Found Deceased AL - Aniah Haley Blanchard, 19, Auburn, Lee County, 23 Oct 2019 #4 *Arrest*

[PixieStix]

Does anyone know if Aniah had any tattoos? I don't remember it being mentioned but a body was found in St. Augustine today that matches her description up until they mentioned the tattoos. St. Augustine is about 7 hours away from Montgomery though so I'm not sure they drove that far if IY was in Pensacola.


The woman is described as a black female, with an age range in her late teens to late 20s. She is about 5 feet, 7 inches tall and 140 pounds with a tattoo of a rose on her upper right thigh.

At this time, deputies have received no reports of missing persons, or significant events in the area that might help to identify the woman.

Woman's body found in Intracoastal Waterway near St. Augustine Shores

There is no mention of tattoos on her missing person poster and I haven't seen any at least none that are visible. Aniah is 5'6 and 125 lbs.

Homewood parents seeking answers in their 19-year-old’s disappearance

 

[wyome]

It would explain why they were so scared because he could have easily found them if they spoke out.

Regardless of who this person is or what fears he/she may have in connection to this case, kudos to this person for finally coming clean with what he/she eye-witnessed. Hope this person's hesitation in reporting doesn't prove pivotal/grave in the outcome of this case. If it does, this person, who is clearly fragile, will be haunted by this.

 

[MntnHiker]

Yes, I, too wonder if the witness is the store clerk. I figured that time of night, there may only be one person working the store. Does anyone know if this is a 24/7 gas station store or does it close down? I can try and Google that as well.

If I'm working all alone at a gas station late at night and I witness this and IY sees me witnessing it, I am terrified he may come back later or have an accomplice come back later, in the wee hours of the night when I'm alone in the store, to harm me. Or another night in the future if I typically work overnight alone. I especially may not want police descending on the place and have IY drive back by seeing this, knowing I must have called. All just theories on my part. Of course, it could be a customer as well.

As badly as I wish the witness came forward sooner to maybe get this ball rolling faster, I also sympathize with the amount of terror they probably were under witnessing this horrific crime and fearing for their own life perhaps.

 

[Lesliebham]

I agree wholeheartedly.
I can see why Aniah has turned out so wonderfully.
I sheepishly admit that when I first heard about Aniah's being missing, I wondered what role a UFC-fighting stepdad has had in her life.
Now I know: a great dad who has been there for her from very early in her life (even though he is relatively young himself) and an outstanding person.
And Angela is a beautiful person through and through.
Lovely people. The best.

And to be fair, her natural father is an involved and wonderful man. He's suffering too and has been a positive force in her life as well. He is so worried- but asking for prayers and for folks to continue to share Aniahs picture.

 

[diggndeeperstill]

Yes, sorry. I edited my post - probably at the same time that you were responding.

Sorry! Yes sometimes takes me awhile to type!

 

[d4j]

And to be fair, her natural father is an involved and wonderful man. He's suffering too and has been a positive future in het life as well. He is so worried- but asking for prayers and for folks to continue to share Aniahs picture.

Well said! I neglected to mention Aniah's biological dad and stepmom in my previous post.

 

[wareaglemama]

Thank you. Okay so in that case - looks like they are searching the Alabama River. So I'm guessing they think he took her to Montgomery?

TXEQ has also asked for (and found) a helicopter to search the Lee County area, so my guess is they haven’t pinpointed Montgomery yet.

FB post

 

[GiaOnTheLookout]

Wondering out loud...

So much I want to say but keep worrying I’m violating rules.

My list of reasons why someone might be afraid to come forward ... remember it was 11:20 at night.

1. They know Yazeed

• He’s their dealer/supplier
• He provides something illegal for them- prostitutes
• They recognized him somehow (Former arrest)

2. They know his gang because he had something on that identified it? CN on necklace maybe?
3. They thought they were not needed because it was on video?
4. They are in legal trouble themselves
5. They are in the country illegally
6. They are afraid

• Of being identified
• They were not supposed to be where they were when they witnessed it and being involved means family/spouse/work problems because of that.
• They were threatened before, during or after

7. they were young? Could that be?

That’s all I can think of. Except this...
105k did not cause them to come forward?????

what was the tip / reward amount when this witness was identified?

Edited formatting and clarified last sentence

I am thinking the same!

 

[ce4au]

Now that we have the additional information about the witness being terrified, I think it's a very real possibility, it was the store clerk. I thought perhaps IY frequented the Chevron, and the witness, if they worked there might have already been scared of IY and felt coming forward, would put them at risk for harm.

I think the store clerk is still my #2. Just bc idk why it would have taken that long to find the witness. The one working that night would have been the first one they talked to yeah?

 

[michellefultzyahoo.com]

Let's pray for the families! For the sorry in this Give this family some peace! I'm trying to put my energy to Aniah to be found!

 

[PixieStix]

I think the store clerk is still my #2. Just bc idk why it would have taken that long to find the witness. The one working that night would have been the first one they talked to yeah?

I thought I read an article that said LE went back and reinterviewed everyone at the Chevron, and that is when the witness came forward. I don't think it was during the first round of interviews. So, it might have been much later that the witness finally spoke out. I think LE must have known someone saw someone and pushed a bit more. The latter half of this is MOO.

I will go back and look through the articles that came out and see if I can find more.

 

[Momof4RN]

There is a new federal law, called the Ashanti Act, which will provide an alert for missing or endangered adults ages 18-64. President Donald Trump signed the law in December 2018. The Department of Justice has yet to implement that alert system.

Snip

“They’re still young people and their parents still need to have a mechanism to find them,” said Rep. Merika Coleman (D- Birmingham).

Coleman is Yashiba’s cousin. She has helped with the search for Aniah.

Coleman is calling for the DOJ to implement the Ashanti Act quickly.

We asked if there is something Alabama can do instead of waiting.

“100 percent,” replied Coleman. “When the session starts next year, we could look at the Virginia law, the state law, and pass our own state version.”

Coleman expects to have bi-partisan support.

Snip

Senator Mark Warner of Virginia pushed for the Ashanti Act after a 19-year-old went missing from his state.
Aniah Blanchard's parents call for alert system for missing, endangered adults
Aww as a pediatric nurse and mom of 4 I was feeling so connected to Aniah’s mom. Now as a Virginian I feel more connected.
This family, all of them, amaze me!

 

[Ashley74]

If the store clerk witnessed Aniah being abducted would he of had to been outside? Or can you see the parking area from inside the store. I don’t think it’s likely that he would head outside right after ringing up Aniah especially if there were other customers inside the store. Unless there was a big commotion and he ran to check it out. I’m leaning toward the witness being another person/customer that was there that night.

 

[Momof4RN]

I am now 100% convinced IY did not plan this abduction. A fighter, a lawyer, and a State Rep all in her family. He should be really scared now. He messed with the wrong family!

 

[Momof4RN]

The parents of missing Alabama college student Aniah Blanchard said being in the same courtroom with the man accused of abducting their daughter was tough at best.

Ibraheem Yazeed, 29, made his initial appearance in a Lee County courtroom Sunday Lee County District Judge Russell Bush. Blanchard’s mother and stepfather, Angela and Walt Harris, and her father and stepmother, Yashiba and Elijah Blanchard, were present for the hearing.
“Yesterday was a hard day for us especially Elijah before and after court,’’ Yashiba Blanchard said. “(Yazeed’s) appearance was very stressful on us all.”

She described an emotionally and physically draining experience. “You could cut the tension,’’ she said. “I had to console Elijah prior to, and during, the suspect’s appearance in court. He physically was shaking the entire time and then paced the courthouse floors afterwards while just gazing at the ceiling.”

Snip

Yashiba Blanchard said they are praying fervently for a positive outcome.

“That is his only daughter biologically and he is devastated. His ‘only girl'’’ she said. “He only wants this guy to talk so we can get Aniah.”

“We still have hope she is alive,’’ she said. “We are praying that the Lord’s divine influence penetrates the guy’s heart and we get our kid back. All we want is Aniah returned safely.”
Seeing Aniah Blanchard’s accused kidnapper in court was ‘very stressful on us all,’ family says

 

[mrsu]

How buzzing busy is this particular gas station this time of night? I wonder if it’s possible that there weren’t very many people at the gas station at all and therefore if the store clerk were the witness it would have been obvious that it was he/she who reported seeing something???

 

[OliveBear]

If IY was seen leaving in a silver/gray car, how did he wind up kidnapping and attacking her in hers? IMO the witness was driving the silver/gray car.

 

[ce4au]

I thought I read an article that said LE went back and reinterviewed everyone at the Chevron, and that is when the witness came forward. I don't think it was during the first round of interviews. So, it might have been much later that the witness finally spoke out. I think LE must have known someone saw someone and pushed a bit more. The latter half of this is MOO.

I will go back and look through the articles that came out and see if I can find more.

I was mainly going based on what Aniah’s mom said in this latest interview.

 

[ce4au]

How buzzing busy is this particular gas station this time of night? I wonder if it’s possible that there weren’t very many people at the gas station at all and therefore if the store clerk were the witness it would have been obvious that it was he/she who reported seeing something???

It was a Wednesday night (going out night in Auburn). It wasn’t even midnight yet. I don’t think it was like “game day” busy, but I would assume based on what night it was & what time it was that is wasn’t a ghost town by any means. Not to mention that the intersection where that gas station is located is never empty. I would bet my paycheck that there were cars stopped at the red light & coming thru the intersection. That also kinda puzzled me how more ppl didn’t see it.

 

[SouthAussie]

That also kinda puzzled me how more ppl didn’t see it.

RSBM

I suspect that Yazeed was armed - due to the police warning.
When he forced Aniah into a vehicle, I don't think it necessarily means that he physically forced her in. Holding a partially concealed weapon and telling her not to scream and get in the vehicle is potentially another way of forcing her.

Whoever the witness is may have been close enough or observant enough to see that weapon, and/or see Aniah's terror and reluctance.


"He should be considered dangerous and potentially armed."
Aniah Blanchard: A man has been arrested in last month's disappearance of Alabama college student - CNN

Prosecutors say Yazeed was armed with a handgun in January when he pummeled William Joseph Fuller, Alabama court records state.
Suspect was on bond when UFC fighter's stepdaughter vanished