Michelle Parker case: Florida mother possibly choked to death by ex-fiancé on the day they appeared on ‘The People’s Court’

Michelle Parker, the Florida mother who vanished in November 2011, was likely choked to death by her ex-fiancé, Dale Smith Jr., hours after they appeared on The People’s Court, according to a newly unsealed arrest warrant affidavit.

Parker, 33, vanished on November 17, 2011, the same day an episode of a dispute over a missing engagement ring between the estranged couple aired on television. As per the police, her body has never been recovered, and she is presumed dead.

Nearly 15 years after Parker disappeared, Smith, now 55, was arrested on this month October 14 and charged with second-degree murder in connection with Parker’s death.


As per the reporting of ABC News, he has pleaded not guilty, citing his lawyer.

According to the 46-page affidavit released by WKMG News 6, investigators believe Smith killed Parker at his home after she arrived on November 17 to drop off their 3-year-old twins. The affidavit states: “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.”

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Adding that “the suspect choked the victim to death, likely resulting in the scratches and abrasions observed on him while the victim fought back.”

Parker and Smith taped their episode of The People’s Court in June 2011, which aired on November 17 at 2 p.m. According to the affidavit, he earlier lied about the timing of Smith’s arrival at his house, saying she arrived at his house around 4 p.m. and left the place within 10 minutes.

But the document says “the victim arrived at the suspect's house at 15:18 hours, stayed there for over an hour, and the victim does not respond to anyone ever again.”

According to the affidavit, investigators, based on reviewed surveillance video and cellular data, allege that Smith deleted messages from Parker's phone until 4:27 p.m. on the day of the murder, then threw it into Lake Conway, later recovered by the police.

They also allege that Smith lied to police about when he left his home and the route he took to his parents' house on the same day.