Crime
Ashlee Buzzard Arrested on Unrelated Charges as Search Continues for Her Missing 9-Year-Old Daughter Melodee Buzzard
Authorities in Santa Barbara County confirmed that Ashlee Buzzard, the mother of missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, was taken into custody on Friday amid the ongoing investigation into her daughter’s disappearance.
Witnesses observed Buzzard being handcuffed and escorted by Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office personnel from her Vandenberg Village residence into a waiting patrol vehicle.
According to officials, Buzzard’s arrest stems from an unrelated felony charge of false imprisonment.
Investigators allege that she had unlawfully restrained another individual, preventing them from leaving a location against their will.
The Sheriff’s Office has not released further details regarding that separate incident, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
While Buzzard remains in custody, law enforcement emphasized that their primary focus continues to be the search for Melodee, who has been missing since mid-October.
Detectives began investigating Melodee’s disappearance on October 14, after the Lompoc Unified School District reported her prolonged absence from classes.
Authorities have since narrowed the timeline of interest to October 9–10, when Ashlee and Melodee were reportedly traveling together on a multi-state road trip to Nebraska.
Surveillance footage from October 9 shows Melodee near the Colorado–Utah border. However, when Ashlee returned home to California the following day, Melodee was no longer with her.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office continues to treat the case as an active missing person investigation and urges anyone with information regarding Melodee’s whereabouts to come forward.
📞 Detectives Line: (805) 681-4150
📞 Anonymous Tip Line: (805) 681-4171
Authorities stress that any piece of information, no matter how small, could be crucial in helping bring Melodee home safely.
Crime
Angela Johnson and Her Son DeAngelo Johnson Killed After Shooting Inside Home in Chicago, Mother’s Boyfriend in Custody
CHICAGO — A 47-year-old mother and her 27-year-old son were fatally shot inside a residence in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood on the West Side late Thursday night, September 24, 2026, according to Chicago police.
The victims were identified as Angela Johnson, 47, and DeAngelo Johnson, 27. Police said a suspect, identified as Angela Johnson’s boyfriend, was taken into custody following the shooting.
The deadly shooting happened in the 800 block of North Parkside Avenue at approximately 10:43 p.m. Witnesses reported hearing gunshots coming from the basement of the residence and called 911.
When Chicago police officers arrived, they found the two victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
Angela Johnson was found in the basement with a gunshot wound to her chest. Police-radio traffic indicated she had been shot on the right side of her chest.
DeAngelo Johnson was found on the first floor with multiple gunshot wounds. Radio traffic indicated that he had suffered two gunshot wounds to his back.
Both victims were initially unresponsive and in critical condition. Emergency personnel performed CPR on DeAngelo Johnson before both victims were transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
According to police-radio traffic, one victim was pronounced dead at approximately 11:18 p.m., while the male victim was pronounced dead around 11:21 p.m.
Investigators found extensive evidence inside the residence, including approximately 23 shell casings in a basement bedroom. Additional shell casings were reportedly recovered in other areas of the basement, including the stairway, main room and bedroom.
Officers initially recovered a firearm and shell casings from the basement bedroom. Police later located a second firearm inside the home, bringing the total number of recovered firearms to two.
Authorities have not publicly stated who owned the firearms or confirmed which weapon, if either, was used in the fatal shooting.
Police also reported that DeAngelo Johnson was wearing an empty holster when officers found him on the first floor. That discovery prompted an officer-safety alert as officers searched the residence for the missing firearm.
Chicago police said the shooting appeared to be domestic-related and identified the alleged offender as the mother’s boyfriend.
Radio traffic indicated that a person had been detained by approximately 11:26 p.m. The official police report later confirmed that the known offender was taken into custody.
Two witnesses were reportedly available to identify the alleged offender, and officers conducted a show-up identification procedure near the scene.
Police have not released additional information about potential charges against the suspect.
The investigation into the Chicago Austin neighborhood double shooting remains ongoing. Detectives are continuing to examine the circumstances that led to the shooting, the relationship between the people involved and the role of the two recovered firearms.
The deaths of Angela Johnson and DeAngelo Johnson are being investigated as a double homicide.