Woman's ex arrested in "The People's Court" cold case 15 years after she went missing

Dale Smith Jr., 55, was arrested on October 14, 2026, in Orlando, Florida, for the second-degree murder of his ex-fiancée, Michelle Parker, who disappeared nearly 15 years earlier. Parker vanished on November 17, 2011, after dropping off her two young twins with Smith and appearing in a pre-taped episode of "The People's Court" that aired the same day, where they argued over their $5,000 engagement ring. Despite extensive investigations spanning nearly 15 years, Parker’s remains have never been found. New digital forensics technology aided police in securing charges against Smith, who was arrested at his workplace and is now booked into jail. The police chief emphasized that all evidence points to Dale Smith Jr. as responsible for Michelle's murder but did not disclose specific details to protect the prosecution.