Michelle Parker

Michelle Parker was 33 years old when she disappeared from Orlando, FL on November 20, 2011. 

Michelle was last seen dropping her 3-year-old twins, Trey and Taylor, off with their father and her ex-fiancè Dale Smith for a scheduled visitation at 2:30PM.  Earlier that day, a broadcast of their appearance on “The People’s Court” aired, in which Smith sued Parker for an engagement ring.  On that show, Michelle alleged Smith had drug and alcohol problems.

 "He gets pretty malicious and vindictive," Michelle said on the show. "And he's a mean person, especially when he's been drinking. He shouldn't have put his hands on me, and he shouldn't have put his hands on me prior. He shouldn't have left me three or four times over the past year and a half that we've been together."

The judge ruled that they should split the cost of the lost engagement ring, and ruled for Smith for $2500. This was filmed about three weeks before it aired.

The video quality is really bad, but here is the episode of "The People's Court":

 

Surveillance video captured Michelle in her Hummer SUV at a drive-through window ordering food shortly before she dropped off her two youngest children.  She then drove to Smith's condo, and that was the last she was seen. A missing persons report was filed after she failed to show up for work at 7:30PM.

According to family members, the last text message sent from Michelle's phone was to her brother at 4:26 p.m. the day she disappeared. It contained the single word, "Waterford," in response to her brother’s text asking where she was. Her brother claims it was unusual for Michelle to only text a single word, and he questions whether it was sent by Michelle. Her iPhone was later found underwater near a bridge.

Police found her SUV abandoned at an apartment complex a few days later, with the ads for her business removed.

Although police initially said Smith was cooperating and was not a suspect, during a press conference a few weeks after her disappearance, police claimed he was a primary suspect.

Smith's past may play a role in why police have not cleared him. He was convicted of battery in the 1990s, serving 10 days in jail. His second wife, Shannon, died of an accidental drug overdose.

Smith’s five-year stint with the Marines ended in 2001 when he was found guilty of drug and domestic battery charges. Smith was subsequently dishonorably discharged in 2003. More recently, in 2009, Michelle attempted to obtain a restraining order against Smith after he smashed the window of her car, but the request was denied due to lack of evidence.

Smith currently has full custody of the twins, who are now six years old. No criminal charges have been filed against him, or anyone else, in Michelle’s disappearance. 

In March of 2013, Michelle’s parents filed a wrongful death suit against Dale Smith, which is ongoing. Dale Smith denies any wrongdoing in Michelle’s disappearance and claims he has fully cooperated with police.

Michelle was born November 17, 1978 and has brown hair and brown eyes.  She is 5’5” to 5’7” and weighed around 140 pounds at the time of her disappearance.