Nearly 15 years after Michelle Parker vanished the same day a pretaped episode of The People’s Court featuring her and her ex-fiancé aired on TV, prosecutors have formally charged Dale Smith Jr. with her murder.
Smith, 55, was arrested in Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday, October 14, on a second-degree murder charge in connection with Parker’s 2011 disappearance. Prosecutors then filed a formal charge in Orange County Circuit Court on Tuesday, November 3, according to a criminal information viewed by Us.
The filing alleges Smith “by an act imminently dangerous to another, and evincing a depraved mind regardless of human life, did kill Michelle Parker” on or around November 17, 2011.
Smith pleaded not guilty on October 15, records show. His defense attorney Rajan Joshi did not immediately return a request for comment from Us on Wednesday, November 4.
Here is a timeline of the case.
Michelle Parker’s ‘People’s Court’ Appearance and Disappearance
Parker, 33, was a mother of three children, including twins she shared with Smith. On November 17, 2011, a pretaped episode of The People’s Court featuring the former couple aired on TV.
The episode centered on Dale suing Parker over an engagement ring he claimed she had tossed off a balcony.
Parker accused Dale of infidelity on the show and described him as “pretty malicious and vindictive.”
“He’s cheated on me constantly and I’ve always tried to keep it together for the kids,” she said in court. “He said that he wanted his ring, so I took it off, and I threw it at him.”
The same day the episode aired, Parker dropped her then-3-year-old twins off at Smith’s condo and planned to run errands before her bartending shift. She never arrived at work.
Her sister reported her missing to the Orlando Police Department that day, according to an affidavit unsealed on October 26 and obtained by Us. Her body has never been located.
Michelle Parker’s Vehicle and Phone Are Discovered
Parker’s Hummer was found abandoned at an Orlando mall the day after she went missing, according to a 2012 report from the Palm Beach Post. A few weeks later, her iPhone was recovered underwater near the Nela Bridge in Belle Isle, south of Orlando.
Smith was initially named as a suspect. In an interview with police on November 18, 2011, he claimed he “had no idea” where Parker was after she dropped off the twins. He also told investigators he was not involved in her disappearance.
Smith confirmed he had watched The People’s Court episode when asked, and told police he believed Parker “was embarrassed” by it, the affidavit states.
“He stated she was just laying low and had no idea if anything happened to her at all,” the filing continued, adding that “he wanted her to come home safe because his kids need their mom.”
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Following the interview, Smith allowed investigators to photograph scratches and abrasions now suspected to be defensive wounds caused by Parker, according to the affidavit, which includes the images
Dale Smith Jr. Is Arrested in Orlando
The Orlando Police Department announced on October 14 that Smith had been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in relation to Parker’s disappearance. The department also posted a video on social media showing Smith being led out of a building in handcuffs by the Fugitive Unit and SWAT Team.
“This arrest follows years of investigative work and a renewed, focused effort over the past year,” Orlando police said in a news release. “An expanded investigative team reexamined evidence and used advances in digital forensics to uncover and analyze additional evidence that moved this case forward.”
Though Parker’s remains have never been found, police said “all evidence leads to Dale Smith Jr. as the person responsible for Michelle’s murder,” police said.
Michelle Parker’s Mother Reacts to the Arrest
One day after the arrest, Parker’s mother, Yvonne Stewart, told WESH she was not surprised by the development.
“I knew,” Stewart said on Thursday, October 15. “We all knew. Yeah, we all knew.”
She added, “They told me they arrested Dale Smith on second-degree murder charges for Michelle Parker, and it’s like the happiest day because she deserves this.”
Stewart also made a direct appeal: “I would love for [Smith] to tell us where she is.”
Joshi, Smith’s attorney since 2011, said his client “maintains his innocence, and we’re going to go forward with defending him,” noting that “the arrest came out of nowhere” and no one was “expecting it.”
“Whatever evidence they retested is something we want to take a look at,” Joshi said. “I plan to go through the case with a fine-tooth comb, leave no stones unturned and talk to every witness that there is, depose them and get down to it.”
In a separate interview with USA Today on October 15, Joshi said he visited Smith in jail. “That’s the mother of his child,” he told the outlet. “We want to see justice done for Michelle Parker and her family. We just don’t want the wrong guy convicted.”
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The Affidavit Reveals New Evidence in Michelle Parker’s Case
According to the affidavit detailing the evidence that led to Smith’s arrest, Police said Smith claimed Parker was only at his home for about 10 minutes, but enhanced analysis of cellphone location data revealed she was there for over an hour.
Investigators also believe that after Smith allegedly killed Parker, he sent a text message to her brother from her phone saying she was at a shopping center — though her phone was actually more than 10 miles away at that point. Police believe Parker was already dead when the text was sent.
The affidavit states witnesses claimed Smith was abusive, and one friend told police Smith told Parker her “time is coming” during a fight. Earlier this year, on March 10, an investigator met with one of Parker’s close friends, who said Parker was worried about seeing Smith on November 17, 2011, when The People’s Court episode was going to air.
“She described the victim as a ‘nervous wreck,’” the affidavit states. “She said the judge on the show was very insulting and she knew it would not sit well with the suspect because everyone would see it. The victim found it embarrassing.”
The affidavit also included texts the pair exchanged in the weeks before Parker’s disappearance. In one message, Parker threatened to take custody of the twins.
“Mourn for ur kids too! U lost em,” Parker allegedly wrote two weeks before she died. “They’ll b goin with me a**hole.”
Investigators suspect Smith fatally strangled Parker, per the affidavit.
“It is believed the suspect choked the victim to death, likely resulting in the scratches and abrasions observed on him while the victim fought back,” the affidavit states.
Dale Smith Jr. Seeks Bond Hearing
Smith is seeking a specialized bond hearing after he was ordered to be held without bond, per a motion filed November 3.
The filing argues he’s “entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence in this case” and claims prosecutors cannot link him to Parker’s murder. The motion also argues for his immediate release on monetary bond. He remains in custody at the Orange County Jail.
This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.
