90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days alum Rick Van Vactor has returned to headlines less than a year after his split from Trisha Stiley. This time, the news is far more serious than a reality television breakup. The 53-year-old California resident, whose legal name is Douglas Van Vactor, was reportedly arrested in late October 2026 following an alleged domestic violence incident involving his new girlfriend. The arrest came after disturbing footage began circulating online, and a reality TV-focused Instagram account shared claims about what happened. Rick has not publicly addressed the allegations, and no criminal charges have been independently confirmed.
Rick Van Vactor and Trisha Stiley Split Over Ex-Girlfriend Drama
Rick and Trisha’s relationship played out on Season 8 of 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days. Rick, a divorced father of five from California, traveled to Antananarivo, Madagascar, to meet Trisha, a 25-year-old midwife, for the first time in person. The couple navigated a 27-year age gap and conflicting views on having more children. Rick was reluctant to have additional kids, while Trisha wanted to become a mother.
The relationship faced its biggest test when Rick admitted he had cheated on Trisha with an ex-girlfriend during a period when he thought Trisha had ghosted him. He had traveled to Colombia to visit the former girlfriend and later acknowledged having sex with her. Trisha initially tried to move past the confession, but the situation escalated when she found a text conversation on Rick’s phone between him and the same ex. In the messages shown to viewers, Rick had told the ex, “Some of the most beautiful times of my life have been with you,” in Spanish.
Trisha asked Rick to block the ex, but he refused. He told her, “I love you so much, but I can’t block her… I don’t know what to do because it’s— I’m in love with you, but I do still have feelings for her, too.” Trisha ended the relationship on the spot. “You don’t love me. I asked you to choose, then you made your choice,” she told him. She blocked him everywhere, saying, “I cannot be with someone who still has feelings for his ex.”
During the Season 8 Tell All, which premiered in late April 2026, Trisha revealed she was six months pregnant and confirmed that Rick was not the father. Rick admitted on the Tell All that he went on a date with another woman in Madagascar the night after Trisha dumped him. He said he met the woman outside a bar while she was eating chicken and later slept with her.
Rick Van Vactor’s New Girlfriend and the Viral Video
In April 2026, shortly after the split from Trisha, Rick revealed he was dating someone new. He posted a photo of himself and a woman together on an airplane on his Instagram Story. The relationship appeared to move quickly. By August 2026, a 90 Day Fiancé fan account reported that Rick had “hard launched” the new girlfriend, sharing photos of the couple looking affectionate by a pool and at a festival.
The situation turned sour in October 2026. According to the franchise-focused Instagram account Kiki & Kibbitz, Rick was arrested on October 28, 2026, following an alleged physical confrontation with his current girlfriend. The account reported that the argument began because the girlfriend was upset over Rick’s activity on the Instagram account of Emma Perry, a fellow 90 Day Fiancé personality who was featured on 90 Day: Hunt for Love at the time.
Disturbing footage began circulating online around the same time. The video appears to show a man identified as Rick Van Vactor placing his hands around a woman’s neck and striking her, with young children visible nearby inside the home. Kiki & Kibbitz also shared screenshots of purported private messages and additional footage that allegedly documented an earlier incident between Rick and the girlfriend. The account stated it had received the sensitive material in June 2026 but chose not to disclose it then out of respect for its source.
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What the Custody Record Shows
A California VINE custody record lists Douglas Van Vactor, age 53, as out of custody after posting bond. The record was updated on October 27, 2026, at 3:47 p.m. Pacific time, and names the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department as the reporting agency. The publicly available record does not specify the charges or the circumstances that led to his detention.
As of the latest reports, no criminal charges have been independently confirmed. Rick has not publicly commented on the arrest or the allegations. The woman involved has not been publicly identified, and her name has not been released.
Fan Reactions and Rick Van Vactor’s Reality TV History
The allegations have sparked strong reactions within the 90 Day Fiancé community. Fans who watched Rick’s season had already turned on him after his treatment of Trisha. Many viewers felt he had been insecure about Trisha’s loyalty while hiding his own infidelity. On the Tell All, cast members and fans criticized Rick for moving on so quickly after the breakup. Some called his behavior evidence of “loose morals,” while others said Trisha “dodged a bullet.”
Rick’s reality TV journey began with promise. TLC described him ahead of Season 8 as a “jack-of-all-trades and a divorced single dad who believes he’s finally found the right woman to complete his family.” He has five children—three grown adults from previous relationships and two young sons from his most recent relationship. Rick has also faced personal tragedy. In November 2013, his two-year-old son, Pharaoh, died from blunt-force trauma while in the care of his former wife’s live-in boyfriend, Mathew Berry. Berry was arrested in connection with the child’s death. Rick later told a Bakersfield station, “The coroner called me today and told me my son was beaten, beaten to death.”
The new girlfriend appears to no longer follow Rick on social media as of October 2026, suggesting the relationship may have ended. Rick’s legal situation remains unresolved, with no formal charges or court dates confirmed. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has not released additional details about the detention.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available at 800-799-SAFE (7233) for anyone experiencing domestic violence. Text START to 88788 or call 911 in immediate danger.
Also Read: 90 Day Fiancé’s Patrick and Thais Finalize Divorce: $0 Child Support, Tesla for Her, Honda for Him
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