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Orlando Arrests Dale Smith Jr. in 2011 Disappearance Murder Case

By Drooid · Oct 15, 2026, 11:03 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Orlando Police Arrest Smith

Orlando police arrested Dale Smith Jr., 55, on murder charges for Michelle Parker’s 2011 disappearance.
A digital-forensics breakthrough provided new evidence that led to Smith’s arrest.
Police recovered Parker’s iPhone weeks later in a lake near Belle Isle.
Smith’s attorney Rajan Joshi said the arrest surprised him and his client maintains innocence.
Yvonne Ellis Stewart, 72, called the arrest a “good day” on Facebook.

Summary

Parker Family Sues

Parker’s family filed a 2013 wrongful-death suit against Smith Jr., alleging his negligence caused her death.
Governor Rick Scott signed a 2015 law permitting grandparent visitation when a parent is missing or a felon.
A 2018 judge denied Parker’s mother’s request to see the twins despite her invoking the law.
The twins, now adults, have had no contact with their maternal family since the 2011 disappearance.

Summary

Eric Smith Announces Arrest

Police chief Eric Smith announced Dale Smith Jr.’s arrest, citing forensic advances and an expanded investigative team.
Former chief Paul Rooney led the 2011 investigation and first identified Dale Smith Jr. as the primary suspect.
The department added new detectives in 2025, intensifying review of witness statements and digital evidence.
Chief John Mina oversaw the case from 2014 to 2018 before becoming Orange County sheriff in 2019.

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Orlando Police Arrest Smith

Orlando police arrested Dale Smith Jr., 55, on murder charges for Michelle Parker’s 2011 disappearance.
A digital-forensics breakthrough provided new evidence that led to Smith’s arrest.
Police recovered Parker’s iPhone weeks later in a lake near Belle Isle.
Smith’s attorney Rajan Joshi said the arrest surprised him and his client maintains innocence.
Yvonne Ellis Stewart, 72, called the arrest a “good day” on Facebook.

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