Ex-boyfriend of missing DC woman detained in Pennsylvania for alleged probation violation

WASHINGTON - The former boyfriend of a missing Washington, D.C. woman is in custody in Pennsylvania for allegedly violating his probation. 

What we know:

Antoinette Forbes, 53, has been missing since Sept. 4, according to D.C. police. 

Her ex-boyfriend and father of her son, 65-year-old Russell Ashford, is being held in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, on an arrest warrant filed in Montgomery County. 

According to the warrant, Ashford violated the terms of his probation when he tried to pick up his 10-year-old son from summer camp at American University in July. 

Forbes, a corporate public relations official, was last seen at her home on Nebraska Avenue, near American University. Her dog, phone, wallet and car were left behind, police said. 

Five years ago, Ashford was convicted of severely beating Forbes in their shared Chevy Chase home, according to court documents. Her life was saved by a neighbor. 

Ashford was sentenced to 15 years in prison, and served nine months behind bars. This summer, he had the finding of guilt struck down and received probation before judgment. As part of that probation, Ashford was prohibited from having contact with Forbes or their son. He allegedly violated the terms when he tried to pick up his son from summer camp.

Police have not named Ashford as a suspect in Forbes' disappearance.

What they're saying:

"[Ashford] is not being charged with her disappearance," said former FBI agent Ken Gray. "He is being charged with a violation of his terms of his release here, but it's not unusual for law enforcement to use violations like that to hold a person while they are trying to put together the case to be able to get an arrest warrant in the event that they need it for much worse things happening to Antoinette."

Forbes' friends and family held a vigil at a church in Northwest D.C. this weekend where they expressed concern for her wellbeing. 

A source says Forbes’ son is okay and was with his father in Pennsylvania, which also violates the custody order, as Ashford was not to have overnight custody of his son. 

"Whenever there's a problem involving either spouses or, in this case, the father of her child, that person is always going to be a suspect in the case," Gray said. "They're not at that point yet. This is a missing person case, but this may turn into something else. Her house is being treated as a crime scene. Her car is being treated as a crime scene, and you know you need a body to be able to say this is murder, but you know it's starting to go down that road."

Washington, D.C.News