A man who was found guilty in a domestic violence case from 2021 involving a missing Washington, D.C. woman has been detained near Pittsburgh on a warrant issued by Montgomery County, Maryland, as confirmed by WTOP.
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Russell Ashford, 65, is currently being held in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, according to Pennsylvania State Police, as he awaits extradition related to a probation violation.
The missing woman, identified as Antoinette Forbes, 53, was last spotted on September 4 in the 3200 block of Nebraska Avenue, Northwest Washington, D.C.
Neither the Montgomery County police nor the D.C. police have labeled Ashford as a suspect in Forbes’ disappearance. Recently, her friends held a vigil for her over the past weekend in hopes of raising awareness about her case.
As reported by the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, the warrant stems from the June 2021 incident. Court documents reveal that Ashford was charged with and subsequently convicted of assaulting Forbes at a residence in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
According to a police report, a neighbor initially heard the couple arguing and intervened, discovering Ashford striking Forbes while she lay unconscious on the floor.
In records detailing his arrest from 2021, it was noted that Ashford was seated on the curb when law enforcement arrived and informed an officer that “he had just beaten up his ex.”
Law enforcement reported that Forbes experienced a loss of consciousness following the attack, sustaining facial and left-hand fractures, in addition to cuts, bruises, and swelling, culminating in a concussion.
Forbes recounted to authorities at the hospital that the dispute escalated over the decision to send their young son back to school, culminating in Ashford assaulting her by throwing her onto the kitchen floor.
With the help of neighbors, the assault was brought to an end and the child was safely removed from the situation.
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