Nearly 15 years after Michelle Parker vanished, her ex-fiancé, Dale Smith Jr., 55, has been arrested and charged with her murder. Newly released documents from the Orlando Police Department allege that Smith choked Parker to death on November 17, 2011, the same day a prerecorded episode of the reality court show "The People's Court" aired, featuring the estranged couple arguing over a $5,000 engagement ring.
Parker, then 33, was last seen dropping off her three-year-old twins with Smith. Her body was never found until the recent developments in the case. According to a 46-page arrest affidavit, police believe scratches and abrasions observed on Smith's face shortly after Parker's disappearance were defensive wounds inflicted by Parker as she fought back.
Investigators described the relationship between Smith and Parker as tumultuous, citing a history of domestic violence, including choking, in court records. Smith was convicted of domestic violence charges in 2001 involving his first wife and received an unsatisfactory discharge from the military due to "severe mood swings" and an inability to handle stress, the affidavit states.
Another ex-fiancée reported that Smith had choked her multiple times to the point of unconsciousness and threatened her life, stating his alleged violence was "all about control." A friend of Smith's also recalled him saying two weeks before Parker's disappearance, "I wish someone would kill this b****."
Text messages exchanged between Smith and Parker in the days leading up to her disappearance suggest escalating conflict. In early October 2011, Parker reportedly sent Smith angry texts after an argument over custody, stating her children were "better off" without him and had a "new dad." The affidavit noted that between October 1 and November 17, 2011, they exchanged over a thousand texts and 21 calls, but Smith did not contact Parker after the day she disappeared.
Two days before she vanished, Smith allegedly propositioned Parker for sex for money. On the day of her disappearance, he sent a text stating, "I'm sexually frustrated, lol," to which Parker responded that his frustration was his own fault.
At approximately 3:15 p.m. on November 17, 2011, Parker sent her last text message to a friend, reporting she was doing great. This message was sent about an hour after her "People's Court" episode aired. Her cell phone records indicate she was at Smith's home for over an hour, though Smith allegedly told police she was only there for about 10 minutes. Her black Hummer was seen at his residence shortly after her arrival.
Before 9 p.m. that evening, a traffic camera captured the Hummer, with its distinctive bumper stickers removed, being driven away from Smith's neighborhood. The vehicle was discovered the next day at an apartment complex with Parker's purse inside. Her phone was later found submerged near a bridge, with message threads from the day of her disappearance deleted up to 4:27 p.m.
The arrest affidavit concluded that Smith likely killed Parker in his home following a period of aggressive communication, propositions for sex, the airing of their court appearance, and threats to restrict his access to their children. Police believe he choked her, resulting in defensive wounds as she fought back.
Following Smith's arrest, Parker's mother, Yvonne Stewart, told WESH 2 News, "I knew. We all knew. Yeah, we all knew." She expressed that the arrest was a "happiest day" because her daughter "deserves this."
Smith's attorney, Rajan Joshi, stated that the arrest came as a surprise. He indicated plans to meticulously review the case and stated that his client maintains his innocence.