Forensic evidence recovered from a car belonging to missing 19-year-old student Aniah Blanchard shows she was the victim of foul play, according to officials.
Blanchard, who attended Southern Union Community College in East Alabama, went missing on Oct. 23.
Her damaged black 2017 Honda CR-V was located two days later at an apartment complex in Montgomery, about an hour away from Auburn.
Auburn police examined evidence recovered from the car and “determined that she was harmed and is considered to be a victim of foul play,” officials said, according to KCTV5. Police didn’t describe the evidence found in the car.
Blanchard was last seen on surveillance footage on Oct. 23 at a convenience store in Auburn. Police dismissed rumors that she ran away and doesn’t want to be found.
“She had been with her family earlier that day. Very close with people here in Auburn, roommates,” Auburn Police Chief Paul Register told CNN affiliate WFSA. He added that it was unusual for her to be out of contact with her family.
Blanchard is light skinned with long hair, 5-foot-6-inches tall, and weighs about 125 pounds. She was last seen wearing a black dress, tan duck boots and black stockings.
Blanchard is the step-daughter of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Walt Harris. The total reward for information in the disappearance of Blanchard has increased to $80,000, including $25,000 donated by UFC athlete Jon Jones and an additional $25,000 contributed by an anonymous family from Homewood, Alabama, according to KCTV5..
Previously, UFC president Dana White contributed $25,000 to Alabama Governor Kay Ivey’s initial $5,000 reward.
