MISSING D.C. MOM ANT0INETTE FORBES’ EX HAD BEEN CONVICTED IN ‘BRUTAL’ ASSAULT — NEW COURT DETAILS REVEAL VOLATILE PAST

The disappearance of Antoinette Forbes, a 53-year-old Washington, D.C. mother, has taken a new turn after court records revealed a violent history involving her former partner and the father of her 10-year-old son.

Forbes was last seen on September 4, 2026, in the 3200 block of Nebraska Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. More than a week later, her family was still desperately searching for answers.

Her former boyfriend, Russell Ashford, 64, was arrested in Pennsylvania on September 12 under an out-of-state warrant. But authorities have stressed that Ashford has not been charged in connection with Forbes’ disappearance and has not been publicly identified by police as a suspect in the case.

FORBES VANISHED LEAVING BEHIND HER EVERYDAY LIFE

Concern grew after Forbes suddenly stopped communicating with friends and relatives.

According to reports, a friend went to her home on September 6 and discovered that Forbes’ keys, purse, phone and dog had been left behind.

Her car was also still at the property.

Those details alarmed people who knew her because family members described Forbes as a devoted mother who had built a life around her son.

Her sister, Aileen Forbes, told WUSA that she and Antoinette had recently been discussing plans for Christmas.

Then communication stopped.

Police continue to investigate her disappearance.

HER EX-PARTNER WAS ARRESTED IN PENNSYLVANIA

On September 12, Pennsylvania State Police arrested Ashford in Beaver County.

Court records indicate the arrest stemmed from an out-of-state warrant. Reporting by WJLA identified the warrant as involving an alleged probation violation connected to his previous Maryland case.

Pennsylvania authorities did not file separate charges against Ashford in Pennsylvania, according to WJLA.

At the time of PEOPLE’s reporting, there was no criminal charge against Ashford relating to Forbes’ disappearance.

That distinction is important as investigators continue searching for Forbes.

A 2021 ASSAULT CASE INVOLVING FORBES

Court documents reviewed by PEOPLE and other outlets reveal that Ashford was previously convicted of first-degree assault involving Forbes in 2021.

According to a statement of probable cause cited in the reporting, police responding to the incident encountered Ashford, who reportedly told an officer that he had “just beat up his ex.”

The court documents describe a serious confrontation inside Forbes’ home.

A neighbor told investigators that she saw Ashford repeatedly striking Forbes while Forbes was on the kitchen floor.

The records say Forbes was losing consciousness.

Medical records documented multiple injuries, including fractures around her eye socket, cheekbone and upper jaw, as well as damage to her eye, bruising and a concussion.

According to the court documents, Forbes told investigators the confrontation began during a disagreement concerning their son returning to school.

The records also indicate that their young son was present during the incident.

THE CHILD WAS ALSO REFERENCED IN COURT RECORDS

The court documents described testimony from people who were at or near the home during the 2021 incident.

A nanny reportedly told investigators she heard Ashford continuing to yell at Forbes.

The couple’s son later participated in a forensic interview, according to prosecutors’ filings cited by WJLA.

These details formed part of the earlier criminal case against Ashford and are now receiving renewed attention because Forbes remains missing.

However, the previous conviction and the current disappearance are not the same legal proceeding, and authorities have not publicly stated that Ashford caused or is responsible for Forbes’ disappearance.

NEW COURT AUDIO REVEALS THEIR VOLATILE HISTORY

Freshly reported court audio has also shed additional light on the former couple’s relationship.

FOX 5 DC reported that recordings from a July hearing in Montgomery County Circuit Court captured Forbes and Ashford giving their respective accounts of their relationship and their roles as co-parents.

The outlet reported that Ashford had successfully obtained a ruling that effectively replaced the earlier assault conviction with probation before judgment, changing the legal status of that case.

The newly surfaced testimony has added another layer to an already closely watched disappearance.

FAMILY SAYS HER DISAPPEARANCE IS OUT OF CHARACTER

Forbes’ loved ones have repeatedly expressed concern because of the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.

Her belongings were reportedly left behind, and family members say there was no indication that she planned to simply walk away from her life.

Her sister has described her as a devoted mother whose 10-year-old son remains at the center of the family’s concern.

A GoFundMe campaign has also been established to help support the search and related expenses.

THE SEARCH CONTINUES

As of the latest reports, Antoinette Forbes remains missing.

Police have not announced that her former partner is a suspect in her disappearance.

Ashford’s arrest in Pennsylvania stems from a separate legal matter, and investigators have not publicly said that he has been charged in connection with Forbes’ disappearance.

For Forbes’ family, however, the unanswered questions remain.

A mother who was last seen at her Washington, D.C., home has now been missing for nearly two weeks, while investigators work to determine what happened after she was last seen.

And as newly uncovered court records bring attention to her complicated history with her former partner, the central question remains unanswered: Where is Antoinette Forbes?