Michelle Parker vanished in 2011 after appearing in a pre-taped episode of the reality show “The People’s Court” with her former fiance over a dispute about her engagement ring, according to police.
Nearly 15 years after the 33-year-old Florida mother of three was reported missing, Parker’s ex-fiance has been arrested for her murder, police announced this week.
Dale Smith Jr., 55, was taken into custody at his business Wednesday on a charge of second-degree murder, Orlando police said.
“While Michelle has not yet been located, all evidence leads to Dale Smith Jr. as the person responsible for Michelle’s murder,” Orlando police said.
Smith, who had previously been named a suspect in the case, was the last known person to see or hear from Parker after she dropped off their two children at his house in November 2011, according to police.
Over the past year, investigators “reexamined testimony and conflicting statements made by the suspect and used advanced digital forensics to uncover and analyze additional evidence,” Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith said during a press briefing Wednesday.
The police chief did not go into specific details on the investigation, saying he did not want to compromise the prosecution, though he credited advances in technology with helping lead to an arrest.
“The things we couldn’t do 15 years ago that we can do now allowed us to close this case,” the chief said.
Orlando Police Detective Phillip McMican told reporters that new evidence was found using advancements in digital forensics, including vehicles, electronic devices, phones and computers.
Regarding Smith’s statements, the detective said that “very specific questions were asked of him numerous times over the years, where he gave different answers to those same questions.”
Smith has entered a not guilty plea to the charge, according to a court filing.
He remains held without bond following his initial court appearance on Thursday.
During the hearing, his attorney, Rajan Joshi, had asked for bond, arguing that the allegations in the 46-page affidavit failed to meet the high standard to deny pretrial bond, while the state asked that he remain in custody.
The arrest warrant and affidavit in the case have been sealed.
Smith has maintained his innocence since Parker’s disappearance, his attorney told ABC News.
“When he was originally questioned, when this initially happened, he was very cooperative with law enforcement. He let them search his house. He talked to them. He came in voluntarily without a lawyer, gave an interview,” Joshi said. “It was clear that law enforcement was only looking at him as the sole suspect. That’s when his friends urged him to get an attorney, and that’s when he contacted me. This is 15 years ago.”
Joshi said they are focused on filing a bond motion and working to get Smith released.
State Attorney Monique Worrell said during Wednesday’s press briefing that the second-degree murder charge could be upgraded if supported by the evidence.
Parker was last seen on Nov. 17, 2011, when she dropped off their 3-year-old twins at Smith’s house, police said. Her car was found the following day with the decal for her tanning business scraped off the window, and her cellphone was recovered from a lake south of Orlando, according to police.
She disappeared after an episode of “The People’s Court” featuring her and Smith had aired, police said. Smith was seeking $5,000 over a lost engagement ring, saying in the episode that Parker had thrown the ring at him during an argument at an Atlanta hotel and it went over a balcony.
During the episode, the exes discussed their on-again, off-again relationship and contentious co-parenting situation for their twins. Parker, who had an older child from a prior relationship, described Smith as “pretty malicious and vindictive,” saying, “He’s a mean person, especially when he’s been drinking.”
The show’s judge, Marilyn Milian, found both were at fault and that Parker owed Smith $2,500 for her half of the ring.
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