Aniah Haley Blanchard (19) was found murdered almost a month after she went missing

[raisedbywolves]

https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2...d-missing.html

Police are searching for an Auburn-area college student believed to have been missing since late Wednesday night.

Aniah Haley Blanchard, a 19-year-old from Homewood, was reported missing to Auburn police on Thursday morning. She last communicated with a friend just before midnight Wednesday.

An investigation into determining her whereabouts is underway. At this point, there is no evidence of foul play; however, the investigation will continue until her whereabouts are determined, police said.

Blanchard is described as a light-complexioned black female, 5-feet, 6-inches tall and weighing 125 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown hair and was last seen wearing a black dress and tan duck boots with black stockings.

Anyone with information regarding Blanchard and/or her vehicle?s whereabouts is encouraged to call the Auburn Police Division Detective Section at 334-501-3140, the anonymous tip line at 334-246-1391 or the 24-hour non-emergency number at 334-501-3100.

https://www.al.com/news/anniston-gad...y-morning.html

Update 10:03 p.m.: Aniah Haley Blanchard?s vehicle has been located at a Montgomery apartment complex, police told WRBL.

The black 2017 Honda CR-V was found at a complex off Atlanta Highway in Montgomery, but the teen has still not been found.

Montgomery police could not immediately be reached to confirm the report.

Original story: The vehicle belonging to Aniah Haley Blanchard ? the Southern Union College student from Homewood who was reported missing Thursday ? was last seen early Thursday morning in Auburn, the city?s police chief said Friday.

The detail is the latest development in the case of Blanchard, 19, who last communicated with a friend on Wednesday night.

Blanchard?s black Honda CR-V with Alabama tag #49BS356 was spotted around 12:30 a.m. Thursday near South College Street and I-85 in Auburn, according to Auburn Police Chief Paul Register.

Register encouraged anyone who had seen the vehicle at that time or who knows of Blanchard?s location to contact Auburn police at 334-501-3140.

The college student?s stepfather is UFC Heavyweight fighter Walt Harris. He shared photos of his missing stepdaughter on his social media pages Thursday asking for the public?s help.

[raisedbywolves]

https://abc3340.com/news/local/aubur...ewood-teenager

Police say Blanchard’s vehicle was found at an apartment complex in the 6100 block of Boardwalk Boulevard in Montgomery, Alabama , just before midnight on Oct. 25. Members of the Auburn Police Division, as well as the Montgomery Police Department, made their way to the complex after someone mentioned seeing her car.

While her car has been found, Blanchard is still nowhere in sight and police say the investigation continues regarding her disappearance.

When police found the car, it had noticeable damage, showing something had happened between then and the time it was last seen on Wednesday, Oct. 23.

Anyone having information regarding the whereabouts of the vehicle between the 23rd and the 25th or witnessed an accident or other collision involving this vehicle is urged to contact the Auburn Police Division Detective Section at 334-501-3140 or the anonymous tip line at 334-246-1391.

https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2...vastating.html

On Monday, as part of the ongoing joint investigation with the Montgomery Police Department, authorities released a small portion of a video showing Aniah Haley Blanchard making a purchase at a convenience store located on South College Street that Wednesday night/Thursday morning just prior to her vehicle being observed traveling southbound on South College Street.

Dorsey said the FBI, the U.S. Marshals, the Department of Homeland Security, the Lee County District Attorney’s Office, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Alabama Fusion Center and the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences are assisting in the investigation.

Aniah’s stepmother on Monday said the family is working to get an official reward in place, possibly from the office of Gov. Kay Ivey, and also are trying to get a widespread missing person’s alert issued under the Ashanti Alert Act which President Trump signed into law last year creating a nationwide alert system for missing, endangered adults between the ages of 18 and 64.

The law is named for Ashanti Billie, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, who disappeared from the Hampton Roads, Virginia, area in September 2017. Her body was found two weeks later in North Carolina. At 19 years old, Billie was too old for an Amber Alert, the child abduction alert system, and too young for a Silver Alert, the system to help locate seniors who are missing.

Aniah’s family has been in Auburn where a command post was set up. Her father and stepmother returned home late Sunday night to take care of immediate business needs and are heading back down to Auburn. They said they have backed off on doing their own ground searches out of concern for hurting the ongoing investigation.

The family has created an account for those who want to donate to the search efforts but want to make it clear why that was done.

Walt Harris posted this on Facebook Monday: “It was simply created to combat the scam accounts created in her name. We haven’t asked for, nor do we need, any money. Good-hearted people have offered to help us, and we didn’t want their generosity to fall into the wrong hands. I also would appreciate those making false or insensitive accusations to please have a heart.”

The Blanchards say they don’t have any idea what has happened to Aniah. Widespread speculation that she went Wednesday night to meet someone from a dating app is just that and has not been confirmed in any official capacity. “We’re searching all avenues,’’ Yashiba Blanchard said. “We’re thinking maybe a carjacking because the car was torn up. But the police haven’t said that either. They’re trying to match up the evidence.”

It’s unlike Aniah, family said, to leave on her own. The video footage of her at a gas station in the early-morning hours does not match up with the Aniah they have always known.

GFMhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/aniah-h-b...bring-her-home

[raisedbywolves]

https://www.wtvm.com/2019/10/30/aubu...-missing-teen/

Auburn police said they’re investigating all possibilities in the case of missing 19-year-old Aniah Blanchard, including foul play.

According to officials, they’re very concerned, especially because it’s so out of character for her to not regularly talk with friends and family.

Many in the East Alabama community are shaken up after Blanchard’s disappearance. She was last seen at a convenience store on South College Street late Wednesday night.

“I think a lot of people our age feel like our safety bubble has been popped a little bit,” one student said.

As Auburn police attempt to put the puzzle pieces of Blanchard’s disappearance together and locate the teen, they say they’re concerned.

“We’re hopeful, but we’re extremely concerned because of the amount of time that’s now passed,” said Captain Lorenza Dorsey of the Auburn Police Department. “We’re not eliminating anything at this point. Certainly, we are concerned that there is foul play involved.”

One of Blanchard’s friends shared with ABC News she believes Blanchard met up with a man she met on a dating app before her disappearance.

“That is what she said she was going to do that night," she said. "Go meet a guy named Eric.

Auburn police say they're investigating this.

“Certainly we are exploring the possibility that she met someone,” Dorsey said.

[raisedbywolves]

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/aniah-h...t-walt-harris/

The state of Alabama offered a $5,000 reward and the president of Ultimate Fighting Championship offered $25,000 more for information about the missing stepdaughter of UFC heavyweight star Walt Harris. Authorities said Wednesday she likely didn't go missing on her own.

The governor's office announced the reward for information about Aniah Haley Blanchard, 19, of suburban Birmingham. A statement said the money was being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the teen's disappearance.

Meanwhile, UFC President Dana White also took to social media to offer a $25,000 reward. "Please share this message and keep Aniah, Walt and their family in your thoughts," White said.

Police initially said there wasn't any indication of foul play but they now say it's possible.

[raisedbywolves]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/31/us/au...lay/index.html

Forensic evidence found in the vehicle of an Alabama teen missing since last week indicates she was harmed, Auburn officials said on the town's Facebook page.

Aniah Blanchard, a 19-year-old college student who is the stepdaughter of Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight Walt Harris, was last heard from October 23.
Her damaged black 2017 Honda CR-V was found two days later at an apartment complex in Montgomery, about an hour away from Auburn, where she was seen last.

The state Department of Forensic Sciences looked at evidence and "determined that she was harmed and is considered to be a victim of foul play," officials said.

Blanchard's vehicle was located at an apartment complex in Montgomery, Alabama, police say.

Auburn Police Chief Paul Register told CNN affiliate WFSA earlier this week Blanchard is very close to her family.

"She had been with her family earlier that day. Very close with people here in Auburn, roommates," he said, adding for her to be out of contact with them was very unusual.

Blanchard communicated with a friend just before midnight on October 23 and hasn't been heard from since, the Auburn Police Department said in a statement this week.

[raisedbywolves]

https://www.al.com/news/anniston-gad...to-105000.html

Reward money for information in the case of Aniah Blanchard, the Southern Union College student from Homewood who was reported missing last week, has now reached six figures, according to Central Alabama Crime Stoppers.

Ali Abdelaziz, Chief Executive Officer of Dominance MMA, has pledged $25,000 in reward money, bringing the total amount of rewards offered to $105,000.00. Abdelaziz’s contribution is in addition to $5,000 from Gov. Kay Ivey and $25,000 apiece from UFC President Dana White, UFC fighter Jon Jones and an anonymous Homewood family. Blanchard’s stepfather is UFC fighter Walt Harris.

The reward money is for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect or suspects responsible for Blanchard’s disappearance. On Thursday, Auburn police said damage from the college student’s vehicle indicated she was a victim of foul play.

There have been no signs of Blanchard, 19, since she was officially reported missing Oct. 24. She last communicated with a friend late on the night of Oct. 23. Police said her vehicle was seen in the early-morning hours of Oct. 24 along South College Street.

[raisedbywolves]

https://abc3340.com/news/local/texas...anchard-search

It's been 2 weeks since 19-year-old Aniah Blanchard of Homewood was last seen in Auburn. Tuesday marked Day 1 of a big development in the search, help from the non-profit Texas Equusearch.

Founder Tim Miller has a heart for finding missing persons because his own daughter was abducted and murdered. His team mapped out the area yesterday, and today started to plan the search between Auburn and Montgomery.

Since Aniah Blanchard's disappearance, students in the area are approaching situations with eyes wide open... Texas Equusearch is doing the same.

"And we've got a lot of area to search so we know this is process of elimination, we've got a lot of things to eliminate and hopefully we can bring this to some type of a close," says Miller.

His team has worked on a number of high profile cases, like the search for Natalie Holloway. They went to Aruba 9 times. In Aniah's case, Miller says they'll stay as long as he feels they're being productive.

"We know if something happened, the sooner she's found, the better chance there is to determine several things, the better chance there is that possibly be there and an investigation will move forward. So, it's not a place I want to be, but I didn't choose what I'm doing, it chose me," says Miller.

Day 1 for the team meant surveying the area and putting a search and rescue plan in place.

"I'm optimistic that we're going to get her located and I stay optimistic on every search that we do. We've been in 38 states, 10 different countries, we've had a lot of success, we've learned a lot of stuff over the years, gained a lot of really neat resources, but we're only as good as our next search and Aniah is our next search," he says.

Miller says they have 50 plus miles of terrain to cover from Auburn to Montgomery, their resources range from horse and rider teams to foot searchers and ATVS. The people in the area right now have come from 5 different states to help find Aniah.

It's never good when Texas Equusearch is called in. They are awesome, but it's a sad situation.

[raisedbywolves]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...ghter-n1078506

Alabama authorities issued a warrant Thursday for a man in the suspected of kidnapping the 19-year-old stepdaughter of UFC star Walt Harris.

Ibraheem Yazeed, 30, was already out on bond for kidnapping and attempted murder charges when the Auburn Police Department issued the first-degree kidnapping warrant.

Yazeed was identified by authorities as a person of interest after video surveillance showed him inside the convenience store where Aniah Haley Blanchard was last seen.

The 30-year-old man was seen in the video wearing a camouflage colored jacket with “Vans” in white writing across the back and driving a late 2000’s model Lincoln Town Car that appeared to be either silver or grey.

Auburn Police Chief Paul Register told reporters Thursday that they were looking into whether Blanchard might have known Yazeed.

"We don't have any reason to know that she was familiar with him, but we can't rule out completely that there would have been some knowledge," Register said.

Register emphasized that Yazeed should be considered armed and dangerous. The public is asked to contact authorities immediately upon sighting Yazeed or Blanchard.

[raisedbywolves]

https://www.wctv.tv/content/news/Sus...564650351.html

The man wanted in connection to the missing person’s case of Aniah Blanchard has been taken into custody.

According to the Escambia County, Florida’s jail website, Ibraheem Yazeed was booked around 2:30 a.m.

Major Andrew Hobbs with the Escambia County Florida Sheriff’s Office did confirm his agency assisted U.S. Marshals in taking a suspect into custody but, at the time, he could not confirm the identity of the suspect or the suspect’s charges.

On Thursday, Auburn Police issued an arrest warrant for first-degree kidnapping for Yazeed in connection to Blanchard’s case.

“Further investigation and analysis of evidence has determined that Yazeed was at the same location Blanchard was last seen and is involved in taking Aniah against her will,” Register said during a news conference.

Yazeed is no stranger to law enforcement. Prior to his arrest he was out of jail on bond for attempted murder, two counts of first-degree kidnapping and two counts of first-degree robbery in connection with a February case out of Montgomery. Before noon on Thursday, Montgomery District Court Judge Pamela Higgins revoked his combined $280,000 bond and ordered his arrest.

[raisedbywolves]

https://abcnews.go.com/US/witness-su...ry?id=66872047

A witness outside an Alabama convenience store said he saw the man arrested in the disappearance of Aniah Blanchard force the 19-year-old stepdaughter of UFC fighter Walt Harris into her own car and kidnap her, according to an arrest affidavit.

Ibraheem Yazeed, 29, was arrested late Thursday in Escambia County, Florida, and made an initial court appearance Friday evening. He waived extradition and is expected to be brought back to Auburn, Alabama, immediately.

Surveillance footage from inside the convenience store in Auburn showed both Yazeed and Blanchard inside at the same time on Oct. 23 -- the last time she was seen.

Authorities found Blanchard's black 2017 Honda CRV abandoned near an apartment complex in Montgomery on Oct. 25. Police had previously said evidence found inside the car indicated "foul play."

According to the police affidavit obtained Friday by ABC News, "Blood evidence was discovered in the passenger's compartment of the vehicle that was indicative of someone suffering a life-threatening injury. The evidence was submitted to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences and confirmed to be that of Aniah Blanchard."

Yazeed is to be charged with kidnapping in the first degree, a designation that includes the intent to inflict physical injury.

This is not the first time Yazeed has been charged with kidnapping in the first degree. In January 2019, he was arrested in Montgomery for kidnapping William Joseph Fuller III. According to a complaint, Yazeed and three other people kidnapped Fuller on Jan. 29 and held him against his will "and beat him until he was unconscious and severely injured."

[Angiebla]

This is not the first time Yazeed has been charged with kidnapping in the first degree. In January 2019, he was arrested in Montgomery for kidnapping William Joseph Fuller III. According to a complaint, Yazeed and three other people kidnapped Fuller on Jan. 29 and held him against his will "and beat him until he was unconscious and severely injured."

Are you kidding me? Why was this fucker not in jail?!?

[raisedbywolves]

Are you kidding me? Why was this fucker not in jail?!?

Because (from the link above) those fuckers let him out on 60k bail. Whichever judge did that should be held responsible if this girl is dead, which I am going to guess she is.

He was out of jail on $60,000 bond at the time of his arrest for kidnapping Blanchard.

[nclexusgirl]

https://abcnews.go.com/US/witness-su...ry?id=66872047

A witness outside an Alabama convenience store said he saw the man arrested in the disappearance of Aniah Blanchard force the 19-year-old stepdaughter of UFC fighter Walt Harris into her own car and kidnap her, according to an arrest affidavit.

Curious to know if this person called police when they saw someone being forced in a car against their will... if so, what did the police do?

It strikes me as odd that nothing was said about this until now. If police were notified, shouldn't they have put an alert of some sort out? IIRC it was the family that filed a missing person report the next day, not the police or witness saying something about a possible kidnapping.

[raisedbywolves]

Curious to know if this person called police when they saw someone being forced in a car against their will... if so, what did the police do?

It strikes me as odd that nothing was said about this until now. If police were notified, shouldn't they have put an alert of some sort out? IIRC it was the family that filed a missing person report the next day, not the police or witness saying something about a possible kidnapping.

Here you go....

https://www.mmamania.com/2019/11/20/...you-very-angry

This upsetting new detail in the Aniah Blanchard missing person case will make you very angry

When Ibraheem Yazeed allegedly kidnapped Aniah Blanchard, stepdaughter of UFC heavyweight Walt Harris, there was a bystander in the vicinity who watched it all go down, but chose not to report the abduction or get involved in any way.

Why? Because his wife told him to “stay out of it.”

That’s according to a report from WVTM13. So instead of police looking for a car, they are looking for a body, having been unaware that a crime had been committed until several days later, when Blanchard’s vehicle was recovered, soaked in blood.


Yazeed appeared at a preliminary hearing on Wednesday in Lee County District Court, where the witness came forward to testify. Judge Russell Bush denied bond and required Yazeed to submit to a DNA sample. A gag order remains in effect until Dec. 4.

[nclexusgirl]

Wow...

I keep thinking "what would I do in that situation?" and I can understand staying out of something because my spouse said so, but no. No way I would even be taking the time to discuss this with anyone before I called the police.

[Angiebla]

Wow...

I keep thinking "what would I do in that situation?" and I can understand staying out of something because my spouse said so, but no. No way I would even be taking the time to discuss this with anyone before I called the police.

Right?

It’s not like two drunk guys were getting in a fist fight...someone was abducted! I just don’t understand her mindset at all. I guarantee if it were someone she knew she wouldn’t feel the same way.

[raisedbywolves]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...ssing-n1090136

A second man was booked early Saturday morning in Alabama in connection to the disappearance of Aniah Haley Blanchard, the teenage stepdaughter of UFC star Walt Harris.

Antwain “Squirmy” Fisher was booked in Alabama's Lee County Detention Center at 12:53 a.m. on first-degree kidnapping charges, the jail confirmed. Lee County District Attorney Brandon Hughes also confirmed Fisher's arrest.

Fisher's alleged involvement remains unclear, but authorities have long maintained that Yazeed did not work alone.

[raisedbywolves]

https://www.wrbl.com/news/tragic-hum...chard-located/

The month-long search for 19-year-old Aniah Blanchard has ended in tragedy as her probable remains are discovered Monday afternoon in Macon County, Ala. WRBL News 3 has learned.

“I can confirm that human remains have been found and we have good reason to suspect they are that of Aniah Blanchard,” said District Attorney Brandon Hughes to News 3.

The remains were found off Macon County Road 2. It was not far from New Hope Baptist Church.

Blanchard’s family has been notified.

[puzzld]

https://www.wsfa.com/2019/11/25/rema...found-da-says/

[SalVal]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...pdaughter.html

BREAKING NEWS: Human remains found in hunt for missing Aniah Blanchard are confirmed as UFC fighter's stepdaughter

Human remains were found in Macon County, Alabama, on Monday
Authorities confirmed the remains found in a wooded area near County Road 2 are those of Aniah Blanchard
Blanchard, 19, the stepdaughter of UFC fighter Walt Harris, went missing on October 23
Three men - Ibraheem Yazeed, Antwain Fisher, and David Johnson Jr - have been arrested and charged in connection to the case



Human remains discovered in a wooded area have been confirmed as belonging to a missing college student who was the stepdaughter of a well-known UFC fighter, Alabama authorities announced Wednesday.

The Auburn Police Department said the Department of Forensic Sciences confirmed the remains belong to Aniah Blanchard, 19. She was the stepdaughter of UFC fighter Walt Harris.

Authorities found the remains a few feet inside a wooded area adjacent to County Road 2 near Highway 80 in Shorter, Alabama, WSFA-TV reported.

Police said they were making the announcement with 'heavy hearts' as the month-long search came to a close.

Blanchard?s disappearance is now a homicide investigation and additional charges will be filed, police said.

'I am heartbroken for the family of Aniah Blanchard,' Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement.

'Like Alabamians across our state, I was praying for a much different outcome. I will be keeping them in my prayers and ask the people of Alabama to continue to do so as well.

Blanchard was last seen on October 23 in Auburn, Alabama, at a Chevron gas station.

Her black Honda CRV was found abandoned days later more than 50 miles away at an apartment complex in Montgomery.

Police said her blood was found in the car.

Police announced Monday that human remains were found in a wooded area in neighboring Macon County.

They said that investigative leads led them to search that location.

So far, three men have been arrested and charged in connection to Blanchard's disappearance.

After the disappearance, Blanchard's black Honda CRV was found abandoned more than 50 miles away at an apartment complex in Montgomery. Police later said that the missing teen's blood was found in the car and it appeared she had suffered a life-threatening injury.

Ibraheem Yazeed, 29, is charged with kidnapping in the teen?s disappearance.

Yazeed was seen at the gas station on the night of Blanchard's disappearance.

He was arrested in the early morning hours of November 8 by the US Marshals Service in Escambia County, Florida.

Yazeed's booking photo shows him with a massively swollen left eye. He was treated at a hospital after his arrest.

He is being held without bond.

Police also announced they arrested two other men they said say either assisted Yazeed or hindered law enforcement efforts.

Police arrested Antwain Shamar Fisher of Montgomery, on kidnapping charges. In an arrest warrant filed with the court Monday, police said Fisher helped Yazeed by disposing of evidence and driving him.

A third man, David Johnson, Jr., was arrested Monday in Montgomery and charged with hindering prosecution in the case.

Police wrote in a charging document that Johnson?s son had driven Yazeed to Florida, but Johnson initially told police Yazeed had left the residence with a woman.

[raisedbywolves]

https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireSt...ghter-71068571

The family of the stepdaughter of a UFC fighter found dead last year was emotional as a police detective testified about how the Alabama college student was found.

Auburn Police Detective Josh Mixon testified in a Lee County courtroom Wednesday that a witness said he was with Ibraheem Yazeed when Yazeed appeared to drag a body, wrapped in a comforter, into the woods near Shorter, Alabama, news outlets reported.

“Tell me that’s not a body,” Mixon testified the witness as saying. “Yazeed replies, ‘It won’t come back on you or your family,’” Mixon said.

Mixon testified that Blanchard came into contact with Yazeed at a gas station and they left together, according to news outlets. Blanchard and Yazeed then stopped at a second gas station where he went inside and while she remained in the driver's seat. He returned to the passenger's seat and they both left, Mixon said.

Yazeed’s attorney, William Whatley Jr., said Blanchard willingly allowed Yazeed into her car, news outlets reported. Whatley said there's no evidence a crime was committed in Lee County since her car was found in Montgomery and her body in Macon County.

Text messages from Blanchard’s phone to a friend that night said she was with a person named “Eric” and that she had “just met him,” testified Mixon.

Hughes, the district attorney, said Yazeed had ill intent because he gave a fake name, and that Blanchard “was lured under false pretenses,” so, by extension, she was kidnapped while in Lee County.

Judge Russell Bush said he found that probable cause exists that the kidnapping happened in Lee County. He said the case would be bonded over to a grand jury.