Ashlee Buzzard, the mom of missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, allegedly switched license plates during their road trip in an apparent effort to avoid detection, authorities said, as they narrow in on the timeline the little girl went missing.
Authorities said they believe Ashlee Buzzard drove through Green River, Utah; Panguitch, Utah; northwest Arizona; Primm, Nevada; and Rancho Cucamonga, California.
During the road trip, Ashlee Buzzard allegedly removed the Malibu’s California license plate, number 9MNG101, Zick said.
The original California plate was back on the car when Ashlee Buzzard returned it to the rental agency in California, Zick said.
It appears “the license plate was switched to avoid detection … don’t have any other plausible reason,” Zick said.
In an apparent attempt to evade detection, Ashlee Buzzard, the mother of missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, allegedly switched license plates during their road trip, according to authorities as they focus on the time frame in which the young girl vanished.
October. 7. According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, Melodee and her mother departed from Lompoc, California, for a three-day road trip to the Nebraska region. The 9-year-old is seen in surveillance photos on October at a rental car company in the Santa Barbara area wearing what appears to be a wig. 7, officials stated.
Melodee’s most recent confirmed sighting was in October. 9, Raquel Zick, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office, told ABC News on Monday. According to Zick, surveillance footage from that day shows Melodee with her mother close to the Colorado-Utah border.
October 2, the following day. 10. After renting a white 2024 Chevrolet Malibu in October, Ashlee Buzzard returned to Lompoc. 7— but according to the sheriff’s office, Melodee wasn’t with her.
Investigators are now concentrating on the October timeline, according to Zick. 9–October. Ten.
Ashlee Buzzard is suspected by authorities of driving through Rancho Cucamonga, California; Green River, Utah; Panguitch, Utah; northwest Arizona; and Primm, Nevada.
According to Zick, Ashlee Buzzard allegedly took off the Malibu’s California license plate, number 9MNG101, during the road trip.
Oct. 8. The Malibu was registered under the New York license plate HCG9677. According to the sheriff’s office, it’s unclear when that plate was added or whether additional plates were added at different times.
When Ashlee Buzzard returned the vehicle to the California rental company, the original California license plate was still on it, according to Zick.
“The license plate was switched to avoid detection .s,” it seems. Zick stated, “I have no other reasonable explanation.”.
According to authorities, Ashlee Buzzard has not assisted with the investigation.
According to Zick, Melodee is still regarded as missing. No one has been taken into custody.
