Texas Woman, Who was a Key Witness in a Murder Investigation, Killed in Unrelated Attack by Man with a History of Violence.
When Deundrea Ford went missing in September of 2023, those closest to her knew something wasn't right. Texas authorities say that Ford was last seen September 21, 2023 on surveillance video. Their reports say that she entered a van with an unknown male customer at Diva’s Bikini Bar and Grill on East Freeway. They remained in the vehicle for about an hour before the van drove away — and no one had exited it beforehand. Ford had reportedly worked at the establishment for only two weeks before her disappearance.
“First, you have a witness in a capital murder case that has gone missing, and to me that always sends red flags up. The way she did go up missing, again red flags go up. So, it is disturbing to me that nothing has been either reported on her whereabouts or what happened. Right now, from looking at it objectively and from the reports that I have seen, I would easily make the speculation that she went missing as a result of criminal conduct,” Andy Kahan, Director of Crime Stoppers said.
After months of investigation, authorities have identified Yoland Washington, 51, as the man in the van last seen with Ford. According to reports Washington was already in the Dallas County Jail for allegedly choking and sexually assaulting a woman in Dallas.
Texas authorities aren't sure how Washington killed Ford, or exactly where her remains are but, they are certain he's the right suspect. They claim there’s evidence showing her blood on his shirt, her blood possibly in his van, and also a van matching his vehicle in the area where the victim’s phone was found. As a delivery driver who drove across the country, he allegedly claimed he purchased 48-gallon trash bags for use in going to the restroom in a five-gallon bucket, but police were incredulous as to why he would buy such larges bags. They suggested he used the 48-gallon bags to discard Ford’s body, possibly in dumpsters.
During his initial interrogation Washington admitted to meeting up with Ford that night in September. He said that he paid her $200 via CashApp for sex. That transaction is recorded just after midnight on September 22, 2023. Washington's van was also spotted on surveillance cameras in the same area where Ford's cellphone was found laying alongside the road.
“Yoland stated that they had sex, and he could not finish, so, after an hour of trying, he ultimately dropped her off at either a gas station or another night club one or two exits west of Diva’s,” documents stated.
Law & Crime reports “The defendant (Yoland Washington) has an extensive history of violent offenses against women, especially female prostitution/sex workers,” documents stated.
“The victim survived to report that a client, later identified by DNA from her sexual assault exam as Yoland Washington, had physically and sexually assaulted her prior to robbing her,” the documents also said.
According to documents, investigators made the DNA match in this Dallas case after Ford disappeared.
Washington, a resident of New Jersey, has a related criminal history dating back to 2001, as indicated in the Harris County documents. He was arrested on Dec. 24, 2001, for loitering for prostitution in the city of Newark, officers said.
He was also arrested for aggravated sexual assault, robbery, and soliciting prostitution on Nov. 23, 2006, they said. The victim in that case was a sex worker he sexually assaulted at gunpoint, according to cops. He was also arrested on May 4, 2007 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, for robbing and choking a woman.
It's clear that this man has been all over the country, potentially harming women in every city he's crossed through.
