A tragic incident has led to the arrest of Ashlee Buzzard, 40, who now faces charges of first-degree murder following the death of her daughter, Melodee Buzzard.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office announced on December 23 that Ashlee was taken into custody after her nine-year-old daughter was found with fatal gunshot wounds to the head. The heartbreaking discovery was made in Wayne County, Utah, on December 6, following Melodee’s disappearance in October, initially reported by school officials.

“This is an incredibly tragic situation where a child was murdered by the person she trusted most,” stated Sheriff Bill Brown of Santa Barbara County in a press release. “Although maternal filicide is rare and hard to fathom, the evidence points to a premeditated and merciless act.”

Ashlee Buzzard is currently detained without the possibility of bail at the Santa Barbara County Northern Branch Jail. She was arrested peacefully on December 23 and subsequently charged with first-degree murder, according to the authorities.

Ashlee is currently being held without bail at the Santa Barbara County Northern Branch Jail, where she was booked for first-degree murder after being taken into custody without incident Dec 23, authorities said. 

“While these developments represent important steps towards holding Ashlee Buzzard accountable for the murder of her daughter, they do not diminish the profound loss that we are acknowledging today,” the sheriff said in a press conference hours after her arrest. “This case is now moving through the court system. There are limits on what additional detail we can share publicly at this time.” 

In October, law enforcement asked the public for help in locating Melodee, releasing surveillance images from a car rental office that showed Ashlee and Melodee wearing wigs—an apparent attempt to conceal their identities. 

Investigators believe Melodee was killed shortly after she was last seen with Ashlee on video Oct. 9 near the Colorado-Utah border.

Ashlee embarked on a multi-state trip across California, Nevada, Arizona, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado and Utah, in law enforcement’s timeline of events. 

Investigators allege Ashlee avoided surveillance cameras by backing into gas stations, and switching license plates along her travel route. 

“Various FBI field offices, in multiple states, devoted resources to this investigation,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Patrick Grandy said at the Dec. 23 press conference. “I can confidently speak on behalf of all FBI employees when I say that our collective hearts are broken as a result of this senseless outcome.” 

Ashlee does not currently have a court date, per jail records reviewed by .