Affidavit: Aniah Blanchard’s blood found in SUV, witness saw her abduction

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Blood evidence was found inside the abandoned vehicle belonging to missing college student Aniah Blanchard, according to a newly obtained affidavit in her kidnapping case.

The probable cause document states the blood evidence, located in the passenger compartment of her 2017 Honda CR-V “was indicative of someone suffering a life-threatening injury.”

The evidence was sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, which later confirmed the blood was Blanchard’s.

The document further states a witness identified the suspect, Ibraheem Yazeed, as the person he saw “forcing Blanchard into a vehicle against her will and then leaving with her in the vehicle.”

Ibraheem Yazeed, 30, of Montgomery, was taken into custody in Pensacola, Florida late Thursday night. He was wanted on a first-degree kidnapping charge in connection with Blanchard’s disappearance.

Yazeed is being held in the Escambia County Jail pending extradition to Lee County.

Blanchard, 19, who lives in Auburn, has been missing for more than two weeks. She was reported missing on Oct. 24.

Auburn police released surveillance video of Blanchard inside a convenience store on the night of Oct. 23 on South College Street.

Auburn police also released two photos of a man, later identified as Yazeed, who was captured on surveillance video at the store at the same time as Blanchard.

Blanchard is a native of Homewood and a student at Southern Union State Community College in Lee County. Her stepfather is UFC fighter Walt Harris.

A reward totaling $105,000 from multiple sources has been pledged toward the effort to find her.

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