The ex-fiancé of a Florida woman who went missing nearly 15 years ago likely strangled her to death the day they appeared on a reality courtroom TV show together, investigators said in unsealed court documents that offer new insight into his recent arrest for murder.
Michelle Parker, 33, was last seen Nov. 17, 2011, when she dropped off her younger two children, twins, with their father, Dale Smith Jr., police said. Smith, now 55, was named the primary suspect in Parker's disappearance early on, but it wasn't until Oct. 14, 2026, that he was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
The former couple starred in an episode of "The People's Court" that was taped earlier in 2011 but aired the day Parker went missing, over a dispute about an engagement
ring. In a newly unsealed affidavit for an arrest warrant for Smith, Orlando Police Department Det. Phillip McMican wrote that the episode was "embarrassing," and said a friend of Parker's told investigators that Parker thought it wouldn't "sit well" with Smith.
The affidavit also reveals a history of alleged domestic violence and text messages between Smith and Parker leading up to her disappearance.
Parker's body has never been found. Police said earlier this month that advances in digital forensics and a review of the evidence led to Smith's arrest, and that "all evidence leads to Dale Smith Jr as the person responsible for Michelle's murder."
Smith entered a written plea of not guilty, court records show. Smith's attorney, Rajan Joshi, told USA TODAY on Oct. 28 that he was unable to comment on the affidavit due to a judge's order prohibiting the parties from discussing the case. Joshi previously told USA TODAY after Smith's arrest that he has maintained his innocence all along.
"We want to see justice done for Michelle Parker and her family. We just don't want the wrong guy convicted," Joshi said in an interview on Oct. 15.
What happened to Michelle Parker? Affidavit offers new clues
Parker was a mom of three children, a then-10-year-old from a previous relationship and 3-year-old twins with Smith.
Leading up to Nov. 17, 2011, Parker sent "offensive" text messages to Smith, saying she hated him and was going to move to restrict his visitation rights with their children, according to the affidavit. In other messages, Parker declined a "bribe" from Smith to exchange cash for sex, McMican wrote. Earlier the day Parker went missing, Smith wrote in a text that he was "sexually frustrated," according to the affidavit.
Investigators said Parker was supposed to drop the twins off at their father's the afternoon of Nov. 17, 2011. Though Smith told police she arrived at about 4 p.m. and stayed just 10 minutes, McMican wrote in the affidavit that cell phone location data and witness statements show Parker arrived at about 3:18 p.m. and was there more than an hour.
"The victim is never seen or heard from again," McMican wrote.
Both Parker's and Smith's cell phones appeared to travel together from his home until they reached the area of Belle Isle, where Parker's phone remained stationary and Smith's continued, according to the affidavit. Weeks after she vanished, Parker's phone was found by divers in the water of Lake Conway in Belle Isle.
Investigators believe Smith deleted messages off Parker's phone before throwing it into the lake, the affidavit said.
Parker's Hummer was found abandoned the day after she went missing in a parking lot, with custom decals removed. Investigators believe Smith took the stickers off to make the car less recognizable, according to the affidavit.
On Dec. 18, 2011, Smith was interviewed by police and observed to have scratches and abrasions, and though photos were taken of them, there wasn't a record of police asking about them at the time, according to the affidavit. Investigators now believe they were defensive wounds, McMican said in the document.
"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," McMican wrote.
"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 reads. "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."
Criminal history, witness accounts describe domestic violence
According to the affidavit, Smith had a history of domestic violence and making threatening statements.
He was found guilty of domestic violence in 2001 while serving in the military and was court-martialed for distributing ecstasy. The domestic violence was against his ex-wife, according to the affidavit. A previous fiancée of Smith's also told investigators she was choked by Smith and said he threatened to kill her and her father, the affidavit said.
Parker's friends and family members told investigators that Parker disclosed domestic violence incidents to them and that they had seen bruises on her in the past.
McMican wrote in the affidavit that this history shows Smith "cannot handle stressful situations" and had made conflicting statements to authorities throughout the investigation.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mom was likely strangled to death by ex after reality TV appearance: New docs
