Discover the full story of Ashley Biles Thomas, Simone Biles’ older sister. Learn about her biography, early life in Ohio, legal troubles, arrests, family background, and her relationship with the Olympic champion.
While Simone Biles dazzles the world with gold medals, her older sister Ashley Biles-Thomas has lived a far quieter — and far more turbulent — life in Ohio. This is the full story of the woman behind the famous last name.
Quick Facts — Ashley Biles Thomas
| Full Name | Ashley Biles Thomas |
| Date of Birth | February 15, 1990 |
| Age (2025) | 35 years old |
| Birthplace | Columbus, Ohio, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Biological Mother | Shanon Biles |
| Biological Father | Not publicly disclosed (different from Simone’s father) |
| Siblings | Simone Biles, Tevin Biles-Thomas, Adria Biles (biological); Ron Jr., Adam Biles (adopted) |
| Famous Sibling | Simone Biles (Olympic gymnast) |
| Adopted By | Harriet (great-aunt; Ronald Biles’ sister) |
| Raised In | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Current Residence | Columbus, Ohio |
| Children | At least one daughter (born approx. 2009) |
| Relationship Status | Single (as of latest reports) |
| Occupation | Unknown / not publicly disclosed |
| Net Worth | Not publicly known |
| Notable Legal Issues | Drug trafficking (2014), assault (2019), DUI & probation violation (2021) |
Ashley Biles-Thomas Biography: Who Is She?
Ashley Biles-Thomas was born on February 15, 1990, in Columbus, Ohio, making her the eldest of Simone Biles’ biological siblings. She is seven years older than her world-famous sister, and while the two share the same mother, Shanon Biles, Ashley has a different biological father — a detail that has never been fully disclosed to the public. Despite the enormous fame attached to the Biles name, Ashley has largely remained out of the spotlight, her life defined not by athletic triumphs but by personal struggles, legal battles, and a complicated family history that began in her earliest years.
Very little is known about Ashley’s educational background, professional career, or personal ambitions. She has kept a deliberately low profile on social media, with no verified public accounts offering regular updates on her life. What the public does know about Ashley comes mostly through court records, brief media mentions, and fragments shared in Simone Biles’ memoir, Courage to Soar.
Ashley Biles-Thomas Family Background: The Biles Story Begins
To understand Ashley’s life, you have to understand the family she was born into. Her biological mother, Shanon Biles, was the daughter of Ronald Biles — a man who would later become Simone’s adoptive grandfather and one of the most important figures in the gymnast’s life. Shanon, however, struggled enormously with drug and alcohol addiction throughout her adult years, cycling in and out of jail and leaving her children without consistent care.
As Simone described in her memoir, when she was born in 1997, Ashley was already seven years old, and their brother Tevin was nearly three. Two years later, in 1999, their youngest sister Adria arrived. By then, the household had become increasingly unstable. Concerned neighbors contacted social services, and all four children were placed into foster care around 1999 or 2000. Fortunately, the siblings were kept together during this period, a small mercy in an otherwise difficult chapter of their childhood.
In her memoir and in a Facebook Watch documentary series, Simone recalled how Ashley stepped up during this chaotic time. “As the oldest, Ashley helped out with Adria and me,” Simone wrote, “getting us dressed, playing with us, and settling us down to sleep at night.” Even as a young child, Ashley took on a maternal role, shielding her younger siblings from some of the hardship around them.
📌 Family Separation: When Simone was around six years old, the siblings were split up during the adoption process. Simone and Adria were adopted by their maternal grandfather Ron Biles and his wife Nellie, and moved to Texas. Ashley and Tevin went to live with their great-aunt Harriet — Ronald’s sister — and remained in Ohio.
Ashley Biles-Thomas Ohio: Growing Up Apart from Simone
After being adopted by their great-aunt Harriet around 2003, Ashley and her brother Tevin stayed in Cleveland, Ohio. Reports indicate that the older siblings had expressed a preference to remain in Ohio rather than relocate to Texas, which is why the family was ultimately split between two households. Ashley would have been approximately 13 years old at the time — an age when stability and belonging matter enormously.
Growing up in Cleveland under Harriet’s care, Ashley’s path diverged sharply from Simone’s. While Simone was discovering gymnastics in Spring, Texas, Ashley was navigating adolescence in Ohio without the structure or opportunities that would later define her younger sister’s life. The details of Ashley’s teenage years and early adulthood remain largely private, but the legal record that would follow her into her twenties and thirties paints a picture of someone who struggled to find solid ground.
Today, online records indicate that Ashley Biles Thomas lives in Columbus, Ohio — the same city where she was born. She is a mother to at least one daughter, born around 2009, though she has since had additional children according to her Facebook activity. Details about her children’s fathers are not publicly available.
Ashley Biles-Thomas Legal Troubles: A Detailed Look
Ashley Biles-Thomas has had a series of run-ins with the law spanning more than a decade. Her legal history is a matter of public record through Franklin County and Delaware County court documents, and it has drawn media attention largely because of her connection to Simone Biles.
- 2014Drug Trafficking Arrest: In June 2014, Ashley was arrested in Delaware County, Ohio, following a routine traffic stop. Police found the vehicle she was traveling in suspicious and a subsequent search uncovered 90 oxycodone pills and 60 oxymorphone pills. She was charged with possession and trafficking of controlled substances. Ashley pleaded guilty and received a 90-day jail sentence along with four years of probation. She was released after serving only a few days in custody.
- 2019Assault Conviction: In 2019, Ashley was implicated in an assault that occurred on April 18 of that year. Court records from the Franklin County Municipal Court show she entered a guilty plea on June 25, 2019. She was fined $1,000, given a suspended jail sentence, and placed on probation for two years, with probation set to end on June 24, 2021. A separate charge of criminal endangerment was dismissed.
- 2019Drug Paraphernalia Charge: Also in 2019, Ashley faced a charge of illegal use or possession of drug paraphernalia. This charge was eventually dismissed. Notably, court records suggest it was her biological mother, Shanon Biles, who posted bond in that case.
- 2021DUI & Probation Violation: Just weeks before the Tokyo Olympics — where Simone was preparing to compete — Ashley was arrested on July 6, 2021, according to records from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. The charges included two counts of driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license, leaving the scene of an accident, refusing to yield at a stop sign, and violating the terms of her 2019 probation.
The timing of the 2021 arrest was particularly notable, occurring just as the eyes of the world were turning toward Simone ahead of the Tokyo Games. Ashley’s legal troubles have never appeared to directly impact Simone’s career, but they have occasionally placed unwanted media scrutiny on the entire Biles family.
Ashley Biles-Thomas Arrests: A Pattern of Recurring Challenges
Across the span of nearly a decade, Ashley has been arrested multiple times on charges ranging from drug offenses to assault and driving violations. Her 2014 drug trafficking arrest was arguably the most serious, resulting in a guilty plea and prison time. The 2021 DUI arrest came at arguably the worst possible moment — just weeks before probation from her 2019 assault conviction was due to expire, meaning the new charges put her in direct violation of existing court orders.
It is important to approach Ashley’s legal history with context rather than judgment. She grew up in circumstances that were far from stable, with a mother battling addiction, a disrupted childhood split between foster care and an adoptive home, and significantly fewer support systems than her younger siblings had access to. Research consistently shows that adverse childhood experiences — particularly removal from the home, parental substance abuse, and placement in foster care — significantly increase the risk of involvement in the criminal justice system in adulthood. Ashley’s story, while troubling, is not uncommon among those who share similar early life experiences.
Ashley Biles-Thomas Relationship with Simone Biles: Distant but Not Forgotten
The relationship between Ashley and Simone Biles is, by all public indications, limited. The two were separated when Simone was just six years old and have lived in different states for most of their lives. Simone grew up in Texas under the loving care of Ron and Nellie Biles, whom she calls “the only real parents I’ve ever known.” Ashley, meanwhile, remained in Ohio.
Simone does not appear to have posted any photos with Ashley on her public social media accounts, and the two are not visibly close in the way Simone is with her younger sister Adria. However, the absence of public connection does not necessarily imply hostility. Simone has spoken compassionately in her memoir about the circumstances that shaped all of her siblings, and there is no public record of any falling out between the two.
Ashley, for her part, has publicly expressed admiration for her famous sister. In April 2021 — just a few months before her own arrest — she posted a photo of Simone on Facebook alongside the caption: “Ma sister is fire 🔥 she is the real G.O.A.T 🐐.” The post offered a rare glimpse into Ashley’s feelings and confirmed that, whatever distance exists between them, she holds deep pride in what Simone has achieved.
In mid-June 2021, Ashley also publicly celebrated when their brother Tevin was acquitted of murder charges, posting about the verdict on Facebook. This suggests that Ashley maintains some connection with her siblings, even if it plays out far from the public eye.
💬 Simone in her memoir: “As the oldest, Ashley helped out with Adria and me, getting us dressed, playing with us, and settling us down to sleep at night.” — Courage to Soar
Ashley Biles-Thomas Where Is She Now?
As of the most recent available information, Ashley Biles-Thomas continues to reside in Columbus, Ohio. She maintains a largely private life, and details about her employment, daily routine, or current legal status are not publicly available. Her social media presence is minimal and largely private.
She is a mother of multiple children, though specifics about her family life remain out of the public domain by choice. Unlike her sister Adria — who went on to compete in gymnastics, appeared on the TV show Claim to Fame, and is studying dentistry — Ashley has not pursued any public-facing career or media presence. Her story is one told largely through court records and family anecdotes rather than interviews and achievements.
There is no indication of any formal estrangement from the Biles family. The physical and emotional distance between Ashley and Simone appears to be a natural byproduct of their childhood separation rather than any active conflict. Those who follow Simone closely note that the Olympic champion has consistently shown grace and empathy toward every member of her complicated family, including those who have faced personal challenges.
Ashley Biles-Thomas and the Broader Biles Family Story
The Biles family story is one of the most extraordinary in modern sports history — not just because of Simone’s athletic achievements, but because of what all four biological siblings overcame. Born to a mother in the grip of addiction, placed in foster care as toddlers, separated during adoption, and raised in different states, the siblings have each charted wildly different paths.
Tevin Biles-Thomas went on to serve in the U.S. Army, rising to the rank of specialist, before being ensnared in a triple homicide case in 2018. He was acquitted in June 2021 after a judge ruled there was insufficient evidence for conviction. Adria Biles competed in gymnastics at the junior elite level before pivoting to dentistry. Simone became arguably the greatest gymnast in history, with 30 Olympic and World Championship medals to her name.
And Ashley — the oldest, the one who once tucked her younger siblings in at night — has navigated a harder, quieter road. Her story may lack the dramatic arc of athletic triumph or legal vindication, but it is no less human, and no less deserving of understanding. She is a daughter of difficult circumstances, a mother, a sister, and a woman still writing her own story in Columbus, Ohio.
Final Thoughts
Ashley Biles-Thomas is far more than a footnote in Simone Biles’ famous biography. She is the eldest child of a broken home who did her best to protect her younger siblings before the world pulled them apart. The legal troubles that have followed her into adulthood are real, but so is the context — a childhood shaped by poverty, addiction, foster care, and family separation. Understanding Ashley means understanding that greatness and struggle can grow from the very same roots, and that not every member of a remarkable family gets to stand on the podium.
