HOUSTON — Remains found in Dallas earlier this year have been identified as those of 22-year-old Deundrea Ford, a Houston woman who was reported missing late last year.
Ford's remains were found by a lineman in Dallas around noon on March 15. An autopsy was done in September and the Dallas County Medical Examiner confirmed the remains were those of Ford on Tuesday. Houston Police Department investigators also confirmed the remains were those of Ford.
Yoland J. Washington, 52, is believed to be responsible for Ford's death. He's currently being held in the Dallas County Jail on an unrelated sexual assault charge.
Ford's disappearance
Ford was last seen Sept. 21, 2023, when she left an east Houston bikini bar with a man that family members didn't recognize. That man was later identified as Washington.
Ford had only worked at Diva's Bikini Sports Bar and Grill for a few weeks and the bar manager said they told employees not to leave with men they met inside.
Family members knew something was wrong when Ford went days without contacting them or her 4-year-old son.
Surveillance video showed Ford and Washington walking out to a white van in the parking lot. Investigators said she got into his van around 1:30 a.m. According to court documents, Washington agreed to pay Ford for sex in the back of the van. She was last seen alive getting into the passenger side of the van and then crawling into the back. About an hour later, Washington returned to the driver's seat and drove away.
Suspect charged
Ford's phone was found but Washington wasn't arrested until Oct. 25 at his home in New Jersey. Ford wasn't in the van when it was found, but deputies found blood in the vehicle, officials said. Ford's bloody clothes were also found in the van, investigators said.
In January, he was charged with murder in connection with Ford's death. At the time, her body hadn't been found.
According to court documents, Washington has "an extensive history of violent offenses against women, especially female prostitution/sex workers." In several cases, he agreed to pay for sex and then robbed and assaulted the women.
Capital murder case witness
After she was reported missing, KHOU 11 News learned that Ford was a witness in a capital murder case, something her family said they had no idea about. Court documents revealed Ford was present when a man was shot and killed in May while she rode in a car with that victim.