For Immediate Release:
May 7, 2026
For press inquiries only, contact:
Amanda Priest (334) 322-5694
William Califf (334) 604-3230
(Montgomery, Ala.) – Attorney General Steve Marshall issued the following statement following the sentencing of Ibraheem Yazeed to life in prison for the 2019 abduction and murder of Aniah Blanchard.
“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.”
“My deepest sympathies remain with Aniah’s family and all who loved her. No verdict can undo their unimaginable loss, but my hope is that today’s outcome brings a measure of closure and allows them to begin the long journey toward healing.”
Earlier this year, a jury convicted Yazeed of murder for the kidnapping and killing of Blanchard, whose disappearance in October 2019 sparked a massive multi-agency search effort across East Alabama. Today, the court sentenced Yazeed to life imprisonment.
Attorney General Marshall noted that this case demonstrated the effectiveness of Alabama’s Speedy Trial Act, legislation championed by the Attorney General’s Office, sponsored by Senator Will Barfoot (R-Pike Road) and passed by the Alabama Legislature to help ensure criminal cases move more efficiently through the court system. Marshall specifically thanked Chief Justice Sarah Stewart for utilizing the law in this case and for her continued leadership in improving the administration of justice across Alabama.
Attorney General Marshall also expressed gratitude to the many law enforcement agencies, search teams, and volunteers whose tireless efforts were instrumental throughout the investigation and prosecution of the case. Special thanks were extended to the Alabama Attorney General’s Criminal Trials and Investigations Divisions, Auburn Police Department, Montgomery Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Macon County Sheriff’s Office, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Opelika Police Department, Tuskegee Police Department, Shorter Police Department, EquuSearch Search and Recovery, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and the many volunteers and assisting agencies who devoted countless hours to seeking justice for Aniah and her family.
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