Alabama Man Gets Life Sentence for Kidnapping and Killing College Student Aniah Blanchard

An Alabama man who was convicted of kidnapping and killing a 19-year-old college student has now been sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. This brings an end to a case that shocked the state and led to changes in Alabama’s bond laws.

Ibraheem Yazeed, the suspect, is 36 years old and was sentenced to life in prison on May 7 after a jury found him guilty of murder, felony murder, and kidnapping in the death of Aniah Blanchard, according to the Alabama Attorney General’s office.

Blanchard disappeared on the night of October 23, 2019, after stopping at a gas station in Auburn. Investigators said Yazeed noticed the teenager inside the store around 11 p.m. Police used the surveillance footage to piece together the moments before her disappearance.

Authorities shared that Yazeed waited outside for Balnchard to return to her vehicle. He then forced himself into the car and made her drive away. Prosecutors said Yazeed abandoned her vehicle behind at an apartment complex in Montgomery.

Investigators found a large amount of blood inside the car, leading them to believe a violent crime had taken place. Police later determined that Blanchard was shot to death.

Authorities stated that Yazeed moved Blanchard’s body into the trunk of a different vehicle with the help of another man. Her remains were later left in a wooded area along County Road 2 in Macon County.

The search for Blanchard began after her roommate realized she had not returned home and contacted her family. Her disappearance quickly turned into a large, multi-agency investigation that also drew the attention of thousands across Alabama.

Nearly a month later, investigators found her body and Yazeed was then arrested days after the discovery.

Although the case faced several delays, it was finally moved to trial in March, where jurors convicted Yazeed on all counts.

The killing also sparked major legal changes in Alabama. At the time of Blanchard’s death, Yazeed was free on bond in another case involving kidnapping and attempted murder. Hence, lawmakers later passed “Aniah’s Law,” allowing judges to deny bond to people charged with certain violent and dangerous crimes.

"Today, justice has been served. I am gratified that the court imposed the maximum allowable sentence for the senseless and brutal murder of Aniah Blanchard, life in prison. It is the sentence that the weight of this crime demanded, and one that Aniah's family has long deserved," Attorney General Steve Marshall said in a statement.

Marshall added that no amount of punishment could erase the family’s pain but said he hoped the outcome would bring “a measure of closure” as they continue to heal.