Trial date set for man charged in Aniah Blanchard murder

The trial date has been set for the man charged in the death of Aniah Blanchard.

According to court records, the trial of Ibraheem Yazeed is set to begin with jury selection on March 2, 2026. Retired Justice Tom F. Young issued the order Monday.

Young was appointed by Alabama Chief Justice Sarah Stewart to oversee the case after Governor Kay Ivey signed the Speedy Trial Act into law.

The new law, passed in 2025, allows the chief justice to appoint visiting judges in order to get criminal cases to trial more quickly.

19-year-old Blanchard was reported missing in October 2019. A month after her disappearance, her body was found in Macon County.

Yazeed was arrested and charged in her murder.

If convicted, he could face the death penalty.