Note: This blog is being continuously updated with information from local chatter and from mainstream media. “Rumors” will be marked accordingly. To be clear, this should NOT be considered a “news source.”
11/26/18
It has been revealed that David Johnson Jr. was arrested for lying to investigators to cover for his son.
His SON is the one who drove Yazeed to Florida. Johnson Jr. Told investigators Yazeed left his home with an unidentified woman.
As of now, there is no official confirmation if David Johnson III (the son) has been taken into custody.
Captain Lorenza Dorsey with the Auburn Police Division says that everyone involved in the disappearance of Aniah Blanchard has been taken in custody.
Various Screenshots:
11/25/19 – A LOT going on today
WRBC interviewed the sheriff who said the tip came with very specific information. He said they may not have found her otherwise as the remains were located in an area with rough terrain.
He said more arrests are possible ontop of the 3 already arrested.
They are still processing the scene and it could take up to 48-72 hours. An update will be provided when they have one, possibly later tonight.
Third arrest made:
Lee County D.A. Brandon Hughes has confirmed that David Johnson, Jr. was arrested in Montgomery. He is being charged with hindering prosecution.
Johnson is believed to have been the person who drove Ibraheem Yazeed to Florida after Aniah’s abduction, where he was eventually arrested.
It was revealed in court that Johnson Jr. and Fisher were living together.
Remains located:
The probable remains of Aniah Blanchard were discovered Monday afternoon in Macon County, Ala.
“I can confirm that human remains have been found and we have good reason to suspect they are that of Aniah Blanchard,” said District Attorney Brandon Hughes.
The remains were found off Macon County Road 2. It was not far from New Hope Baptist Church.
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.
Aniah’s family has been notified and the case remains under investigation.
Second suspect, Antwain Fisher, who has a previous capital murder charge, has been denied bond.
Judge Steven Speakman denied Fisher bond and the 35-year-old will remain in the Lee County jail.
Lee Co. District Attorney Brandon Hughes argued Fisher should be denied bond because of a previous capital murder charge from 2005. In a plea agreement, Fisher pleaded guilty, dropping the charges from capital murder to felony murder.
Judge Speakman cited current warrants for Fisher’s arrest in Montgomery because Fisher failed to appear in court for traffic tickets several times.
According to the arrest affidavit, investigations revealed that Fisher “provided material assistance to Yazeed by providing transportation to Yazeed, and disposing of evidence.”
Fisher said his family is in the process of hiring a private attorney, but Judge Speakman appointed public defender Andrew Stanley in the interim. Stanley requested a preliminary hearing, which will take place December 18.
Drama among suspect’s family members on social media
Fisher’s sister, Laketa, has been arguing with people on Facebook including an anon account called “Susan Knows Best” who claims a side chick sold out Fisher.
Screenshots below:
11/23/19
As the search for 19-year-old Aniah Blanchard enters its second month, a second arrest has been made connection to her disappearance.
Antwain “Squirmy” Fisher was arrested Friday night by Auburn police in Montgomery and booked into the Lee County Jail on Saturday morning. He has been charged with first-degree kidnapping, according to Lee County District Attorney Brandon Hughes.
His wife has been all over social media defending him.
Texas Equusearch has suspended their search due to hunting season
11/20/19
A man testified at a preliminary hearing in Lee County District Court on Wednesday that he saw 19-year-old Aniah Blanchard being taken against her will by Ibraheem Yazeed, the man charged with kidnapping in her disappearance.
The witness said he didn’t come forward sooner because his wife told him to “stay out of it.”
Judge Russell Bush ordered Yazeed to submit to a DNA sample after prosecutors presented evidence of a man being inside Blanchard’s vehicle. The judge also denied him bond.
WVTM 13’s Xavier Harris said when Yazeed walked into the court room, he looked in the direction of Blanchard’s family and shook his head.
According to investigators, Yazeed asked for legal counsel after admitting to being the one seen in surveillance footage at a convenience store in Auburn where Blanchard was last seen alive.
Due to the current gag order, Blanchard’s family members were not allowed to speak to the media as they left the courthouse. A motion to lift the gag order in the case will not be discussed until Dec. 4.
11/15/19 – 11/19/19
Sorry for not updating in a bit, but there hasn’t been too much going on, unfortunately.
Texas Equusearch has returned and is continuing their search, asking the public/ media not to disclose where they are searching.
Multiple media companies filed a motion for the gag order to be lifted, stating that it is too extreme.
Aniah’s mother told Summer on Twitter she needs to take down her posts (more can be seen further down). Many people have been side-eyeing Summer because “she seems desperate for attention.” Some are even suspicious of her.
More screenshots:
11/14/19
– Aniah was featured on Dr. Phil today.
– Yazeed has been receiving death threats from other inmates
– Aniah’s friend, Summer Whatley, posted this on her Twitter, but deleted it soon after.
11/12/19 – 11/13/19
Updates: No bond for Yazeed due to his criminal history.
Texas Equusearch suspended their search and returned to Texas.
We’re heavy-hearted as we head back to Texas today. The Auburn community has been so supportive while we’ve been here, and for that, we’re very grateful. They’ve given us help in every way we’ve asked. It’s always hard to leave folks without the answer we came here to find. But we’ve used every resource available to us over the last nine days to locate Aniah, so until we have new information that leads us in a new direction, we’re suspending the search. We have faith in the Auburn Police Dept the Public and other agencies involved in finding us that new lead. We’re prepared to come back immediately when the call comes.”
Destinie Duvall with Texas EquuSearch.
Screenshots:
11/10/19 – 11/11/19
This is making news again, but it came out when Yazeed was first taken into custody. I have it posted below on the 8th.
Police records say Aniah’s car was found filled with blood evidence and that someone had suffered “a life-threatening injury.”
The state lab determined the evidence submitted from the vehicle matched Aniah’s DNA
Yazeed appeared in court on Sunday 11/10. Media was not allowed inside due to a gag order that has being issued on the case – “something rarely seen at district court level.”
Court proceedings are public hearings, and it’s unclear why this hearing was restricted. Various media outlets questioned officials, including the district attorney, but they declined to comment.
Otherwise, no major updates – some more background on Yazeed has come out, but that’s really it.
More rumors about her body being found, but again, it wasn’t her.
Montgomery Advertiser accidentally published a story stating her body had been found that they must have had pending – major oops.
Screenshots:
11/09/19
Someone posted on social media claiming a similar incident may have happened to her.
11/08/09
Blood “indicative of someone suffering a life-threatening injury” was discovered in the passenger’s side of Aniah Blanchard’s vehicle, according to a probable cause affidavit filed for the arrest of suspect Ibraheem Yazeed.
“During the subsequent investigation a witness identified Yazeed as the individual he observed forcing Blanchard into [her] vehicle against her will and then leaving with her in the vehicle” from an Auburn convenience station, the affidavit states.
The blood evidence was tested by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences and confirmed to be Blanchard’s.
Escambia County (Fla.) Major Andrew Hobbs confirms 30-year-old Ibraheem Yazeed was apprehended on I-10 at the Pine Forest exit, which is the second exit in Pensacola past the Alabama state line.
Yazeed was arrested around 11 p.m. and was booked at 2:32 a.m. It is unknown when when Yazeed will be extradited back to Alabama.
US Marshals in Montgomery, Alabama called the marshals in Florida Thursday after receiving a tip that Yazeed may be in the area of Pine Forest, local outlet WEAR-TV reported.
“To say the least, it’s upsetting.”
– Walt “Big Ticket” Harris, Aniah’s Stepfather
“That you have a rap sheet as long as what I’ve been told and you’re walking around free. It’s confusing how a person that bad and that evil can be amongst us.”
The Auburn Police Department identified Yazeed as a suspect, issuing a warrant and calling him dangerous and possibly armed, according to the report.
When authorities closed in on Yazeed, who was wearing all black, he appeared to be spooked and took off around 11 p.m. Thursday.
“When we arrived, the suspect fled the area, but he was located by Escambia sheriff’s officers and marshals in a wooded area near the exit,” Escambia Sheriff’s Maj. Andrew Hobbs said.
Yazeed was taken to a local hospital complaining of chest pains. His jail booking photo shows him with a swollen left eye, but no further details were released about his apparent injuries.
“I would ask why he would attack someone so innocent. People attack people when they are vulnerable. I think this guy is no rookie at what he did he knows exactly what he is doing.”
– Elijah Blanchard, Aniah’s father
Authorities “don’t have any reason” to believe Aniah knew Yazeed, “but we certainly can’t rule out completely that there would have been some knowledge.”
They also anticipate more arrests and believe it is likely someone else is involved in this case.
11/07/19
Someone on Twitter is reporting that Yazeed has been captured. This is unconfirmed. No idea who this person is… Could just be a troll?
A Montgomery man with a history of arrests for violent crimes has been charged with kidnapping in the disappearance of Aniah Blanchard and is sought by police.
Ibraheem Yazeed, 30, has been charged with first-degree kidnapping in Blanchard’s disappearance. The U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force, along with other agencies, are actively searching for Yazeed. Authorities said Thursday that evidence shows Yazeed was at the same location where Blanchard was last seen and is believed to have taken Blanchard against her will. Investigators are looking into the possibility Blanchard was kidnapped during a carjacking.
Currently, the US Marshal’s Fugitive Task force along with other agencies assisting in this investigation are actively searching for Yazeed. Yazeed is currently out on bond for the charges of Kidnapping and Attempted Murder from another jurisdiction; he should be considered dangerous and potentially armed.
Investigators say further investigation and analysis of evidence has determined Yazeed, was at the same location Blanchard was last seen and is involved in taking Aniah against her will.
Additional charges and/or arrests are anticipated.
Earlier: A lot has happened in a short amount of time.
Apparently, the “baby mama” of the POI, outted herself and him on Facebook, which can be seen below.
Ibraheem Yazeed has an extensive criminal history, some of which is listed below. Again, this is all speculation from social media and is NOT official.
We will continue to gather screenshots and official updates as we find them.
11/06/19
Police are asking the public for help identifying the man, who was seen on video surveillance inside the convenience store at the time Blanchard was last seen.
The man is in his early to mid-20s, weighs approximately 200 lbs., and is between 5’8” and 5’10”. He was 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 2000s model Lincoln Town Car, which investigators believe is silver or grey.
It’s unclear why investigators believe the man may be involved in Blanchard’s case, but as part of the ongoing joint investigation with the Auburn Police Division and the Montgomery Police Department into Aniah’s disappearance, investigators want to speak him.
Anyone with information on his identity is asked to call the Auburn Police Division Detective Section at 334-501-3140, the anonymous tip line at 334-246-1391, or the 24-hour non-emergency number at 334-501-3100.
Re: The POI, someone on social media made this interesting observation. Maybe a paint transfer?
Texas Equusearch is to begin searching today.
11/05/19
No one is certain “Eric” exists, but it is who “Aniah said she was with via Snapchat.”
It is also uncertain whether Aniah sent the Snapchat or the suspect did.
That night, Aniah told her family she was going to a gas station (where she was seen on camera) for chips before heading hime. The Snapchat message was sent between her being seen at the gas station and her car being seen driving on the interstate away from her apartment.
11/03/19 – 11/04/19
Published on Nov 4, 2019 – UFC fighter Walt Harris joins Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show to discuss the search for his missing stepdaughter Aniah Blanchard, where the investigation is and how he won’t stop searching until there is closure to the situation.
Investigators are searching for Blanchard by land and by air. Air One, the state helicopter, could be seen across the Montgomery skyline throughout the day. Ground searches included multiple K-9 units.
(Re: the search of the 300 acre property a TCS member reported, as well as various locals seeing helicopters in the area.)
A vigil has been planned to take place at the Open Door Christian Faith Workshop Center at 2450 President’s Drive. A flyer shared by the family describes the event as “A night of prayer for missing college student Aniah Blanchard and all missing children.”
A prayer service will also take place in Auburn at the United Methodist Church at the corner of Gay Street and Magnolia Avenue. The prayer service will take place at 6:22 p.m. The public has been invited to attend both events.
11/02/19
Saturday update from WSFA 12 News:
Aniah is listed on Texas Equusearch, though they have not arrived in the area yet according to a TCS member who has family in the Montgomery Police Dept.
Various Screenshots:
As of this afternoon, Sat, Nov. 2, 2019, local talk of a body being found has not been commented on by law enforcement – at this point whatever may have happened seems unrelated.
It seems the confusion started when the body of a man was found and a woman commented discussing this in the local Montgomery group because her relative found the body. She wouldn’t clarify her statements when people questioned her.
It has also since been revealed that another body was found closer to the area of interest in relation to Aniah, but that person had overdosed (see screenshot below).
11/01/19
After various reports of a heavy FBI presence in the Montgomery area, locals on Facebook have been discussing a body being found. This has not been confirmed by law enforcement or any official medium.
Police in Auburn, Alabama, believe evidence found inside a car points to foul play in the case of a 19-year-old missing college student. Aniah Haley Blanchard, who is the stepdaughter of UFC fighter Walt Harris, disappeared last week.
A member of the TCS Facebook group reported their family friend’s property in Montgomery, Alabama was being searched by the FBI with helicopters.
Various Montgomery locals corroborated this by confirming helicopters were searching in the area.
The 300 acre farm property remains uninhabited most of the year and is only utilized by the owners during deer season, the member explained.
Deer season doesn’t begin until the end of November.
The member also explained there is a swamp on the ungated property.
Blanchard was last seen on surveillance video walking into a store in Auburn. “This is a serious crime that we are investigating. It does involve injuries to someone else,” said Police Chief Paul Register
Authorities found Blanchard’s vehicle at an apartment complex in Montgomery, Alabama, 55 miles from where she was last seen. The front side of the vehicle was damaged. But it’s the forensic evidence found inside the car that has investigators worried.
“Evidence from within her vehicle is the reason that we are aware that she was harmed,” Register said.
Her mother, Angela Harris, said her daughter’s last communication was a message to her college roommate.
“Her roommate was Snapchatting her, ‘Where are you? Are you close to home?’ And she said ‘Yes,’ and then she says, ‘Who are you with?’ Then she says a certain male’s name,” Harris said.
UFC has donated $25,000 to get information as multiple agencies search for Blanchard. The reward money now totals $105,000. Meanwhile, Harris is begging for the public’s help.
“Please, please if you know anything, we have to have her back, we have to have her back,” Harris said.