A newly released trove of documents has shed fresh light on the mysterious cold case involving Michelle Parker, a mother who disappeared after appearing on the early 2000s reality television program The People’s Court.
Parker was 33 when she was last seen on November 17, 2011, dropping off her three-year-old twins with their father, her former fiancé, Dale Smith Jr, who is now 55. Her body has never been recovered.
Earlier that day, Parker and Smith appeared together on national television for the first time in a prerecorded episode of The People’s Court. Millions of viewers watched as the estranged couple argued over a $5,000 engagement ring that had gone missing.
The case remained unsolved for nearly 15 years. That changed several weeks ago when Smith was arrested in connection with his ex’s death and charged with second-degree murder.
According to a 46-page arrest affidavit signed by Orlando Police Department detectives, investigators now believe Smith choked Parker on the same day the The People’s Court episode aired.
The affidavit includes a photograph of Smith taken after Parker disappeared. Police said the image appeared to show ‘recent scratches and abrasions’ that they now believe may have been defensive wounds inflicted by Parker.
Investigators described the couple’s relationship as ‘tumultuous’ and cited an alleged history of domestic violence, including choking, in court records.
The affidavit states that Smith was convicted of domestic violence charges involving his first wife in 2001. It also says he was dishonorably discharged from the military.
Dale Smith Jr, 55, was arrested earlier this month on second-degree murder charges in connection with his former fiancée Michelle Parker’s disappearance in 2011
Michelle Parker, a mother of three, was last seen on November 17, 2011, when she dropped off her then three-year-old twins with Smith
Hours before Parker disappeared, the estranged couple appeared on national television in a prerecorded episode of The People’s Court, where millions watched them argue over a missing $5,000 engagement ring
Orlando police obtained Smith’s military records, which described his performance as ‘unsatisfactory’ because of ‘severe mood swings’ and an inability to ‘handle any level of stress.’
Investigators also spoke with another former fiancée of Smith’s, who alleged that he had choked her and threatened to kill both her and her father.
According to the affidavit, the woman accused Smith of choking her more than five times during sexual intercourse, at times causing her to lose consciousness.
She alleged that Smith would ‘choke her with his hands and/or belt’ and would not stop even when she asked him to. The affidavit said the alleged violence was ‘all about control.’
In a separate police interview, one of Smith’s friends said Smith told him two weeks before Parker disappeared: ‘I wish someone would kill this b****.’
Police also cited allegedly hostile text messages exchanged between Smith and Parker in the days before her disappearance.
In early October, Parker allegedly sent Smith a series of angry messages following an argument about custody of their twins.
The affidavit stated: ‘Between October 1 — November 17, 2011, the suspect and the victim exchanged 1,013 text messages and 21 voice calls. The suspect never called or messaged the victim after November 17, 2011.’
Police included a photograph of Smith taken after Parker disappeared that appeared to show ‘recent scratches and abrasions’
Police alleged that the scratches were defensive wounds from Parker after they believe Smith choked her
Parker sent messages to Smith saying she hated him and threatened to file a court order after he allegedly did not hold up his end of the custody agreement.
One message read: ‘My kids are better off with out u n their life. They have a new dad now & hes better with then than u are.’
Two days before Parker was last seen, Smith allegedly propositioned her to have sex for money.
On the day Parker disappeared, Smith sent her a text message that allegedly read: ‘I’m sexually frustrated, lol.’
Parker responded that his frustration was his fault, adding, ‘I’m sure you’re fine.’
At about 3.15pm, Parker sent her last text message to a friend stating she was doing great. She sent the message just an hour after her People’s Court episode aired.
Around the same time, her cell phone connected to a tower in Smith’s neighborhood. Her black Hummer was seen at Smith’s home at 3.18pm.
Parker did not answer any texts or calls after this time. Her car and phone records placed her at Smith’s home for over an hour after she arrived, according to the affidavit.
However, Smith allegedly told police that she was only there for about 10 minutes and that he left his home shortly after her.
The pair were estranged at the time of Parker’s disappearance, but shared twins who were three years old at the time, pictured above. Picture source: Facebook
In the weeks leading up to Parker’s disappearance, she texted Smith that her kids were ‘better off’ without them. Picture source: Facebook
Just before 9pm, a traffic camera caught the Hummer with Parker’s bumper stickers advertising her tanning business removed.
Police found the car the next day at a nearby apartment complex, with her purse inside.
Police later found Parker’s phone in Lake Conway. Investigators alleged the device was thrown off a bridge and found that all message threads from the day she disappeared were deleted up to 4.27pm, the affidavit stated.
The affidavit also alleged that Smith lied to detectives about how long he was at his father’s house on the day Parker disappeared.
‘It is believed the suspect killed the victim in his house after days of offensive messages, declining sex for cash, the embarrassing People’s Court episode airing, and threatening to restrict his access to his children,’ the affidavit concluded.
‘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. He was known for this behavior, admitted he was sexually frustrated, the victim was never seen again, and there were no signs of a crime scene found at his home the same day.’
One day after Parker’s disappearance, her black Hummer was found abandoned at an apartment complex and her cell phone was discovered underwater near a bridge
‘I knew. We all knew. Yeah, we all knew,’ Parker’s mother, Yvonne Stewart, told WESH 2 News after learning of the long-awaited development (both pictured)
Following Smith’s arrest earlier this month, Parker’s mother, Yvonne Stewart, told WESH 2 News: ‘I knew. We all knew. Yeah, we all knew.’
‘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,’ she added.
Smith’s attorney, Rajan Joshi, told the outlet that his arrest ‘came out of nowhere,’ and neither he nor his client had expected the charges.
‘Whatever evidence they retested is something we want to take a look at. 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,’ he said.
‘He maintains his innocence, and we’re going to go forward with defending him.’
Smith does not appear to have entered a formal plea to the charges against him. The Daily Mail has reached out to his attorney for comment.