Missing 'People's Court' Mom's Ex Charged With Murder

Her Former Fiance Is Charged Nearly 15 Years Later

Michelle Parker vanished after dropping off her twins at her former fiance’s home. Nearly 15 years later, Dale Smith Jr. has been charged with second-degree murder, while the Florida mother’s remains have still not been found.

Orlando police arrested Smith, 55, at his business on October 14. The department’s Fugitive Unit and SWAT team made the arrest. His attorney entered a written not-guilty plea the next day, and Smith was ordered held without bond while the case proceeds.

Parker was 33 and raising three children when she disappeared on November 17, 2011. Her younger children were the twins she shared with Smith; she also had an older child from an earlier relationship. The twins were 3 years old then.

The same day she vanished, a previously recorded episode of The People’s Court featuring the former couple aired. Their dispute concerned a lost engagement ring, a separate civil matter that brought their relationship before a television audience.

A Child Drop Off Was the Last Known Contact

Police say Parker took the twins to Smith’s Orlando home that afternoon. Investigators have identified him as the last known person to see or hear from her before she disappeared.

Her vehicle was found abandoned the following day. Police said a decal advertising her tanning business had been removed from a window, and her cellphone was later recovered from a lake south of Orlando.

On the television program, Smith sought $5,000 for the engagement ring. He said it had been lost after Parker threw it during an argument at an Atlanta hotel, and it went over a balcony.

Judge Marilyn Milian assigned responsibility to both parties and ordered Parker to pay $2,500. That ruling resolved the ring dispute; it was not a finding about the disappearance that followed the broadcast.

Parker’s family continued seeking answers as the case stretched across the years. After the arrest, her mother, Yvonne Stewart, welcomed the development in comments reported by People, describing it as something her daughter deserved.

Detectives Revisited Digital Evidence

Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith said investigators expanded their team during the past year. They took another look at witness testimony, the suspect’s earlier statements and evidence gathered during the original investigation.

Detective Phillip McMican said newer digital-forensics tools helped investigators interpret information from vehicles, phones, computers and other electronic devices. Police also said Smith had given different answers when asked the same specific questions over time.

The department has not publicly explained every piece of evidence behind the charge. The chief said releasing those details could compromise the prosecution, and WFTV reported a court order sealing the arrest warrant and supporting affidavit.

Those developments led to an arrest, not a conviction. Police allege that Smith caused Parker’s death, and the charge remains contested in court.

His Attorney Challenges the Case

Defense attorney Rajan Joshi argued at the October 15 hearing that the 46-page affidavit did not justify denying Smith pretrial release. The judge ordered Smith held without bond pending further proceedings; a subsequent bond hearing had not immediately been scheduled.

Joshi also told the Associated Press that police had concentrated too heavily on Smith from the outset. He said other potential explanations for Parker’s disappearance had not received enough attention.

In comments reported by ABC News, Joshi said Smith initially cooperated with investigators, allowed searches and gave an interview voluntarily. He urged the public to consider the evidence before drawing a conclusion about guilt.

State Attorney Monique Worrell said the second-degree murder charge could be changed if the evidence supports another charge. Smith’s October 15 written plea addressed the second-degree murder count.

The written plea also waived Smith’s arraignment appearance. The judge directed the two sides to agree on a date for a further hearing concerning bond.

References: Man who appeared on ‘The People’s Court’ with ex-fiancee charged with murder | Michelle Parker case: Dale Smith Jr. pleads not guilty to murder charge | Florida man killed ex-fiancee hours after their People’s Court episode aired, police say | Ex-Fiance of Woman Who Vanished After People’s Court Appearance Denied Bond in Murder Case

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