Who Is Antoinette Forbes? DC Mother Missing in ‘Mysterious Circumstances’ - Newsweek

Law enforcement in Washington, D.C., has intensified a search for Antoinette Forbes, a single mother who has been missing for over a week.

Forbes, 53, is an associate vice president and the head of public affairs at the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. She was last seen on September 4 in the 3200 block of Nebraska Avenue NW, and family members, friends and authorities have since been searching for her.

The Metropolitan Police Department is appealing to the public for help in locating Forbes and has classified her case as a critical missing person case.

Forbes, an Asian woman with black hair and brown eyes, is 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs about 115 pounds. It is not known what she was wearing when she disappeared.

The National Presbyterian Church, of which Forbes is a member, released a statement overnight saying she disappeared in "mysterious circumstances from her home."

Forbes left her home without her two phones, laptop, wallet or car. Her dog was also left at home, and the door was unlocked.

"Her family is desperately seeking any information that could help bring her home safely," the church said.

In an email shared with Newsweek on Tuesday, the Metropolitan Police Department said, "We understand the sense of urgency surrounding this case," but "at this present time, we do not have any new details to release."

"This investigation remains a priority for our department, as all missing person cases are," the statement continued.

According to data from Statista, 600,000 people go missing in the U.S. each year. FBI data also shows that from 2020 through 2024, the percentage of violent crimes involving domestic relationships increased slightly from 25.6 percent in 2020 to 27.5 percent in 2024.

In 2021, Russell Ashford, 65—Forbes' ex-boyfriend and the father of her 10-year-old son—was convicted of severely beating Forbes in their home. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison and served nine months behind bars before the finding of guilt was struck down. He received probation before judgment.

As a part of that judgment, Ashford was prohibited from contacting Forbes or their son, Fox News reported.

Law enforcement has not named Ashford as a suspect in Forbes' disappearance.

In July, Ashford violated the terms of his probation when he tried to pick up their son from summer camp at American University, Fox News reported, citing the arrest warrant. He is now being held in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, on an arrest warrant filed in Montgomery County.

A friend of the family has launched a GoFundMe campaign for Forbes. "Her family is facing immediate and unexpected expenses," the fundraiser's description said.

"Antoinette is a kind and talented mother, sister, daughter, colleague and friend to many throughout DC and beyond," it added. As of writing, the campaign has raised more than $19,000.

"We're in absolute shock and horror," Aileen Forbes, Forbes' older sister, told CNN last week. "We have our own very close-knit immediate family, but we have a very large extended family. We're horrified."

Her friends have shared messages on social media appealing for support and information.

The National Presbyterian Church said "friends, coworkers, and community members gathered here in Stone Fellowship Hall" on Saturday night to hold a vigil for Forbes.

The case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department's Youth and Family Engagement Division.

Police are appealing to anyone with information and have asked people to contact the Real Time Crime Center at 202-727-9099.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Ben Kelly and Shakeema Edwards.