Melodee Buzzard Case: Mom Ashlee Arrested, With A Twist

Melodee Buzzard went missing, and finally, her mother, Ashley Buzzard, was arrested. However, it is not what you might think. The twist to the story was discussed by a former FBI agent. Read on for all the details.

Arrested For A Different Case

On his YouTube podcast, which aired on Friday night, Brian Entin, News Nation’s investigative journalist, broke the news. In it, he confirmed that “Ashley Buzzard, Melodee’s mother, has been arrested.”

He also quoted the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office press release that explained that detectives arrested Ashley “on charges unrelated to the ongoing search for her missing daughter.”

Interestingly, the sheriff’s office said the charge is a felony for false imprisonment and that Buzzard “prevented a victim from leaving a location against their will.”

Former FBI Agent Weighs In

Ex-FBI Agent Steve Moore entered the conversation, and he felt that the arrest was a very strategic and calculated move rather than a simple legal issue. In his opinion, the act of arresting Melodee Buzzard’s mom seems like an essential step in taking control of the investigation and securing evidence from the original true crime case.

Steve Moore noted the charge and arrest function as a “predicate offense so that they can get her into custody.” Even as a misdemeanor, the move allows investigators to do several important things. They have been monitoring her, but she seemed to act uncooperatively. So, being arrested hinders her from fleeing.

The Moving Boxes That Were Delivered

The duo talked about moving boxes being delivered to Ashley’s home. And, that could have kickstarted the arrest. “You really want to keep her right where she is because that’s where all the evidence is,” Moore said. In a new location or another state, the entire local investigation would be very complicated, if not impossible.

Secondly, and perhaps most significantly, with Ashley Buzzard away from the home, she cannot tamper with any evidence. In a way, removing her means that investigators gain the freedom to find the evidence they need in her car and house. As Moore stated, she was otherwise “living with all the evidence you need, and her motive is to get rid of evidence.”

Arrest Frees Up Deeper Searches

As a result of Buzzard’s arrest, police crime labs are now free to look for seemingly insignificant clues like soil from other states. Or,  tool markings without being anxious about evidence tampering or destruction.

In addition, the arrest impacts the mindset of the people involved. Moore argued that “when your child is missing and your response is to stonewall authorities, that’s a bad strategy.” Being arrested and having to post $100K bail will also definitely put more pressure on Buzzard. Hopefully going forward, she might cooperate more.

Controlling The Investigation 

The expert analysis behind the true crime story actually portrays the move as a crucial, strategic play that diverges from the official narrative. It is not just about an unrelated arrest.

In fact, holding the suspect allows the police to not only secure their evidence but also save manpower and maintain control of the situation.

Viewers React

In the discussion area, lots of people weighed in on the development in the Melodee Buzzard case. One of them opined, “Man, I watch a lot of true crime and this guy is one of the most insightful agents I’ve ever seen! Wow. Great job, Brian! So smart getting him to help understand what is going on with this super sad case!”

Here are a few more responses:

• Another thing they can do with her, while in custody, is to get her mental state assessed.
• It’s about time in my opinion. They’re arresting her on something else so she can’t flee while looking for Melodee.
• She already destroyed evidence. The Neighbors said she was burning stuff in the back yard 2 weeks ago.

What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below, and remember to come back often for all your true crime news and updates.