UFC heavyweight Walt Harris’s daughter, Aniah Blanchard, has been missing for nearly a week.
Wednesday afternoon, Alabama governor Kay Ivey issued a $5,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator(s) responsible for Blanchard’s disappearance.
In a tweet posted Wednesday, Ivey asked the public to speak up if they know any details of the case:
A proclamation issued by Ivey’s office, Albama secretary of state John H. Merrill, and the state of Alabama reads as follows:
“WHEREAS authenticated information has reached this office regarding the disappearance of 19-year-old Aniah Blanchard in Lee County, Alabama;
WHEREAS the victim has not been located; and
WHEREAS her disappearance remains unsolved and the circumstances surrounding this event indicate that every effort should be made apprehend and convict the perpetrator or perpetrators;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Kay Ivey, by virtue of the power and authority vested in me as governor of the state of Alabama under Ala. Code 15-9-1 and – 3 do hereby offer a reward of $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator(s), provided that no arrest has been made in connection with her disappearance as of the date of this proclamation, and provided further that eligibility for this reward shall be limited to private citizens who are not members or employees of any government law enforcement agency or the relatives thereof.”
The 19-year-old woman disappeared on Oct. 23 and has not been seen since a surveillance camera picked her up at a conveniece store that night. Despite the efforts of law enforcement on the ground and the concerted effort of the MMA community to raise awareness on social media, Blanchard has still not been located.
A report from AL.com on Wednesday provided more details.
According to the report, local police said the Southern Union College student communicated with a friend the evening of Oct. 23. Her car was reported missing the following day.
Friday, police found her 2017 Honda CRV in the parking lot of an apartment building in Montgomery, Ala. The vehicle sported damage not present at the time of her disappearance.
Wednesday, Lee County District Attorney Brandon Hughes indicated foul play wasn’t being ruled out. “This is a criminal investigation, obviously we’re approaching it as such. We do not believe Aniah would go missing on her own volition.”
In a video posted on Instagram on Sunday, Harris and his family pleaded for help from the community in finding their daughter. Any donations towards efforts to locate Blanchard should be made out via PayPal to FindAniahBlanchard at gmail dot com.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey's office offers reward for info on Walt Harris' missing daughter
