Man says mother of missing California girl Melodee Buzzard held him captive after disclosing information to him

Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times on Nov 11, 2025

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LOS ANGELES — The mother of a missing Southern California girl — who authorities say has refused to answer questions about her daughter's whereabouts — has now been accused of holding a man captive in her home after allegedly disclosing sensitive information to him.

Ashlee Buzzard, 40, of Lompoc was charged with one count of false imprisonment by violence, according to the criminal complaint filed against her Monday. Buzzard is accused of unlawfully violating the personal liberty of Tyler S. Brewer on Thursday and is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.

Buzzard's daughter, 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, was reported missing Oct. 14, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

The mother has emerged as a central focus in the investigation after taking her daughter on a sudden road trip to Nebraska on Oct. 7 and then returning home alone, according to the Sheriff's Office. During the trip, Buzzard switched license plates on her rental car and wore wigs in what investigators described as possible attempts to avoid detection.

Melodee was last confirmed seen on surveillance camera near the Utah-Colorado border on Oct. 9, according the the Sheriff's Office.

Buzzard was arrested Thursday on false imprisonment charges unrelated to the investigation into Melodee's disappearance.

Brewer said in a statement that he came to visit Buzzard at her Vandenberg Village home to offer assistance in the search for the missing girl, and that the situation quickly escalated.

"Ms. Buzzard became visibly distressed after sharing information she appeared to regret disclosing," said Brewer. "A box cutter was produced, and despite multiple requests to be allowed to exit the home, I was not immediately permitted to leave."

He said that Buzzard used several locks to secure the door and that this temporarily prevented him from leaving.

Brewer, who works as a paralegal in the Central Coast area, said that he is a mandated reporter and contacted the authorities.

"In that capacity, I immediately reported all concerning communication and inconsistencies directly to law enforcement," he said.

He also told NewsNation's "Banfield" that Buzzard had told him where and with whom she dropped Melodee off, although he is not sure whether this information is true. He told the program he has known Buzzard since 2014 and has been coming to check on her since news of her daughter's disappearance became public, noting that she has been acting extremely paranoid and he is worried for her well-being.

Melodee's paternal family said that Buzzard has not permitted them to contact the girl since 2021 and that they are extremely concerned for her. Melodee's father, Rubiell "Pinoy" Meza, was killed in a motorcycle accident shortly after the girl was born in 2016.

The girl's paternal grandmother, Lilly Denes, said she had initiated the process to try and gain custody of Melodee several years ago due to concerns over Buzzard's well-being and ability to care for her. Denes still lovingly refers to Melodee as her baby, despite the fact that the girl has grown considerably since she saw her last.

"She's such a cute girl and I'm just dying to see her," said Denes. "I just know that she's going to need a lot of therapy, a lot of help when they get the baby."