Michelle Parker vanished on Nov. 17, 2011, after dropping her 3-year-old twins at her ex-fiancé’s home in Orlando. Hours earlier, she and Dale Smith Jr. had appeared on “The People’s Court” in a dispute over a lost engagement ring. On Wednesday, Orlando Police arrested Smith, now 55, and charged him with second-degree murder in her presumed death. He has denied any involvement.
Parker’s remains have never been found, and for nearly fifteen years Smith was the prime suspect without ever being charged. Police now credit a renewed examination of the case and advances in digital forensics for the arrest. The last known person to see or hear from Parker was Smith, according to investigators.
Parker’s mother, Yvonne Stewart, called Wednesday the happiest day, saying she had hoped for this moment but never really knew if it would come. That an arrest is not a conviction, and that a family still waits for her remains to be found, doesn’t change the weight of the day. Fifteen years of asking, and finally someone is answering.
What do you think this case says about how cold cases get solved now? Tell us in the comments.
