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Charge against Melodee Buzzard’s mom dismissed, ankle monitor removed as FBI hunts for missing 9-year-old

Published

3 months ago

November 30, 2025

Charge against Melodee Buzzard’s mom dismissed, ankle monitor removed as FBI hunts for missing 9-year-old

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A California mother once accused of using a box cutter to unlawfully imprison a man saw her felony charge dismissed Thursday as investigators search for her missing 9-year-old daughter, Melodee Buzzard.

Ashlee Buzzard appeared in a Santa Barbara County courtroom facing a felony false imprisonment charge from an alleged Nov. 6 incident. Prosecutors called Tyler Stuart Brewer, who accused Buzzard of locking him inside her Lompoc home during a volatile argument, at a preliminary hearing.

According to a felony complaint filed Nov. 10 in Santa Barbara County Superior Court, prosecutors accused Buzzard of “unlawfully violating the personal liberty” of Brewer “by violence, menace, fraud and deceit.”

The filing cited an aggravating factor, alleging that the act was carried out “with planning, sophistication, or professionalism.”

MISSING ‘AT-RISK’ GIRL MELODEE BUZZARD’S MOM APPEARS IN COURT AFTER ALLEGED BOX CUTTER STANDOFF

Ashlee Buzzard appears in court with her attorney, Adrian Galavan. (Jamie Vera/Fox News)

Brewer, a legal document assistant and freelance paralegal, testified that he met Buzzard through a mutual acquaintance years earlier and reconnected this fall after learning her daughter was missing. He said he visited Buzzard’s home five times between Nov. 1 and Nov. 6, exchanging hundreds of text messages.

On Nov. 6, Brewer said Buzzard locked multiple deadbolts after he entered and appeared “agitated and tense.” He testified that she sat across from him with a box cutter visible on a nearby tray. When he said he was uncomfortable and wanted to leave, he claimed she blocked the doorway and locked the front door, using an added locking device between the door and frame. Prosecutors entered photos of the locks and brace into evidence.

The prosecution also played a six-minute clip from a one-hour, 16-minute recording that Buzzard had made of their conversation. In it, Buzzard accused Brewer of lying and of seeking media attention, while Brewer could be heard asking to leave twice. Brewer said he felt “threatened and uncomfortable,” describing Buzzard as clenching her fists and gritting her teeth.

After Brewer’s testimony, Det. Thomas Brownlee with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office took the stand. The court then dismissed the felony charge for insufficient evidence and ended Buzzard’s pretrial supervision, according to the prosecution. She is also no longer required to wear an ankle monitor.

MELODEE BUZZARD’S MOM PLOTTED TO ‘CUT OFF’ MISSING 9-YEAR-OLD FROM ‘ENTIRE WORLD,’ GRANDMA SAYS

Ashlee Buzzard sits with her attorney at the defense table during testimony in court on Thursday. (Jamie Vera/Fox News)

Outside the courtroom, Melodee’s grandmother, Lisa (Lilly) Denes, was expected to address reporters. Denes has been outspoken since her granddaughter vanished, telling Fox News Digital previously that she noticed a chilling pattern of control in the months before Melodee disappeared.

Denes said Buzzard had “plotted to cut her daughter off from the entire world,” limiting contact with family and isolating the child from friends and school. Denes told Fox News Digital she had repeatedly begged for welfare checks and feared Buzzard was “running from everyone who could protect Melodee.”

MELODEE BUZZARD’S MOTHER ARRESTED ON CHARGE UNRELATED TO HER DAUGHTER’S DISAPPEARANCE

Defendant Ashlee Buzzard listens beside her attorney during court proceedings on Thursday as evidence is presented to the jury. (Jamie Vera/Fox News)

Officials began investigating Melodee’s disappearance Oct. 14 after a school official reported her prolonged absence. When questioned, deputies said Buzzard failed to provide a verifiable explanation for her daughter’s location and has “remained uncooperative and has not confirmed Melodee’s welfare.”

Authorities say Melodee disappeared sometime in early October during a road trip with her mother. Surveillance video released by the sheriff’s office shows Buzzard and Melodee at a Lompoc rental car counter Oct. 7, both wearing wigs.

Authorities believe the disguise was intended to avoid recognition while traveling and that the vehicle’s license plate was swapped during the trip, which stretched across several states.

MELODEE BUZZARD’S MOM RELEASED AFTER ALLEGEDLY IMPRISONING OFFICER, REVEALING MISSING DAUGHTER’S LOCATION

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office released a surveillance image, left, of Ashlee and Melodee Buzzard that it says was captured at a rental car location in Lompoc, California, at the start of the road trip Oct. 7, 2025. (Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office/FBI)

Melodee was last seen near the Utah–Colorado border, and her mother later returned to California without her. The FBI has joined the search, working with Santa Barbara County investigators to retrace the route and track any sightings of the missing child.

Private investigator Bill Garcia, who is working with Criminally Obsessed, told ARC Salt Lake that new information places Melodee back in Ventura County, California, near her home, according to KUTV. However, there have been no confirmed sightings of her in the area, and her safety remains unknown.

Garcia noted that the route Buzzard traveled passes a significant landmark, Melodee’s father’s gravesite at the Santa Maria Cemetery, which investigators say could help narrow down the timeline of their movements.

Officials stressed that Thursday’s dismissed case is not connected to Melodee’s disappearance. Anyone with information about the girl’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office or the FBI tip line.

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Fox News Digital reached out to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office and Buzzard’s lawyer for comment.

Fox News’ Jamie Vera and Adam Sabes contributed to this report.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.

Stepheny Price is a Writer at Fox News with a focus on West Coast and Midwest news, missing persons, national and international crime stories, homicide cases, and border security.

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West

Las Vegas first responders conduct seven-hour rescue of injured climber stranded 600 feet up rock face

Published

2 hours ago

March 4, 2026

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Las Vegas first responders conduct seven-hour rescue of injured climber stranded 600 feet up rock face

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First responders in Nevada carried out a dramatic seven-hour rescue after a climber was seriously injured while stranded roughly 600 feet up a steep rock face near Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) said search and rescue teams were notified around noon Saturday about an injured climber on the “Dream Safari” route along Dark Shadows Wall in Pine Creek.

Authorities said the climber had fallen an estimated 40 to 50 feet, suffering severe head and back injuries.

The victim’s climbing partner and a guide from another climbing party reached the injured climber and controlled the bleeding while awaiting rescue crews.

Rescuers secured the climber in a titanium litter and lowered the patient in stages down the rock face. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)

Four search and rescue officers and a lead climb volunteer were inserted by the department’s AIR3 helicopter several hundred feet above the victim at the top of the route.

Rescuers then rappelled down the rock face, provided medical treatment while suspended mid-face, and secured the patient in a titanium litter.

Crews constructed a lowering system and brought the climber several hundred feet down to the ground through three separate lowering stations, with a rescuer attending to the patient during the descent.

RAFTER VANISHES IN OREGON WILDERNESS, SURVIVES FIVE-DAY ORDEAL BEFORE HELICOPTER RESCUE

Las Vegas police search and rescue teams spent seven hours lowering an injured climber 600 feet to safety. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)

Once at the base, additional volunteers carried the litter to an extraction point where the helicopter returned to airlift the victim to a Bureau of Land Management helipad.

The climber was then transferred to a ground ambulance and taken to a local hospital.

NORWEGIAN CLIMBER LOOKING TO BECOME FASTEST PERSON TO CLIMB WORLD’S 14 HIGHEST MOUNTAINS

The climber’s helmet was destroyed in the fall but likely saved the person’s life, officials said. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)

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LVMPD wrote on Facebook that the entire operation lasted about seven hours from initial insertion to final extraction.

“Although the victim’s helmet was destroyed during the fall, it likely saved their life,” police said.

Ashley Carnahan is a writer at Fox News Digital.

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San Francisco, CA

Floats for San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade get finishing touches

Published

4 hours ago

March 4, 2026

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Floats for San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade get finishing touches

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — ABC7 Eyewitness News got a sneak peak as crews put the finishing touches on the floats you’ll see at Saturday’s San Francisco Chinese New Year Festival and Parade.

Since it’s the year of the fire horse, you’ll see a lot of horses and fire symbolism on the floats, housed at Pier 19.

“So Year of the Horse, it’s energy, it’s passion, it’s momentum so a lot of things that we’re really hoping to embody in the new year,” said Stephanie Mufson, owner of San Francisco-based The Parade Guys, which designs and constructs the floats.

She said they’ve been building them for about three months, with the designs starting in November.

MORE: Bay Area artist brings Year of the Horse statue to life for Golden State Warriors

“We’re in the home stretch,” she said. “We’ve got a couple of days left and we’ve got a nice little team that’s cranking out all the finishing work that needs to go into it.”

Derrick Shavers was sanding some wood that will be painted and become cherry blossom trees on a float.

“It’s exciting,” Shavers said. “I look forward to coming every year and just creating and making things shine and sparkle.”

Bon was painting mountains for a float, making sure everything is perfect in time for the parade.

MORE: Meet the 2026 San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade mascot, Maverick

“It’s one of the few parades that actually happens at night still,” Bon said. “So we got to make sure all the lighting is in check, and people are safe on the float. It’s all in the details, just for it to walk by you for 10 seconds.”

Ten seconds that bring so much joy to those watching the parade.

Here’s how you can watch the parade on ABC7 Eyewitness News on Saturday, March 7.

Coverage starts at 5 p.m. wherever you stream ABC7.

SF Chinese New Year Parade 2026: How to watch ABC7 Eyewitness News live coverage

If you’re on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live

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Denver, CO

Grand Junction, Palisade reach Great Eight in Denver

Published

5 hours ago

March 4, 2026

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Grand Junction, Palisade reach Great Eight in Denver

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — The Class 5A Sweet 16 has arrived, and both Grand Junction and Palisade are still standing with trips to the Great Eight in Denver on the line.

At The Jungle, the No. 2 seed Grand Junction Tigers set the tone early against No. 18 Golden. Defense carried the Tigers from the opening tip as they held the Demons to nine first quarter points while scoring 16 of their own.

Grand Junction added eight points in the second quarter while Golden managed six, sending the Tigers into halftime with a nine point lead.

Golden responded in the third quarter, outscoring Grand Junction 16 to 11 to cut the deficit to five entering the fourth. The Tigers answered in the final period, attacking the rim and converting key shots to win the quarter 19 to 10. Grand Junction secured a 54 to 41 victory to protect its home court and advance to the Great Eight in Denver.

Top seeded Palisade also defended its home floor with a trip to Denver at stake. The Bulldogs opened with nine straight points to energize a packed gym, but Frederick settled in and closed the first quarter on a run to tie the game at nine.

Frederick continued to respond in the second quarter and took an eight point lead into halftime.

Palisade shifted momentum after the break. The Bulldogs tightened defensively, holding Frederick to 21 points in the second half while scoring 39 of their own. Palisade completed the comeback to advance to the Great Eight.

Colorado Mesa University Women Deliver Historic RMAC Tournament Win

In collegiate action, the top seeded Colorado Mesa University women’s basketball team defeated Colorado School of Mines 96 to 51 in the RMAC Tournament, marking the largest margin of victory in the tournament this century.

Olivia Reed-Thyne led the Mavericks with 34 points on 11 of 15 shooting, her third 30 point performance this season. Mason Rowland added 22 points and Hallie Clark contributed 10 as Colorado Mesa matched a program record with its 31st win. The Mavericks will host the semifinals Friday with a berth in the championship game at stake.

Colorado Mesa University Men Survive Overtime Thriller

The Colorado Mesa University men’s basketball team faced New Mexico Highlands University for the third time this season. The Mavericks scored 36 first half points and led by four at the break.

New Mexico Highlands shot 50 percent in the second half, received 21 bench points and outscored Colorado Mesa 43 to 39 to force a late push. With the season in the balance, Ty Allred hit a game tying 3 pointer to make it 75 and send the game to overtime. Allred scored seven points in the extra period as Colorado Mesa earned a 91 to 90 victory to advance to the next round.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com.

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