Ashlee Buzzard, 40, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the October 2025 shooting death of her 9-year-old daughter in Utah.

Ashlee Buzzard, 40, appeared in court in Lompoc, California, on January 7, 2026, facing first-degree murder charges in the October 9 shooting death of her 9-year-old daughter, Melodee, in Utah. Accused of using a firearm and lying in wait, Buzzard pleaded not guilty and remains held without bail. A preliminary hearing has been delayed until after April, following her waiver of a 60-day hearing deadline. Her defense requested a permanent gag order and access to warrant details, with a related hearing set for January 21. Authorities say Buzzard was uncooperative after Melodee’s absence was reported in mid-October, and investigators believe she killed her daughter during a road trip, leaving the body in a remote Utah area where it was found in early December.