We, the comrades of Unit 1012, will honor and remember 19-year-old Aniah
Blanchard on July 22 and October 23 every year.
We, the comrades of Unit 1012: The VFFDP, will not forget her. Let us
remember how she lived and not how she died. We will always support her family
members.
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“It is with heavy hearts that we so confirm today that the remains are in fact of Aniah Blanchard,” Auburn (Ala.) Police Chief Paul Register said in a news conference streamed by WBRC, courtesy of MMA Junkie. “This case will move forward as a homicide investigation.”
UFC president, Dana White, took to social media to spread the news.
“Law Enforcement has confirmed to us that it is Aniah that they found. I’m devastated to hear this news. I’m heartbroken for Walt and his family,” White wrote on Twitter.
“Thank you everyone for the support including the local and state Alabama law enforcement, media, athletes, managers and fans. My condolences go out to everyone that was touched by Aniah’s story and tried to help bring her home.”
Three men, Antwon Fisher (35), Ibraheem Yazeed (30) and David Johnson Jr, have all been arrested in connection with the case.
After her disappearance on October 23, Blanchard’s damaged car was found in an apartment complex in Montgomery, Alabama. Upon inspection, blood was found in the drivers side of the vehicle which indicated foul play.
A report later revealed that two eye-witnesses saw a man force Aniah into a vehicle, but for some unknown reason, failed to alert anyone of what they saw. One of them men, Ibraheem Yazeed, was currently out on bail on charges of kidnapping and attempted murder fro ma separate incident earlier this year.
The mixed martial arts (MMA) community came out and added to an existing financial reward for any tips leading to her whereabouts. Aniah — who was attending Lee County Community College, was just 19 years old.
We here at MMAmania would like to offer our most heartfelt condolences to Anaiah’s entire family during this difficult time.
Walt Harris’ stepdaughter Aniah Blanchard killed by
gunshot, prosecutors seeking death penalty
103 comments
By Damon Martin@DamonMartin Dec 2, 2019, 6:29pm EST
103 comments
By Damon Martin@DamonMartin Dec 2, 2019, 6:29pm EST
Aniah Blanchard—the 19-year-old stepdaughter of UFC
heavyweight Walt Harris—was killed by a gunshot wound and now prosecutors in
Alabama are seeking the death penalty for the person they believe is
responsible.
Lee County District Attorney Brandon Hughes
announced on Monday that capital murder charges have been filed against
30-year-old suspect Ibraheem Yazeed, who was initially arrested and charged
with first-degree kidnapping.
Blanchard’s body was recovered by authorities last
week in a wooded area in Macon County, Ala., with the remains later identified
as the missing Southern Union Community College student. She first went missing
on Oct. 23.
An autopsy was performed with authorities
confirming Blanchard was killed by a gunshot wound and Yazeed is only person
being charged with her murder.
“In the interests of public safety, I can
say that the investigation has determined Ibraheem Yazeed to be the lone person
responsible for Aniah’s abduction and her murder and he remains in the Lee
County jail without bond,’’ Hughes
said on Monday. “Mr. Yazeed remains innocent of any
charges against him until his guilt is proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
“From its first moments, law enforcement
moved swiftly and methodically to find Aniah’s abductor, her murderer, and her.
The process of seeing justice done on behalf of Aniah and her family will not
be swift, but it will be thorough. It is my intention that the response to this
horrific crime serve as a warning to anyone who believes they want to come to Lee
County and engage in violent criminal behavior. You will be dealt with and the
consequences will be severe.”
A second suspect named Antwain Fisher was also
arrested after he allegedly helped Yazeed dispose of evidence in the murder. A
third suspect, David Johnson Jr., was also arrested and charged with hindering
prosecution.
Blanchard was reported missing on Oct. 24 and she
was later spotted on surveillance footage at a local convenience store in
Auburn, Ala. Yazeed was seen on the same surveillance footage in the store at
the same time as Blanchard and an eyewitness later identified him as the man he
saw force Blanchard into her car against her will.
Blanchard’s 2017 Honda CR-V was recovered two days
later with a “life threatening” amount of blood discovered inside. Police then
announced that they believed she was the victim of foul play.
Yazeed’s arrest soon followed but Blanchard’s body
wasn’t recovered until last week where she was declared dead and the kidnapping
case then turned into a homicide investigation.
Now capital murder charges have been filed against
Yazeed after he was previously out on bond for separate charges including
kidnapping and attempted murder. Yazeed was denied bond following his latest
arrest and he remains in custody in Alabama.
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