Man says Ashlee Buzzard was armed with box cutter when she falsely imprisoned him
Ashlee Buzzard, the mom of missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, allegedly armed herself with a box cutter and kept a man from leaving her home, he said in a new statement.
The victim, Tyler Brewer, said he's a "legal document assistant, process server, mandated reporter, and perceived officer of the court," and after Melodee was reported missing, he said he reached out to Buzzard to offer help.
Brewer said he was at Buzzard's Lompoc, California, home on Nov. 6 when he found himself in an escalating situation.
"Ms. Buzzard became visibly distressed after sharing information she appeared to regret disclosing," Brewer said in a statement. "A box cutter was produced, and despite multiple requests to be allowed to exit the home, I was not immediately permitted to leave."
The door had several locks on it, he added.
Buzzard was arrested on Nov. 7 for false imprisonment, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.
"This crime is not connected to the ongoing search for Melodee," the sheriff's office said.
Buzzard entered a not guilty plea on Wednesday to the false imprisonment charge. She's due back in court on Nov. 19.
The judge ordered Buzzard released from jail with a GPS monitor and gave her a list of conditions, including not possessing weapons or contacting the alleged false imprisonment victim.
Prosecutors protested Buzzard's release, arguing she's a flight risk because she allegedly wore wigs and switched license plates just before Melodee vanished. But the judge said that is separate and not involved in the false imprisonment case.
Buzzard has not been charged in Melodee's disappearance, but authorities have said she's not cooperative with the investigation.
Lilly Denes, Melodee's paternal grandmother, attended Wednesday’s court hearing.
"I want to know where my granddaughter is. What's going on?" she said to Santa Barbara ABC affiliate KEYT.
The search is ongoing for Melodee, who was last seen on Oct. 9 near the Colorado-Utah border.
Law enforcement sources told ABC News that they're investigating all possibilities, including whether Melodee was potentially trafficked.
Authorities said Buzzard and Melodee had left their home on Oct. 7 for a several-day road trip, traveling as far as Nebraska in a rented white 2024 Chevrolet Malibu. Investigators said they believe Buzzard wore wigs and swapped license plates during this trip.
When Buzzard returned to her house in California on Oct. 10, Melodee was not with her, the sheriff's office said.
Brewer added in his statement that he's in contact with Melodee's paternal relatives, who are hoping to find the 9-year-old.
"My position has never changed: Find Melodee. Protect the investigation. Bring her home safely," Brewer said.
ABC News' Vera Drymon contributed to this report.
