In a tragic possible ending to the heartbreaking kidnapping of UFC fighter Walt Harris’s daughter Aniah Blanchard, the local District Attorney now says that authorities have “good reason to believe” that remains unearthed in a wooded area in Alabama are the body of the college student.
They have now positively identified the remains as being those of Aniah.
Harris is a UFC fighter; Aniah is his stepdaughter, and the UFC world has united in support of Harris and his family.
The sad news that Aniah might be dead broke on November 25, 2019, when the Auburn Police Division released this statement on its website:
“During the course of the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Aniah Blanchard, investigators obtained information regarding the possible location of a body. On November 25, 2019, at approximately 10:45 a.m., Auburn Police, along with members of the Task Force, Lee County DA’s Office, U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, ALEA and Montgomery County Sheriff Office, responded to a wooded area in the 38,000 block of County Road 2 in Shorter, Alabama.
After a brief search by Investigators they located what appeared to be human remains several feet into the woodline. A complete investigation is underway by ALEA and Auburn Police to determine the identity and how the victim came to be at that location. The examination will explore if the remains are those of Aniah Blanchard who went missing on October 24, 2019.”
Lee County District Attorney Brandon Hughes then told the news media that authorities “have good reason to believe the remains are Blanchard’s,” WSFA-TV reported.
Macon County Sheriff Andre Brunson told Al.com that the remains were discovered near New Hope Baptist Church and were found based on “specific information” from someone he didn’t identify.
“All those guys are professionals but everybody’s heartbroken,” Brunson said, according to the newspaper. “Everybody is in disbelief. I’m definitely heartbroken just as everybody else who has followed this case. I have three daughters and it’s a sad day.”
He added: “She’s finally at rest and at peace, if in fact this is Aniah. We’re going to keep praying for the family and keep praying for this society.”
Here’s what you need to know:
Three Suspects Are Now Accused in Connection With Blanchard’s Disappearance
Florida mugshotIbraheem Yazeed
Previously, police arrested a man they say abducted Aniah, Ibraheem Yazeed. Two other suspects are now also under arrest in connection with Aniah’s disappearance. David Johnson Jr. is accused of hindering prosecution and Antwain Fisher is accused of first-degree kidnapping, according to WVTM-TV.
Aniah, 19, attended Southern Union College. Her family reported the college student missing on October 24, 2019. Her father, Elijah Blanchard, mother Angela Harris, and stepmother Yashiba Blanchard had also united in the search to find her.
Eleven law enforcement agencies were trying to find the missing college student.
Yazeed, who has a violent criminal history that includes allegedly beating a man almost to death, was taken into custody on the evening of November 7, 2019 in a brushy area off a Florida interstate.
According to AL.com, the arrest came off the I-10 Pine Forest Road exit in Escambia County. There was a short foot pursuit, and tracking dogs were used to apprehend Yazeed, the newspaper reported. The mugshot released by the Escambia County jail showed Yazeed with a bruised, swollen eye.
Authorities Say Yazeed & Blanchard May Have Crossed Paths at a Chevron Gas Station
The details in the case are chilling.
Authorities think Yazeed may have spotted Blanchard in a Chevron gas station convenience store in Auburn, Alabama. They later found her damaged car, which led them to suspect foul play. The first break in the case: photos of a person of interest seen in the store at the same time; police later revealed that the man was Yazeed.
Before they named Yazeed as the suspect, the Auburn Police Division asked for the public’s assistance “in identifying a person captured on video surveillance inside the convenience store at the time Aniah Haley Blanchard was last seen and disappeared on Oct. 23.” They later stated that this person was Yazeed.
At that time they identified the individual in the video (whom they now say is Yazeed) as a “black male, early-mid 20’s, approximately 200 lbs., and is between 5’-8” and 5’-10”. He is wearing dark-colored pants, dark-colored shoes and a camouflage colored hooded jacket with ‘Vans’ in white writing across the back. Additionally, the individual in the video was observed leaving the area in what is described as a late 2000’s model Lincoln Town Car, silver or grey in color.”
The person of interest photo.
In addition, authorities previously released “a snippet of a video capturing Aniah Haley Blanchard making a purchase at a convenience store located on South College Street, on Wednesday, Oct. 23, just prior to her vehicle being observed traveling southbound on South College Street.”
Before he was taken into custody in connection with Aniah’s disappearance, Auburn police revealed that Yazeed was currently out on bond for the charges of “kidnapping and attempted murder from another jurisdiction.”
Police said previously that “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.”
The person of interest photo police now think was Yazeed.
Auburn, Alabama Police Chief Paul Register said in a previous news conference that authorities’ focus was on “locating Aniah.” Aniah Haley Blanchard “last communicated with a friend on Wednesday night, Oct. 23, just before midnight,” police say.
According to ESPN, the MMA community has “rallied around Harris,” including contributing money to reward funds, which now exceed $100,000.
“I just pray that everybody keeps the hope alive,” Harris said to ESPN, which reported that he withdrew from a fight after Aniah vanished. “We’re staying hopeful.” Harris, a UFC heavyweight contender, backed out of an upcoming fight against Alistair Overeem. It was scheduled for December 7 in Washington.
“Our thoughts go out to Walt and his family,” Overeem said in response to Harris withdrawing from the bout. “As a father I can only imagine how devastating this must be. I would have made the same decision. Family is the most important thing in life.”
UFC President Dana White is among those who donated money to the reward fund. He recorded a video about Aniah’s disappearance. “To help find Aniah, I’m contributing an additional $25,000 to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s $5,000 reward” for information leading to the arrest and conviction of suspects in Aniah’s disappearance, White said. In addition, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones contributed money to the growing reward fund. Reward money from those and other sources now exceeds $100,000. A Texas non-profit group named EquuSearch is also helping look for Aniah, AL.com reports.
Walt and Angela Harris with Aniah Blanchard and their other children.
UFC describes Harris, who is known as the “Big Ticket” as the #9 ranked heavyweight. He has 13 wins by knockout. He last fought on July 20, 2019. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama and trains in Florida. The 36-year-old debuted in 2013.
On Facebook, Walt Harris says he is an “UFC Heavyweight training out of American Top Team.” On November 4, 2019, he shared word of a prayer vigil for Aniah on his Instagram page, writing, “God said when two or more gather in his name he is present… Tonight we gather with faith and hope for a safe return of our daughter and all missing children. Join us in prayer in person or in your own quiet time. Thank you! Everyone is welcomed!”
His Instagram profile now reads: “I will search until we find my daughter Aniah! findAniahBlanchard@gmail.com.” He has shared numerous photos of Blanchard, writing, “I won’t rest until I find you baby girl! I love you! #FindAniah.”
“I appreciate the outpouring of love and concern for my family in our time of need,” Harris wrote on Instagram.
Aniah’s Mom Had Pleaded With the Person Who Took Aniah to ‘Stop Now’ & ‘Change This’
Aniah’s mom, Angela Haley-Harris, is an RN and “Hydrocare provider at Holistic Hydration.” From Alabama, her Facebook page says she “manages Fearless Mommy, PixieLane Angela Harris and Fearless Fitness and Lifestyle Clothing.”
After police revealed that they were seeking Yazeed, Angela Harris gave an interview with Walt. In the emotional interview, she said, “As a mother and as a Christian, you know, we’re all sinners and even though this man has done some evil things and possibly evil things to our daughter, you know God can change everybody’s heart.. If he sees this, whoever it is who has done harm to our child…it can be OK. You can stop now. You can change this. You can let her go. God forgive you, we can forgive you. We just want our child home and safe.”
Aniah’s father Elijah Blanchard is married to a prominent lawyer named Yashiba Blanchard. Both have attended prayer vigils for the missing teenager and have also spoken out publicly about her disappearance. “I’m holding up because the God I serve will not allow me to fold,” Elijah Blanchard said at a prayer vigil for Aniah at a Baptist Church.
Elijah told the Montgomery Advertiser that Aniah is “a nurturing person. She likes to make sure everybody is OK. That’s what my concern is, that somebody has taken advantage of her kindness.”
Yashiba Glenn-Blanchard’s website says she practices in multiple areas including bankruptcy Law, Family Law, Domestic Relations, Criminal Law and more.
Yazeed has a violent criminal history. According to a February 2019 WFSA-TV article, Ibraheem Yazeed and a woman named Jessie Ford were accused of attempted murder after a man was found “badly beaten and near death inside a car.”
According to Al.com, Yazeed’s past record includes a 2017 Missouri arrest for aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer; a felony drug possession conviction in 2015; and a 2012 accusation of attempted murder after “authorities said he rammed his car into a Montgomery police vehicle.” In the latter case, he was not indicted by a grand jury, though. In 2011, he was accused of robbery but also was not indicted by a grand jury, the newspaper reported.
The vehicle recovered by police
The Auburn police chief has described the clues in the case.
“We think this individual is someone who should be in custody,” he said. “We don’t have any reason to know that she was familiar with him, but we can’t rule out completely that there was some knowledge.”
Authorities previously found Blanchard’s vehicle. “On Friday, Oct. 25, at 6:15 p.m., Aniah Haley Blanchard’s vehicle was located at an apartment complex in the 6100 block of Boardwalk Boulevard in Montgomery, Alabama,” police revealed. “Members of the Auburn Police Division, as well as the Montgomery Police Department, responded after receiving notification from a citizen. While the vehicle has been recovered, Blanchard has not been located. The investigation continues regarding her disappearance.” The vehicle bore obvious signs of external damage.
Damage to Aniah’s car.
Auburn police say that “evidence from within Aniah Blanchard’s vehicle, recovered in Montgomery, was examined by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences and has now determined that she was harmed and is considered to be a victim of foul play.”
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