Third Man Arrested in Connection with Disappearance of UFC Fighter’s Stepdaughter Aniah Blanchard
Authorities who confirmed they’ve found human remains in the search for Aniah Haley Blanchard, the 19-year-old stepdaughter of UFC fighter Walt Harris, have arrested a third man in connection with her October disappearance.
The latest suspect, David Johnson Jr., 63, was charged with hindering prosecution and is being held in jail in Montgomery County, Alabama, on a $7,500 bond, reports the Montgomery Advertiser and Birmingham TV station WVTM.
His arrest follows previous first-degree kidnapping charges in Aniah’s case filed against 35-year-old Antwain “Squirmy” Fisher and 29-year-old Ibraheem Yazeed.
On Monday, Lee County District Attorney Brandon Hughes told PEOPLE his office has “good reason to believe” that human remains found in Macon County are those of the missing woman.
Blanchard was reported missing from Auburn on Oct. 24 by her family after she failed to return home the previous night.
Harris previously told PEOPLE that his stepdaughter communicated with her roommate through Snapchat on Oct. 23, just before midnight, saying she would be home soon.
RELATED: UFC Star’s Missing Stepdaughter, 19, Was ‘Victim of Foul Play,’ Ala. Police Believe
Minutes later, Blanchard sent a message saying she was with someone named “Eric,” according to Harris. When her roommate asked who he was, Blanchard wrote back, “I just met him,” according to Harris.
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She was never heard from again, and two days after she was reported missing, police found her scraped car nearly 60 miles away in Montgomery. Evidence recovered from the vehicle led Auburn police to believe Blanchard was a victim of foul play.
Blanchard was last seen on surveillance camera video from a convenience store near her home. Yazeed was identified as a person of interest after video surveillance showed him inside the convenience store.
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A probable cause affidavit in Yazeed’s case says blood “indicative of someone suffering a life-threatening injury” was found on the passenger side of Blanchard’s vehicle, reports the Advertiser. “During the subsequent investigation a witness identified Yazeed as the individual he observed forcing Blanchard into a vehicle against her will and then leaving with her in the vehicle” from the convenience store location, according to the document.
Fisher, who was in court Monday on the kidnapping charge before the human remains were discovered, allegedly provided a ride to Yazeed and also disposed of evidence, according to court records cited by the Advertiser.
An attorney for Fisher, Andrew Stanley, did not immediately return a call from PEOPLE for comment. He filed a motion seeking a $50,000 bond for Fisher after a judge ruled that Fisher could be held in the Lee County jail without bond, reports the Advertiser.
Attorneys who might speak on behalf of Yazeed, who also is being held in Lee County without bond, and Johnson were not identified.
