Aniah Blanchard Disappearance: Suspect Captured By U.S. Marshals

ESCAMBIA COUNTY, FL — The primary suspect in the disappearance of 19-year-old Aniah Blanchard has been captured by U.S. Marshals in Florida. Ibraheem Yazeed, 29, was taken into custody at 10:45 p.m. Thursday off the I-10 Pine Forest Road exit in Escambia County.

A report by the Auburn PD said Yazeed is being held in the Escambia County Jail pending extradition to Lee County, where he will be charged with kidnapping first degree.

Yazeed tried to flee on foot after law enforcement stopped his vehicle just over the Florida state line. He was taken away from the scene in an ambulance and booked into the jail just before 3 a.m. Friday.

“Upon encountering Yazeed, the Marshals issued multiple verbal commands to which Yazeed did not comply,” according to a Friday statement from the U.S. Marshals. “The Task Force members then had to physically remove him from his hiding spot."

Yazeed was identified Thursday as the suspect in Blanchard's disappearance and law enforcement was tipped off to his whereabouts. He is already awaiting trial in an unrelated kidnapping, robbery and attempted murder in Montgomery. he has a long criminal history, dating back almost 10 years. Yazeed has been charged in the past with attempted murder, robbery, possession of a controlled substance, carrying a pistol without a license, possession of marijuana, attempting to elude law enforcement, drug trafficking and other charges.

Charging documents against Yazeed said he was witnessed “forcing Blanchard into a vehicle against her will and then leaving with her in the vehicle. Blanchard has not been located at this time.”

Blanchard's father and stepmother — Birmingham attorney Yashiba Blanchard — as well as her mother, Angela Harris, and stepfather, UFC Heavyweight fighter Walt Harris, have been persistent in keeping their daughter's disappearance in the minds of people all over the state in hopes of eventually finding her alive.

The reward in Blanchard's case has reached more than $100,000. UFC President Dana White, UFC fighter Jon Jones, Dominance MMA CEO Ali Abdelaziz, and an anonymous Homewood family each contributed $25,000 toward the reward money while Gov. Kay Ivey's office pledged $5,000.
Additional charges and/or arrests are anticipated, according to the Auburn PD.

Police have also indicated that Yazeed may not be the only suspect in the case.