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Ashley Banfield
Hey, everyone, I'm Ashley Banfield and this is drop dead serious. And if you haven't seen any of my podcasts this week, I need to share something with you that is very sad. My partner in the studio is no longer with us. I know you probably notice that we have our Atlas cam on every podcast and you get to see what my little guy is always doing. He's always in the studio with me. But I lost Atlas on Monday of this week. And at 15 and a half, it was time and I was broken then. I'm still really gutted, but I thought, you know, because you're a big part of this and he's a big part of our show, I would put together this little shrine so that you could still see. I have his dish. I haven't emptied it yet. It's his water dish and it still has some of his hair on it. And his collar, which still smells like him. And a couple of his favorite little cookies, the old Mother Hubbard cookies, which she just loves, loved. And his leash. So I just wanted to let you know that you won't be seeing Atlas on the podcast anymore, but for now, we have our little memory of him in the studio. So today on this episode, it's kind of a head scratcher. I don't even know how else to say this, but the sideshow around Ashley Buzzard just blew up in a way that even I did not see coming. Her entire case. Not the one about her missing child. You know, the nine year old that we haven't seen in weeks. Yeah, not that case. The other case. The one where she supposedly trapped a paralegal in her house, pulled a box cutter, and then kept him from leaving. That case just collapsed in the most jaw dropping way. But what made it fall apart is something that I just need you to hear for yourself and pour a drink. Because the judge didn't just toss this case out based on a legal technicality. He tossed it out because of a recording. A recording that Ashley Buzzard secretly made herself. Yeah, apparently she's not too crazy to start rolling tape when she thinks she's going to need something, right? Something to defend herself. Smart enough, sly enough, cunning enough to roll tape. And when that tape started to play in court, you're not going to believe the tone, the voice, the mood, the manipulation, and the bizarre back and forth of all of it. Ashley Buzzard recorded three minutes of the entire ordeal that happened inside her home, where, with that paralegal named Tyler Brewer. And Ashley is, of course, the mother of Melody. Melody Buzzard, who we have not seen. Now, in. Just checking. Yeah, 42 days, the case in court today, and I'm recording this on November 20, it was not tied to Melody's disappearance. In fact, and this is crazy, the judge was. Was specific. No one in that courtroom was allowed to mention the fact that this woman has a missing child named Melody. Oh, no. The judge severed every aspect of little Melody Buzzard's missing person's case from this as though it did not exist. No one was allowed to mention it. So today wasn't about the disappearance. It was instead about that alleged false imprisonment of the paralegal who supposedly came over to Ashley Buzzard's house to help her find her little girl. Ashley Buzzard and the paralegal were both brought before the judge today. Tyler Brewer had reported to the police that Ashley had pulled a box cutter and wouldn't let him leave her house. So this was a preliminary hearing today in Santa Barbara county, but it ain't going to go any further than a prelim. And I'm going to get to how that all went down in a minute because it's batshit crazy. But once again, speaking of batshit crazy, Ashley dressed for the occasion, day two. An overwhelming amount of makeup, totally different than, you know, the first time we saw her in court, like, unrecognizable. And once again, she was wearing the long, curly wig pulled back in a ponytail. But today, she decided on something else. A fashion statement, so to speak. Baggy pants. And it felt like to those who were in the courtroom, the baggy pants were meant to hide something. Not like when I wear baggy pants, I'm hiding something different. She, it seemed, was trying to hide that pesky ankle monitor that she had been forced to wear. Right. Ever since she got arrested. Tyler Brewer, the alleged victim of this false imprisonment, he had told police specifically that Ashley had refused to let him leave her home after she had shared some information about little Melody, info that apparently she suddenly wished she had not shared with him. And so he reported to police that Ashley told him, quote, melody was dropped off in Utah, and he even named the person that she said the child had been left with. Not today. We didn't get that. But that was the report to the police. So Today to Tyler Brewer took the stand. And he said that he visited Ashley five different times between November 1 and November 6. That's five visits in five days. Bizarre. He also said on his final visit, Ashley's demeanor completely changed. He said she turned confrontational and combative. And then he said he felt threatened. And then it was Ashley's turn to testify. But Ashley didn't testify. We got something better. Instead, her attorney played a recording that Ashley had made of the last three minutes of that whole confrontation in her house, right? Where Tyler Brewer said, she pulls a box cutter and I can't get out. And so it's like false imprisonment, Right? So it turns out Ashley had hit record for three minutes. Not the whole thing. We didn't get to hear it all, but we heard three important minutes. And those minutes did not exactly match what Tyler Brewer had apparently told the police or what the police had relayed to the prosecutors and what the prosecutors had relayed to the judge. But honestly, I don't even care about all of that. I was like. How do I put it? I was transfixed just by Ashley Buzzard's voice alone. Like, I don't know what I expected to hear, but I did not expect to hear the voice that I heard on that tape. It was. Well, given just how crazy she's been acting, I expected to hear crazy. I expected to hear somebody who was disjointed and frantic and, you know, just. I don't know. What's the word I'm looking for? I guess it's like, unreasonable, right? That's what. That's what I was expecting. Unreasonable, crazy. It was none of that. It was strategic. But there were some tears. Not gonna lie. The courtroom was stunned this morning when Ashley Buzzard's lawyer hauled out a recording that his client, Ashley, had secretly made on her own. And it was of her encounter with the man who claimed that he falsely imprisoned her. It's bonkers. I'm not going to say that. It all makes sense when you hear it. There's a lot in there. I'm like, what the hell is she talking about? She's accusing Tyler Brewer of lying and being deceitful. And I'm like, well, about what? About what? But there are some very specific things that you can hear her say and things that you can hear him say. And you can almost put yourself inside that room. It's tense. It's weird. She starts off crying, but then you can really hear a strategy. And I, for one, don't think that this woman is quite as crazy. As we all thought before, Listen for yourself. And I can't trust you when you lie.
Ashley Buzzard
You're flat out lying. You're a really good liar. Like Tyler.
Grandmother Lily
Tyler.
Tyler Brewer
I'm definitely not.
Ashley Buzzard
Tyler, be quiet and listen, please. Look at me like I'm an intelligent woman. I'm 40 years old. You deal with legal stuff like, who are you kidding, Tyler?
Tyler Brewer
I can only listen.
Ashley Buzzard
I'm not trying to be disrespectful. You need a reality check. If this is on media news, like news talk shows, they're gonna be seeing you. They're gonna be interested in you. You have to understand that I'm aware whether you want to attend it or not. You want the attention.
Tyler Brewer
I don't want the attention.
Ashley Buzzard
There is absolutely no way in hell that you are not bipolar or have an extreme issue if you don't realize what you're doing is false advertisement and there are real legal ramifications. I don't know how you honestly are not worried about being put in jail.
Tyler Brewer
I would like to leave at this.
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Ashley Buzzard
Since you're leaving in an uncomfortable way. I want the keys to my house and the storage. Nobody else has keys. Is that correct?
Ashley Banfield
Yes, ma'.
Grandmother Lily
Am.
Tyler Brewer
No one else has keys.
Ashley Buzzard
Tyler, genuinely, if you've been here genuinely to help, I appreciate it. The lies are a lot. And especially if you are genuine and trying to help in your own way, you should be very concerned if they recognize you because anyone else, like, running for District. It doesn't add up. I'm not threatening you, but I'm saying, like, I'm not threatening you at all. I'm. I'm trying to help as a friend because I feel like it has to be bipolar or something. But I don't think you're grasping the level of. Of online things that don't make sense.
Tyler Brewer
No, I understand where you're coming from. At this moment, I would like to leave. And I'm more than receptive. If you want to call or text me.
Ashley Buzzard
How do I send you the money of the receipts?
Brian Enten
I'm not.
Tyler Brewer
I'm not concerned about any of that, but I'm.
Brian Enten
I'm still.
Tyler Brewer
I'm still very receptive should you want to call me or text me. But I've done nothing intentionally to be deceitful.
Ashley Banfield
Yeah, I know. I know. It is a lot to process. Right. Did you hear what I just heard? She's accusing him. Ashley Buzzard is accusing Tyler Brewer of being bipolar. Yeah. I was particularly interested in the end there, where you can hear the footsteps and the jingling of keys and the door unlocking. It's like he was really locked in there. And I'll tell you what else I was very interested in. I'm not so sure I agree with the judge on this, but I will concede I was not there for all of it. I don't know every detail. I heard Tyler Brewer say twice in a very calm tone, I would like to leave now. I would like to leave now. And the one thing you couldn't hear was what was going on with the box cutter. Like, where was the box cutter in all of this? Right? Because if somebody's threatening you with a box cutter, you're going to be really calm, and you're going to ask very calmly, I would like to leave now. If you're not being threatened by a weapon. It just seems kind of weird that you'd be asking, I would like to leave now. I mean, you would just say, I'm out of here. See you later, bitch. I mean, that's really what you would do if you just wanted to leave and you could. I found it fascinating that he had to say it specifically two different times. So I'm a little surprised that the judge didn't see it that way. Didn't feel like Tyler was, you know, stuck there. But when the judge heard that tape, he threw the case out. He said there was no probable cause to believe that Tyler Brewer was terrified or that Tyler Brewer was prevented from leaving by force to the contrary. We hear him leave. To which I say, you know, you can be terrified and silent. Happens a lot. Silent scream. You know, you can be terrified and be trying to talk the crazy out of someone so that you can make your escape. And, yeah, he got to leave. But does that mean that if you're held for a while, but eventually you get to leave? It's like it never even happened. I mean, the holding still happens even if you're eventually allowed to leave. I. I found the whole thing very weird. I did. I'm not going to lie. So tonight, Ashley, free as a bird. And the ankle monitor. Remember the baggy pants that we figured she was trying to hide? The ankle monitor, she don't need to wear those anymore because the ankle monitor is a thing of the past. And earlier tonight, I caught up with my News Nation colleague, Brian Enten. He was right outside the family's house in the town of Lompoc. And actually, the ankle monitor is kind of an issue because, honestly, at least with an ankle monitor, you know where she is. So I brought that up with Enten and Here's our conversation.
Ashley Banfield (interviewer)
Brian, first and foremost, great reporting, getting that audio, being in that courtroom today and seeing what transpired. First of all, let me just ask you, any movement at all now that she's free without the ankle monitor? Any movement outside that house? Have you seen Ashley since court?
Brian Enten
Yeah, she's back at the house tonight. Ashley. And let me just walk up. I mean, it's dark again here tonight. There's been no activity since she returned from court, really a free woman, no ankle monitor, no charges. I thought maybe there was a light on in the front window a little while ago, but I can't tell if it's just a reflection. But it's interesting. In court today, it came out that she actually prefers to stay at the back of the house. They talked about this during the testimony with Tyler because she's concerned about the house being bugged and people listening through the front of the house. So that makes sense why we've seen very, very little activity here at the front. Ashley.
Ashley Banfield (interviewer)
Well, and also she mentioned in that audio recording this is going to be on the news and the talk show. So maybe she's aware that there's a lot of media interest and coverage. I remember you staking out the laundries home in Florida. And I believe in Northport, Florida, they also spent most of time the their time in the back because it was hard to see any activity in the.
Ashley Banfield
Front of the house.
Ashley Banfield (interviewer)
Real quickly, there were photos in court of the inside of her home shown today. Can you talk about those?
Brian Enten
Yes. And by the way, that audio recording, just remember this is her recording. She made the recording herself with her phone. She decided to record these conversations with Tyler. So, you know, remember, it sort of seems like she's putting on a little bit of a show there because she knows she's the one doing the recording. In terms of these other photos that came out, they had photos of the door and of the locks. There are four locks on the door that Tyler says she locked to keep him inside. There's also a photo of the box cutter on the ground. But it's interesting, actually. I sat through the whole hearing and it was long. It was like three or four hours. And he could never say for sure that she actually picked up the box cutter. And many of the things he said were, I felt like she was holding me in the house and wouldn't let me out. She stood in front of me, but then I was able to get out. So I have to say at the end of the hearing, I was not surprised that the judge Threw out the false imprisonment charge. In fact, I kind of expected it by the end. There just wasn't a lot of solid evidence that he wasn't able to actually leave.
Ashley Banfield (interviewer)
It's weird, I heard him say, I'd like to leave now, I'd like to leave now. To me, that's not the kind of thing you say. You just, if you're able to, you just say, I'm out of here. Bye.
Ashley Banfield
Bye.
Ashley Banfield (interviewer)
You know, it was interesting, but it's different perspective. I do want to ask you about the story I keep hearing that Tyler was somehow working with the police. Is this true? Is this why we were hearing on the recording that you're deceitful, you're lying? I was trying to make out what that was all about.
Brian Enten
Yeah. And it was a very confusing hearing on that front, Ashley, because at the very beginning, the judge made clear to everyone involved that they could not discuss anything related to the disappearance of Melody or the investigation into the disappearance of Melody. And you can just imagine a lot of this had to do with that. That's the whole reason it seems Tyler was at the house and was befriending Ashley and was trying to get information out of her. So every time questions would come out about like, well, were you at the house? There was a police officer outside while you were inside the house. But they would say, no, no, you can't go down that road. And he would remind them too, am I allowed to answer this? And they would say, no. So we never got a clear picture of whether he was actually working with the police. But it did come out that the minute he left the house and was able to leave, he texted the detective right away. He knew the detective's number and it, and it came out that the detective was already outside the house doing surveillance on the house while he was inside.
Ashley Banfield (interviewer)
Speaking of that, is there anybody out there right now? Like, you're facing away from the house and presumably you're facing across the street. Are there detectives or any sort of ghost cars waiting and just walking, watching her movements? Because we're still missing a little nine year old girl.
Brian Enten
Yes, and I don't want to give too much detail, obviously on that, but there's clearly still an investigation going on. The FBI is involved and it seems quiet out here tonight, but there are indications that she is still being watched in some regard. And even, I mean, even the neighbors are coming. I mean, people are so upset with this woman that she won't come out, that she won't talk and that Melody is still missing. And People are mad. I think there was a sense of comfort that she had the ankle monitor on. For whatever reason, people felt like, okay, they're kind of monitoring her. Now that the charge is thrown out and the ankle monitor is gone, there's definitely some concern.
Ashley Banfield (interviewer)
Yeah. We said earlier it was a sideshow because the big show is, where is this child, for God's sake? What are they doing to find the child or hold her accountable for a child who is clearly not in that house and nowhere that we know to that end, the child's paternal grandmother.
Ashley Banfield
I think it's Grandmother Lily.
Ashley Banfield (interviewer)
You spoke with her. What did she have to say about everything that happened today and everything that's happening with her granddaughter?
Brian Enten
Yeah, Grandmother Lily is very feisty. That is Melody's grandma on the father's side. And she attends many of these hearings. And she is just frustrated. She keeps saying, why can no one get the information out of this woman about where Melody is? Why can't they just force her to say? Unfortunately, they just can't. That's not how it works. But she sits in the hearings. She was sitting right near us. She just watches Ashley the whole time. I talked to her right when the hearing ended. This is what she said.
Grandmother Lily
My son passed away in a motorcycle accident when Ashley was six months. So I really didn't know her there that much, but she was a good lady. I mean, real quiet.
Brian Enten
Did she wear the wigs back then?
Ashley Banfield
No.
Grandmother Lily
She had beautiful long hair, never wigs. Now she's wearing a lot of wigs. I don't know what that came from.
Brian Enten
What about the makeup?
Grandmother Lily
Never wear that kind of makeup before. She had, I don't know, kind of like more. More than usual that she ever wore.
Brian Enten
What do you make of the wigs and makeup? Like, I mean, since you knew her back then?
Grandmother Lily
I don't know. She's trying to change her personality or. I don't know.
Brian Enten
And with Grandma Lily, actually, I could see her sort of leaning in and listening when they played that full recording. It's just. It was interesting because this woman, the mom who's held up in the house, you know, we never hear her voice. And then all of a sudden, she has this sort of assertive voice and was sort of, like, angry with Tyler. And you could tell Grandma Lily was really, really interested in that.
Ashley Banfield
So that's where things stand. And something tells me that the story is nowhere near done. Because let's remember all that weird shit today, right? All that business in court, the makeup, the wig, the recording, her crazy voice, all that no mention of Melody because the judge wasn't having it. They are two separate cases, although I would argue they are blended. But still no information on where this little girl is. No update from the detectives who were there, people who took part in this whole false imprisonment business. Nothing. We still have no information on Melody and we still don't know what they're doing to get the information out of this wildly crazy woman. But is she crazy or is she crazy like a fox? That seems to be the question now after I've heard her voice. So make sure you're subscribed. I don't want you to miss what happens next. It seems like a little shoe drops every day. I don't know how many shoes this lady has. But I definitely want you to make sure that you are up to speed on every development. I'm Ashley Banfield. Thank you so much for listening. Thank you so much for watching. And remember, the truth isn't just the serious. It's drop dead serious.
Release Date: November 21, 2025
Host: Ashleigh Banfield
Key Guests: Brian Enten (News Nation), Grandmother Lily (Melody's paternal grandmother), Ashley Buzzard (via recorded audio), Tyler Brewer (via recorded audio)
In this gripping episode, Ashleigh Banfield dives into a bombshell development in the Ashley Buzzard case—distinct from the ongoing mystery of her missing daughter, Melody. The highlighted story is the collapse of felony false imprisonment charges against Ashley Buzzard after a secret audio recording emerged. Banfield walks listeners through the jaw-dropping courtroom moments, shares the audio itself, unpacks witness reactions—including Melody’s grandmother—and examines the broader implications for the still-unsolved disappearance of nine-year-old Melody.
Background:
Ashley's Appearance and Behavior:
Tyler Brewer’s Claims:
The Secret Audio: Courtroom Bombshell
Audio Excerpt Timestamps: 08:55–12:00
Ashley Buzzard: “You’re flat out lying. You’re a really good liar, Tyler.” (08:55)
Tyler Brewer: “I can only listen.” (09:16)
Ashley Buzzard: “Look at me like I’m an intelligent woman. I’m 40 years old. Who are you kidding, Tyler?” (09:11)
Ashley Buzzard: “There is absolutely no way in hell that you are not bipolar or have an extreme issue...” (09:43)
Tyler Brewer: “I would like to leave at this—” (10:05)
Ashley Buzzard: “Since you’re leaving in an uncomfortable way, I want the keys to my house and the storage. Nobody else has keys. Is that correct?” (10:11)
Tyler Brewer: “No one else has keys.” (10:23)
Ashley Buzzard: “If you’ve been here genuinely to help, I appreciate it. The lies are a lot.” (10:26)
Ashley Buzzard: “I’m not threatening you at all... but I’m saying, like, I’m not threatening you at all. I’m trying to help as a friend because I feel like it has to be bipolar or something.” (10:50)
Tyler Brewer: “At this moment, I would like to leave. And I’m more than receptive if you want to call or text me.” (11:14)
Ashley Buzzard: “How do I send you the money of the receipts?” (11:22)
Tyler Brewer: “I’m not concerned about any of that... I’ve done nothing intentionally to be deceitful.” (11:24, 11:28)
Banfield’s Reaction:
Grandmother Lily:
“She had beautiful long hair, never wigs. Now she’s wearing a lot of wigs. I don’t know what that came from. Never wear that kind of makeup before... She’s trying to change her personality or... I don’t know.” (21:06–21:47)
Ashleigh Banfield’s closing:
“The truth isn’t just the serious. It’s drop dead serious.”
For more updates, Banfield urges listeners to subscribe, promising more “shoes” will drop in this evolving drama.