(Editor’s note: This story first published at the Montgomery Advertiser, part of the USA TODAY Network.)
A Lee County (Ala.) judge on Wednesday denied bond for the suspect in the disappearance of college student Aniah Blanchard, the stepdaughter of UFC heavyweight [autotag]Walt Harris[/autotag], and ordered him to submit to a DNA test.
A prosecutor in the case also said at a preliminary hearing in Judge Russell Bush’s courtroom that a DNA profile was found in Blanchard’s car, and Josh Mixon, a detective with the Auburn Police Department, said that a witness at an Auburn convenience store identified Ibraheem Yazeed, saw Yazeed force Blanchard into a car, and leave the convenience store with her.
“He observed Yazeed forcing Blanchard into her vehicle against her will and leaving with her,” he said.
Blanchard, a 19-year-old Southern Union Community College student from Homewood, was last seen on Oct. 23 at the convenience store. Her vehicle was recovered a few days later at a Montgomery apartment complex.
Yazeed, 29, was arrested Nov. 7 and charged with first-degree kidnapping in Blanchard’s disappearance. Yazeed’s charges state that the “blood of someone suffering a life-threatening injury” was found in the passenger side of Blanchard’s vehicle.
Dressed in a white jail uniform, Yazeed showed interest if no visible emotion during the 30-minute hearing and occasionally whispered to his attorney, Elijah Beaver, during arguments.
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Beaver questioned Mixon closely on the witness, who has not been publicly identified. Mixon said the witness was staying at a nearby hotel and walked into the store at roughly the same time as Yazeed. The witness, Mixon said, had seen Yazeed previously. Mixon said the witness returned to the hotel after witnessing the kidnapping and told a female companion about it.
Beaver asked Mixon about the witness’ criminal history. Mixon said he had reviewed it and that “all I saw was a few misdemeanors.” Beaver also said that it was “important” to identify the witness. Lee County District Attorney Brandon Hughes suggested in response that they were concerned about witness intimidation, which Beaver objected to.
Yazeed has a criminal history going back to 2011. That year, he was charged with two counts of first-degree robbery and accused of robbing two men at gunpoint on West South Boulevard in Montgomery. The following year, Yazeed allegedly rammed a vehicle into a Montgomery police officer’s car in attempt to kill two officers inside. A grand jury ultimately dismissed both charges.
Yazeed pleaded guilty in 2015 to charges of possession of a pistol without a permit and first-degree possession of marijuana. Yazeed was given a suspended sentence on both charges. In 2017, he was arrested and later convicted on charges of marijuana possession and fleeing a police offier, though he was acquitted of assault charges.
Yazeed was charged with kidnapping, beating and robbing two men in Montgomery in January. He was freed on a $295,000 bond in February.
Garrett Saucer, an assistant district attorney with the Lee County District Attorney’s Office, said in court that the “DNA of a male profile” was found in Blanchard’s car, and that a DNA sample was needed for comparison. Beaver argued that the law allows collection of DNA samples at time of arrest. Bush ultimately ordered that a swab be taken.
Bush has imposed a gag order in the case. Blanchard’s family members attended the hearing but had no comment Wednesday. Beaver in court objected to the recent appearance of Blanchard’s mother, Angela Harris, and stepfather, Walt Harris, on “Dr. Phil,” where thy said they believed multiple people were involved in their daughter’s kidnapping. Police have said they anticipate other arrests.
Beaver, who said he had no objection to the gag order, suggested the appearance could hurt Yazeed’s chances of a fair trial.
“They went on ‘Dr. Phil’ talking to a nationwide audience, potentially tainting every juror in the state of Alabama,” he said.
Hughes said Blanchard’s parents were trying to locate here.
“The family’s trying to find their daughter,” he said. “That’s their interest. … They’re grieving parents. They’re trying to find their little girl.”
Bush said he would take the matter under consideration at a hearing on the gag order, scheduled for Dec. 4. Media outlets, including the Montgomery Advertiser, have challenged the gag order as being too broad.