Yazeed Guilty in Aniah Blanchard Murder

0:00This is Birmingham News today, powered by AI and presented by the Daily News now. A jury in Tuskegee, Alabama, has found Ibrahim Yazeed guilty of murder and felony murder in the 2019 death of 19-year-old Anaya Blanchard. The verdict came after a week-long trial, sparing the death penalty since jurors did not convict on Capitol murder charges. Yazeed now faces life in prison without parole. Her body vanished from an Auburn gas station parking lot on October 23, 2019. Her body turned up a month later in Macon County. Yazeed was free armed bond at the time for a previous violent crime, a case that helped spark Anaya's law to block bonds for dangerous offenders. The courtroom overflowed with Blanchard's family and supporters during the trial. Her older brother gave tearful testimony as the last person to see her alive after she dropped him off at home. Her parents set quietly through it all, asking for prayers instead of comments. Prosecutors stress video footage of Yazeed near her SUV and key witness accounts from

1:04that night. The defense highlighted missing DNA ties and pointed toward another man who helped find the body. Expert witnesses wrapped up the final day with details on remains and phone records. Sentencing lies ahead for Yazeed, with life without parole on the table. The jury has been dismissed, closing this chapter on a tragedy that changed bond laws across Alabama. We'll keep following developments as they come. The Daily News Now is powered by a sponsor. No earbuds, no headbands, no awkward sleeping positions, just a pillow that plays your sound. O-L-I-SOLY-PILLOW.com