North Carolina Mother Reappears After 24 Years, Shares Reasons for Her Disappearance

A North Carolina mother who vanished over two decades ago has resurfaced and reportedly explained her disappearance as a decision to escape “ongoing domestic issues.” This revelation comes after authorities successfully located Michele Hundley Smith, who had been missing since December 2001.

The breakthrough in the case came on February 20, when detectives from the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office acted on newly acquired information, leading them to Smith’s whereabouts within North Carolina.

“There were no allegations of any foul play when she left,” confirmed Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page in a statement to People magazine. “According to Ms. Smith, she mentioned her departure was due to ongoing domestic issues at that time.”

Smith did not provide further details regarding the nature of these issues, leaving many questions unanswered about her life during those missing years.

After 24 years of uncertainty, Michele Hundley Smith has been discovered leading a new life in North Carolina, a turn of events that has brought closure to a long-standing mystery. Her story has captured the attention of those who have followed her case since her disappearance.

Page did not give specifics about the “domestic issues” but noted that the sheriff’s office had no record of domestic incidents in the household, the outlet reported.

Smith was 38 years old when her husband reported that she had left their Eden home Dec. 9, 2001, to go Christmas shopping in Martinsville, Virginia, and never returned. Her vehicle was also never located. 

An extensive investigation followed, involving multiple agencies across North Carolina and Virginia, including the State Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“She was in good health,” Page said when they found the now 63-year-old woman.

Michele Hundely Smith disappeared after leaving her home in North Carolina to go Christmas shopping in Virginia in December 2001. (Bring Michele Hundely Smith Home/Facebook)

In a lengthy Facebook post Feb. 22, her daughter, Amanda Smith, wrote that the last 48 hours were a “whirlwind of emotions” for her family.

“You are free to think whatever, of course, just please don’t put them out there for my family to see. Please respect my family bc [because] we are hurting and going through a lot,” she wrote.

“My dad has been through so many accusations since all the way back then… Even before social media was big, where we liv[ing] in a small town, there were many ppl [people] acting as if they just knew he was involved… Well he wasn’t! Of course, I never thought he was… My father has been through so much and I want it made clear that while their marriage had issues (just as many marriages go through) that my mom did not leave simply bc of a bad marriage. Everyone is entitled their opinions but please remember that my father has been proven innocent.”

A missing persons flyer circulated at the time of Michele Hundley Smith’s disappearance in December 2001. (Bring Michele Hundley Smith Home/Facebook)

Despite years of investigative work, Smith’s whereabouts remained unknown until recently, when Sgt. A. Disher and Det. C. Worley made contact with Smith at an “undisclosed location within North Carolina alive and well,” after receiving a tip, according to the sheriff’s office.

“They went and found this young lady that [has] been missing for many years, 20-plus years. And we don’t see a lot of the missing person cases like that,” Page told People. “But now at least the family has closure, and they know she’s OK.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office for comment.

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