The ex-boyfriend of a Washington DC woman who vanished without a trace has been detained in Pennsylvania, though police say he is not currently a suspect in her disappearance. Antoinette Forbes, 53, a public relations executive, has been missing since 4 September after disappearing from her home near American University, leaving behind her phone, wallet, laptop, car and dog, with her front door found unlocked. The detention of Russell Ashford, 65, the father of her ten-year-old son, has intensified public interest in the case even though it stems from an unrelated probation matter rather than any charge connected to her vanishing.

Ashford is being held in Beaver County on a warrant for allegedly violating his probation by attempting to collect the couple's son from summer camp in July, in breach of a no-contact order. He was previously convicted of severely beating Forbes five years ago and served nine months of a 15-year sentence before the conviction was overturned this summer, resulting in probation. Forbes' home is being treated as a crime scene and her car has been examined, but investigators stress the case remains classified as a missing person inquiry. Her family, including sister Aileen, insist she would never voluntarily abandon her son, dog or plans for a family trip to Florida.