Florida mom vanished after ‘People’s Court’ airing, now ex-fiancé is arrested on murder charge 15 years later
Orlando police have arrested Dale Smith Jr., Michelle Parker’s former fiancé, on a second-degree murder charge, 15 years after she disappeared. Police say the evidence points to Smith as responsible for her death, although Parker’s body has never been found.
Parker was last seen on 17 November 2011, after dropping her twins off with Smith; earlier that day, a recorded episode of *The People’s Court* featuring their dispute over a $5,000 engagement ring aired. Her Hummer was later found abandoned, and her phone was recovered from a lake. Police said a renewed investigation over the past year, including digital forensic work, helped them make the arrest; detectives also said Smith gave differing answers to specific questions over the years.
- Dale Smith Jr. has been charged with Parker’s murder.
- Parker vanished in 2011 and her body remains missing.
- Police cite renewed investigative work and digital forensics.
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Michelle Parker disappeared in Orlando, Florida, in November 2011. She was a mother of three, including twins she shared with Dale Smith Jr., her former fiancé. Earlier that day, an episode of the US television programme The People’s Court featuring the pair’s dispute over an engagement ring was broadcast.
Parker was last seen after leaving the twins with Smith. Her car was later found abandoned and her phone was recovered from a lake, but her body has never been found. The case remained unsolved for years, and police say renewed investigative work led them to charge Smith; he has not been convicted.