Preliminary hearing set for Central Coast mother accused of murdering daughter

A preliminary hearing tentatively has been set in Santa Maria Superior Court for the Vandenberg Village mother charged with killing her 9-year-old daughter.

The case for Ashlee Buzzard, 40, returned to a Santa Maria courtroom, moving from Lompoc when Judge Stephen Dunkle took on a new assignment.

Buzzard was arrested in December, months after authorities determined that her daughter Melodee was missing.

For months, the mother refused to cooperate with law enforcement officers trying to determine the girl’s whereabouts after determining Melodee was not at their home in the 500 block of Mars Avenue in the unincorporated community near Lompoc, according to authorities.

Investigators determined Buzzard had left town for a multi-state road trip with Melodee and returned alone.

Melodee’s remains were found in early December in Utah.

Buzzard has been charged with murder plus sentencing enhancements for use of a firearm and lying in wait.

Dunkle has been hearing the case in Lompoc and initially said it would remain there. However, he revealed late last month the case would move with him to his new assignment in Santa Maria.

The preliminary hearing tentatively has been set for Sept. 16 and is estimated to last a day.

During a preliminary hearing, the prosecuting attorney presents the evidence and a judge rules whether the case should proceed toward trial.

The case will return to court in early July to confirm the preliminary hearing date and consider a defense motion regarding Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations for Buzzard.

She has pleaded not guilty to the charges and continues to be held without bail in the Santa Barbara County Jail.

— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com.

This story was originally published June 23, 2026 at 1:12 PM with the headline "Preliminary hearing set for Central Coast mother accused of murdering daughter."