A jury has found a man guilty of the murder of Aniah Blanchard, the stepdaughter of former UFC fighter Walt Harris.
Ibraheem Yazeed was charged with the 2019 murder of nineteen-year-old Blanchard and could face life in prison when he is sentenced.
Blanchard disappeared in October 2019 and was spotted on the surveillance footage at a convenience store where Yazeed was also seen. An eyewitness stated they saw Yazeed force Blanchard into a vehicle.
Police suspected foul play after Blanchard’s car was discovered days later with a large amount of blood inside. It took another month before her body was found in Macon County, Alabama. An autopsy ruled she was killed by a gunshot.
Yazeed had been out on bail due to separate attempted murder, kidnapping, and robbery charges when he murdered Blanchard. This led to the passing of “Aniah’s Law” four years ago, where violent offenders ineligible for bond.
Harris returned to the Octagon in May 2020 after Blanchard’s death and lost his next three fights. Harris was handed a four-year suspension by the Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) due to an anti-doping violation in 2023 and was removed from the UFC’s roster page last year.
Yazeed will be sentenced on May 7 and faces life in prison, but will not be subjected to the death penalty.
Credit: WVTM 13
