Trial Date Set: Aniah Blanchard’s accused killer faces jury March 2 in Tuskegee

TUSKEGEE, Ala. (WRBL) — More than six years after the alleged abduction and murder of 19-year-old Aniah Blanchard from an Auburn gas station, a specially appointed judge has officially set a trial date for the man accused of killing her.

In a court order issued July 22, 2025, Circuit Judge Tom F. Young Jr. scheduled Ibraheem Yazeed’s capital murder trial to begin on March 2, 2026. The trial will open with jury selection at the Municipal Complex in the City of Tuskegee, a venue chosen specifically for its size and capacity to handle what is expected to be a large jury pool.

The order follows a motion filed by the Alabama Attorney General’s Office on July 10, citing the Speedy Trial Act and urging the court to move the case forward. Prosecutors requested a special jury term outside the court’s normal calendar to avoid further delays and to “expedite the administration of justice.”

Judge Young addressed the matter during a status hearing on June 24, where he made it clear while he is committed to fairness, he does not want to delay the proceedings until the May 2026 timeline proposed by the defense.

“I intend to move forward expeditiously,” Judge Young said during the hearing, adding, “I want to get it done while still making sure it’s fair for all parties involved. I will be pushing the ball down the court.”

Several previous trial dates have been scheduled in this case, only to be continued due to delays in evidence review, legal motions, or court logistics. However, court officials now expect the March 2, 2026 date will stick, barring any unforeseen developments.

The defense argued they need additional time to review the enormous volume of discovery materials—over 663,000 items, with an index alone spanning 9,000 entries. Defense attorneys William Whatley and Todd Crutchfield also requested a mental health evaluation for Yazeed and said they intend to bring on additional counsel to assist with trial preparations.

Despite these concerns, the court has made clear that the trial will move forward next March. Judge Young also ordered:

• The Circuit Clerk to empanel the appropriate number of jurors to facilitate the trial,

• The Macon County Sheriff’s Office to ensure Yazeed’s presence at all court proceedings, and

• That additional status hearings will be scheduled in the months leading up to trial to resolve any pending legal issues.

What would become the last images of Blanchard alive, walking into the Auburn Chevron on South College on October 23rd, 2019, to get a bag of chips was shared worldwide. 

Investigators say Ibraheem Yazeed was also there, out on bond on prior Kidnapping and Attempted Murder charges.

He noticed her.  

After an exhaustive search and investigation Blanchard’s body was recovered a month later in a wooded area of Macon County.

Yazeed remains held without bond as he faces allegations of capital murder – prosecutors with the Attorney General’s Office are seeking the death penalty.

In the wake of Aniah’s death, her family pushed for change. Aniah’s Law passed overwhelmingly by voters in 2022 –  granting judges more discretion when deciding if suspects charged with severe offenses should be eligible for bail or held until trial.

Prosecutors say we will never know how many people Aniah’s Law has saved. 

At the recent court appearance, Yazeed was present and briefly spoke to WRBL, proclaiming his innocence and alleging his constitutional rights were being violated.

Also discussed during the June 24 hearing was a request by the defense for a gag order prohibiting all parties from commenting to the media about the evidence in the case. Both the prosecution and defense agreed on the issue, and Judge Young issued a formal order restricting such statements. To date, WRBL has consistently been told “no comment” by both sides, including the Alabama Attorney General’s Office and Yazeed’s defense team.