Missing DC Woman Antoinette Forbes, 53
ROCKVILLE, Md. - Newly uncovered court audio revealed a volatile past between missing Washington, D.C. woman Antoinette Forbes and her ex-boyfriend who was previously convicted for assaulting her.
What we know:
The search for Forbes entered its 13th day on Thursday. Forbes was last seen on Sept. 4 at her home in the 3200 block of Nebraska Avenue, Northwest. Police said she left her dog, wallet, phone and car behind.
During audio of previous court testimony, Forbes and her ex-boyfriend, Russell Ashford, are heard telling their sides of the story of their relationship as former partners and co-parents of a 10-year-old boy.
The recording is from a July hearing held in Montgomery County Circuit Court. Ashford successfully got a judge to essentially throw out his assault conviction and instead give him a probation before judgment.
The judge ordered that the terms of Ashford’s probation be maintained. He was ordered not to have hostile contact with Forbes after he was convicted of beating her nearly to death inside their Maryland home in 2021.
"I spoke to some neighbors recently who said, ‘Antoinette, he tried to kill you.’ That’s where I just want to emphasize how damaging my injuries have been to my personal wellbeing," Forbes said in the court audio. "They will say that this was an isolated incident, but there was episodes of domestic violence and assault leading up to this very injurious crime."
"The behavior that landed me in jail was out of character," Russell said in the recording. "Before that incident, I had not even had a traffic ticket since my teenage years. The painful lesson of the last few years have made me stronger and wiser and in even better control of my actions."
On Thursday, Ashford remained in jail in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, on an unrelated gun charge.
READ MORE | Ex-boyfriend of missing DC woman faces new gun charge in Pennsylvania
He told the court in July that he served in the military and suffers from PTSD. He also said his felony assault conviction affected his ability to get work as a government contractor.
Ashford has not been named as a suspect or person of interest in Forbes’ disappearance.
On Wednesday, D.C. police removed bags of potential evidence from Forbes’ home. According to court recordings, Ashford was invited inside the home on occasion to see their son.
"I have allowed Russell into my home because I think it shows our son some level of amicability but unfortunately there have been times when I have invited him into my home where he has gotten hostile towards me," Forbes said in the audio. "And I’ve had to ask him to leave repeatedly and he wouldn’t leave. And I would even say to him, ‘I feel unsafe now,’ and he still wouldn’t leave. And then I would threaten to call the police and then he would leave."
"I thought I had established a robust co-parenting relationship with Antionette," Russell said in the recording. "And for a weekly basis for years she invited me into her home to help with (our son) and also to share food, have coffee. We had pizza last week, for example and played with (our son). At her invitation we attended church several times in the last few months including Easter."
"You know, as I’ve looked back to and have had my own therapy in terms of the domestic violence, I mean Russell is… he is charming and manipulative," Forbes said.
Forbes’ friends and family say they still maintain hope that she is found. D.C. police said their investigation is open and ongoing, and still classified as a missing person case.
Anyone with information about Forbes' whereabouts is urged to call the Metropolitan Police Department.
The Source: Information in this article is from Montgomery County court records.