Missing mom Michelle Parker was allegedly choked to death by ex-fiancé just hours after appearing on reality court show, new documents reveal

A trove of newly released documents has revealed details about the mysterious cold case of missing mom Michelle Parker, who vanished after appearing on the early 2000s reality television show, The People’s Court. 

Parker, 33, was last seen on November 17, 2011, dropping off her then three-year-old twins with their father, her ex-fiancé Dale Smith Jr, now 55. Her body was never found. 

On the day she vanished, the estranged couple appeared on national television for the first time in a prerecorded episode of The People’s Court, where millions watched them argue over a missing $5,000 engagement ring.

The case sat cold for almost 15 years, until a few weeks ago when Smith was arrested in connection with his ex’s death and charged with second-degree murder.

Police now believe that Smith choked Parker the same day their People’s Court episode aired, according to a 46-page arrest affidavit signed by the Orlando Police Department’s detectives. 

The affidavit included a photo of Smith’s face after Parker disappeared, which appeared to show ‘recent scratches and abrasions’ that police now believe were defensive wounds from Parker.  

Investigators described Smith and Parker’s relationship as ‘tumultuous’ and cited an alleged past history of domestic violence, including choking, in court records. 

Smith was found guilty on domestic violence charges in 2001 against his first wife and was dishonorably discharged from the military, according to the affidavit. 

The Orlando Police Department obtained his military records, which stated his performance was ‘unsatisfactory’ due to ‘severe mood swings’ and an inability to ‘handle any level of stress.’

Investigators also interviewed another one of Smith’s ex-fiancées, who reported that he would allegedly choke her and threatened to kill her and her father. 

She accused Smith of choking her more than five times to the point of passing out while they had sexual intercourse, according to the affidavit. 

His ex-fiancée alleged that Smith would ‘choke her with his hands and/or belt. ‘Even if she wanted it to stop, the suspect would not,’ the affidavit stated, adding that the alleged violence was ‘all about control.’ 

In another police interview, a friend of Smith’s stated he told him two weeks before Parker’s disappearance: ‘I wish someone would kill this b****.’

Police also pointed to alleged aggressive text messages between Smith and Parker in the days leading up to her disappearance. 

In early October, Parker allegedly sent Smith a series of angry text messages after an argument over custody of their twins. 

The affidavit noted: ‘Between October 1 — November 17, 2011, the suspect and the victim exchanged 1,013 text messages and 21 voice calls. The suspect never called or messaged the victim after November 17, 2011.’ 

Parker sent messages to Smith saying she hated him and threatened to file a court order after he allegedly did not hold up his end of the custody agreement. 

One message read: ‘My kids are better off with out u n their life. They have a new dad now & hes better with then than u are.’

Two days before Parker was last seen, Smith allegedly propositioned her to have sex for money. 

On the day Parker disappeared, Smith sent her a text message that allegedly read: ‘I’m sexually frustrated, lol.’

Parker responded that his frustration was his fault, adding, ‘I’m sure you’re fine.’

At about 3.15pm, Parker sent her last text message to a friend stating she was doing great. She sent the message just an hour after her People’s Court episode aired. 

Around the same time, her cell phone connected to a tower in Smith’s neighborhood. Her black Hummer was seen at Smith’s home at 3.18pm. 

Parker did not answer any texts or calls after this time. Her car and phone records placed her at Smith’s home for over an hour after she arrived, according to the affidavit. 

However, Smith allegedly told police that she was only there for about 10 minutes and that he left his home shortly after her. 

Just before 9pm, a traffic camera caught the Hummer with Parker’s bumper stickers advertising her tanning business removed. 

Police found the car the next day at a nearby apartment complex, with her purse inside. 

Police later found Parker’s phone in Lake Conway. Investigators alleged the device was thrown off a bridge and found that all message threads from the day she disappeared were deleted up to 4.27pm, the affidavit stated. 

The affidavit also alleged that Smith lied to detectives about how long he was at his father’s house on the day Parker disappeared.

‘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,’ the affidavit concluded.  

‘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. 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.’ 

Following Smith’s arrest earlier this month, Parker’s mother, Yvonne Stewart, told WESH 2 News: ‘I knew. We all knew. Yeah, we all knew.’

‘They told me they arrested Dale Smith on second-degree murder charges for Michelle Parker, and it’s like the happiest day because she deserves this,’ she added.

Smith’s attorney, Rajan Joshi, told the outlet that his arrest ‘came out of nowhere,’ and neither he nor his client had expected the charges. 

‘Whatever evidence they retested is something we want to take a look at. I plan to go through the case with a fine-tooth comb, leave no stones unturned, and talk to every witness that there is, depose them, and get down to it,’ he said.

‘He maintains his innocence, and we’re going to go forward with defending him.’

Smith does not appear to have entered a formal plea to the charges against him. The Daily Mail has reached out to his attorney for comment.