The courtroom reacted before the judge could.
As Ashlee Buzzard entered a not guilty plea Friday morning to charges accusing her of murdering her 9-year-old daughter, gasps rippled through the gallery of the Santa Barbara County Superior Court. Several spectators cried out “oh my god,” video from the hearing shows, forcing a court officer to briefly call for order.
Buzzard, 40, appeared in custody for the brief but emotionally charged arraignment, where she was formally charged with first-degree murder, lying in wait, and related firearm offenses in the death of her daughter, Melodee Buzzard. She pleaded not guilty on all counts.
The judge ordered Buzzard held without bail. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 7, according to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office.
Melodee’s remains were discovered on Dec. 6 along a remote stretch of State Route 24 near Caineville, Utah, weeks after she was reported missing. A couple traveling through the area found the child’s decomposed body, ending a multistate search that had begun in California.
Authorities allege the killing occurred weeks earlier during what they described as an “unusual” cross-country road trip Buzzard took with her daughter in October. Investigators say Buzzard returned alone to Santa Barbara County after the trip, raising alarms when Melodee never came home.
According to sheriff’s officials, Buzzard took deliberate steps to avoid detection along the way. Investigators allege she rented a vehicle, wore wigs and crude disguises, swapped license plates, and backed into gas stations so surveillance cameras would not capture identifying information.
Prosecutors say the measures were not random or panicked, but calculated.
A criminal complaint alleges the killing was carried out with a high degree of planning, sophistication, and professionalism. The murder, prosecutors claim, was committed with “a high degree of cruelty, viciousness, or callousness.”
“This level of criminal activity is particularly shocking,” said Bill Brown, the Santa Barbara County sheriff, during a news conference earlier this week. He described the alleged crime as cold-blooded and criminally sophisticated, emphasizing the premeditation authorities believe went into it.
The charges include a lying-in-wait allegation, a special circumstance that can significantly increase potential penalties if Buzzard is convicted.
