Local News
Vanished Without a Trace: The Urgent Search for 9-Year-Old Melodee Buzzard
LOMPOC, CALIFORNIA — What began as routine concern over a student’s absence has evolved into a desperate, multi-agency search for a missing 9-year-old girl whose disappearance has left an entire community shaken.
Authorities say Melodee Buzzard, a fourth-grade student from Lompoc, stopped attending school several weeks ago. When repeated attempts to reach her family failed, school administrators alerted law enforcement—unaware they were about to uncover a deeply troubling mystery.
When Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Detectives, working alongside agents from the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, arrived at the family’s home on Mars Avenue, they expected to find Melodee and her mother, Ashlee Buzzard, safe inside.
Instead, investigators found the residence vacant.
There was no trace of Melodee, her mother, or any indication of where they might have gone.
According to investigators, Melodee was last seen with her mother on October 7, 2025, traveling in a white Chevrolet Malibu with California license plate 9MNG101.
The vehicle, which was later discovered to be a rental, has since been returned—leaving detectives with few physical leads.
Authorities now believe the pair may have traveled outside California, possibly to Nebraska or another state.
Officials have classified Melodee as “at-risk”, given her young age and the concerning circumstances surrounding her disappearance. Law enforcement agencies are urging the public to come forward with any information that could help locate her.
Friends and teachers describe Melodee as a kind-hearted and artistic child who loved drawing and reading stories.
Her sudden disappearance has devastated her classmates and the Lompoc community, many of whom have joined efforts to spread awareness on social media.
In a heartbreaking plea, Melodee’s grandmother, Lori Miranda, spoke publicly about her fears and shared insight into the family’s troubled history:
Miranda said she has not seen her granddaughter in over two years, explaining that Ashlee severed contact with much of the family.
She described Ashlee as having suffered a “drastic decline” in mental health following the death of Melodee’s father in a 2016 car crash, when Melodee was still an infant.
Miranda recalled an earlier incident from years ago when authorities intervened after discovering the family home in severe disarray. Melodee, then a baby, was temporarily placed in protective services.
“Ashlee should be in a hospital receiving treatment right now,” Miranda said, expressing grave concern for her daughter’s mental well-being.
She also issued an emotional plea to both Ashlee and Melodee: “Please, just let us know you’re safe. Melodee, if you can hear this, your family loves you—we just want you home.”
Meanwhile, investigators continue to search for leads, emphasizing that time is critical.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Melodee or Ashlee Buzzard is urged to contact:
🔹 Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division: (805) 681-4150
🔹 Anonymous Tip Line: (805) 681-4171
🔹 FBI Tip Line: 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov
Authorities stress that even the smallest detail could help bring Melodee home.
“Someone, somewhere, knows something,” one investigator said. “Please, help us find Melodee before it’s too late.”
UPDATE: Search efforts have been suspended following the sinking of the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, marking another tragic loss for the city’s historic fishing community.
The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted early Friday morning by the vessel’s emergency beacon after it activated in the water; no mayday call was received.
Responders located a debris field, an unoccupied life raft, and one deceased individual in the water.
Six other crew members remain missing and are presumed lost after an extensive air and sea search yielded no additional results.
The Coast Guard cited frigid water temperatures, challenging weather conditions, and the vast search area in its decision to suspend operations.
GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Authorities have identified all seven individuals who lost their lives after the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean sank approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, early Friday morning, marking a devastating loss for Gloucester’s historic fishing community.
The Lily Jean, a commercial fishing vessel measuring between 72 and 80 feet in length and homeported in Gloucester—the nation’s oldest working fishing port—activated its emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) at approximately 6:50 a.m. Friday while returning to port.
No mayday call was received, and subsequent attempts to contact the vessel were unsuccessful.
The U.S. Coast Guard immediately launched a large-scale search and rescue operation, deploying an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and multiple surface assets to the area of the distress signal.
Crews located a debris field and an unoccupied life raft roughly 25 miles offshore near the EPIRB activation site, confirming the vessel had sunk to the ocean floor. One deceased individual was recovered from the water.
The remaining six crew members were later presumed lost after extensive search efforts yielded no additional results.
Officials confirmed that seven people were aboard the vessel at the time of the incident, revising earlier reports that indicated six.
The seven individuals who perished aboard the Lily Jean are:
- John Paul Rousanidis, 33, of Salem/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Sean Therrien, 44, of Lynn/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Freeman Short, of the Marshfield/Scituate area
- Captain Gus Sanfilippo, a well-known and respected Gloucester fisherman
- Paul Beal Sr., deckhand
- Paul Beal Jr., deckhand and son of Paul Beal Sr.
- Jada Samitt, 22, of Virginia
Jada Samitt, the seventh crew member identified, was serving aboard the vessel in the role of a federal fisheries observer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). She had recently relocated to Massachusetts to pursue her passion for environmental biology, graduating last year. Family members said joining the Lily Jean crew was her first major professional role at sea and a lifelong dream.
Her aunt, Heather Michaels, described Samitt as a compassionate and driven young woman who deeply respected her captain and dedicated herself fully to her work. “She put her heart and soul into this opportunity,” family members said, noting her commitment to marine conservation and the fishing community.
Officials said the Lily Jean had reported taking on water shortly before contact was lost.
The vessel is now presumed fully submerged.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Gloucester’s close-knit maritime community.
Ashley Sullivan, a local business owner who knew the vessel’s owner, emphasized the daily risks faced by commercial fishermen. “I hope people really take a moment to understand the sacrifices these men and women make to put food on our tables,” she said. “This is heartbreaking.”
Massachusetts State Senator Bruce Tarr also expressed condolences, highlighting Gloucester’s deep fishing heritage. “Gloucester has a long fishing history, and that history includes tragic loss,” Tarr said. “It appears we are experiencing another of those painful chapters.”
Governor Maura Healey released a statement saying she was “heartbroken over the devastating news out of Gloucester,” adding that her administration has offered full assistance to local officials and the Coast Guard. She extended prayers to the victims’ families and the broader fishing community across Cape Ann and the Commonwealth.
Community members and local businesses have continued to share messages of remembrance and solidarity. Taylor Hunt, a relative of Freeman Short, posted a tribute honoring the crew, writing in part: “The salt has been in our blood for generations… A man is not lost while the sea remembers his name. Fair winds and following seas.”
The Lily Jean had previously been featured on the History Channel series Nor’Easter Men, which documented the dangers and demands of New England’s commercial fishing industry.
While search operations have concluded, the Coast Guard and relevant agencies continue to review the circumstances surrounding the sinking. Officials have stated that further updates will be released as additional information becomes available.
Authorities have urged the public to keep the victims’ families and Gloucester’s fishing community in their thoughts and prayers during this period of profound loss.