public tips.

Search warrants executed on October 15, October 30 (with FBI assistance), and later uncovered key evidence: an expended cartridge case in Buzzard’s home matching those at the Utah scene, plus a live round of similar ammunition in the rental car. Ballistics links were confirmed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The murder weapon, believed to be a 9mm firearm, has not been recovered.

Buzzard had a prior arrest in November 2025 on an unrelated false imprisonment charge involving a man at her home, but was out when the murder warrant was served.

Melodee’s paternal grandmother, Lilly Denes, spoke to media outside the courthouse Friday, expressing outrage at the not guilty plea. Family members wore pink bows in Melodee’s memory, and several watched via Zoom. Community vigils had been held earlier in Vandenberg Village, with signs pleading for information about the missing girl.

District Attorney John T. Savrnoch’s office filed the complaint alleging the murder involved “great violence, great bodily harm… or other acts disclosing a high degree of cruelty, viciousness, or callousness,” noting Melodee was particularly vulnerable and that Buzzard abused a position of trust.

No motive has been publicly disclosed. Authorities stress Buzzard acted alone and have ruled out other suspects.

The case has drawn national attention, highlighting issues of maternal filicide—rare but devastating when it occurs. Sheriff Brown noted the profound impact on his agency, saying investigators hoped for a live recovery but were confronted with this outcome.

Buzzard’s next court appearance is scheduled for early 2026, with pretrial proceedings to follow. The public defender’s office has not commented beyond court filings.

In Wayne County, Utah, where the body was found off a dirt road amid vast desert landscape, local sheriff Micah Gulley praised the quick lab work identifying the remains. The discovery site, isolated with few homes and rugged terrain, underscored the remote disposal.

Community response in Lompoc and surrounding areas remains one of shock and grief. Melodee, described by family as a bright and trusting child, attended local schools and was the focus of widespread searches before the grim confirmation.

Prosecutors emphasize the strength of physical evidence, including ballistics, surveillance, and travel records. Defense strategy has not been outlined, but the not guilty plea sets the stage for a contested trial.

As the holidays passed amid this tragedy, family members continue to mourn. Denes and others have called for justice, while authorities urge anyone with additional information to come forward.

This case adds to discussions on child protection and investigative challenges in cross-jurisdictional crimes. Collaboration between Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, ATF, Utah agencies, and others proved crucial in building the case.

Buzzard remains in custody at the Santa Barbara County Jail. The investigation is ongoing, with potential for additional charges or evidence as forensics continue.

The courtroom scene Friday captured the raw emotion: collective grief from victims’ relatives contrasting Buzzard’s stoic demeanor. As one local report noted, the plea prompted immediate reactions, underscoring the community’s investment in seeking accountability.

Nationally, similar cases of alleged parental killings in remote locations have drawn scrutiny, often involving efforts to conceal the crime. Here, the disguises and evasive maneuvers suggest planning, per prosecutors.

For now, the focus shifts to legal proceedings in Santa Barbara County, where the case will be tried. Melodee’s short life, cut short on an empty road far from home, leaves a community searching for answers in a crime authorities deem premeditated and merciless.