Michelle Parker missing banner

‘The People’s Court’ missing mom vanishes in Orlando

November 17, 2011: A beautiful mom of three hashes it out on The People’s Court over a luxury diamond engagement ring, causing a stormy relationship with her ex to unfold in front of millions of viewers. But just hours later, Michelle Parker is gone, vanishing without a trace.  Her black Hummer was found at an apartment complex not far from her own.  Identifying decals were carefully scraped off the SUV windows. Police tried their best to locate Michelle’s iPhone and gathering tips on a diamond cross necklace she wore at the time she vanished.

An armed SWAT team and K-9s conducted a nighttime raid at the ex`s, Dale Smith’s, family home, as reports the young mom seen on surveillance driving just one hour before a mystery text come in. And Mommy`s final words captured on voicemail were to her dad.

A “ping” is registered on Mommy`s phone at 8:00 p.m. that night, then Michelle Parker’s cell phone powered down. Her family says no way would she ever leave her children behind, including a 3-year-old set of twins, boy and girl. Where is missing mom Michelle?

Records show that in 2009, Parker asked for a restraining order, claiming Smith broke out her passenger window, cursed at her and threw car seats for their twins into the street.

This is what we know:  Michelle Parker’s case on the The People’s Court was broadcast on November 17, 2011. The case before The People’s Court was to resolve a dispute over her $5,000 engagement ring with her ex-fiancé, Dale Smith.  During The People’s Court program, Ms. Parker alleged that Mr. Smith had drug and alcohol issues and had been abusive to her in the past.

It is believed that after the show aired, Michelle Parker dropped her twins at the condo of Dale Smith, the twin’s father. At 7.30 p.m. that evening, Michelle failed to show up for work at a restaurant called “The Barn,” in Sanford, Florida. Within two hours, her Humvee was spotted on surveillance camera in a different part of town. The driver was unable to be identified.

On November 18, 2011, Ms. Parker’s Humvee was found on the west side of Orlando, in a parking lot.  A very identifiable decal for the GLOW mobile airbrush tanning salon had been removed from the windows, police said.

After an extensive search, Ms. Parker’s cell phone was recovered by police divers near the Nela Bridge in Belle Isle, which is close to location of the last recorded transmission.

Larry Fishelson, telecommunications expert, weighs in:

“The ping [from Michelle Parker’s phone] was definitely made by a text and it`s 100 percent been able to be tracked by the phone provider carrier. So for sure there was a text placed at that location. Now the only thing is, do we know for sure who placed that text.”

Over a period of several weeks, multiple searches were conducted by police and volunteers, seeking to locate Ms. Parker, but without success. Police have questioned Mr. Smith with regard to the disappearance, but have not charged him.

Michelle Parker’s beloved twins are are now living with Mr. Smith in Tennessee. A son from a earlier relationship is also living with his father.

Michelle Parker was last seen wearing blue jeans, a Gator’s sweatshirt and a silver necklace.

According to Rory O’Neill of Metro Networks, “She taped that show back in August and admitted to her mom she was humiliated after appearing on that television show and really didn`t even want to see it actually broadcast on television…But they`re trying to track any possible movements after she left that condo.”

Alexis Trezchuck of Radar Online agrees.  “She did get called an idiot by the judge. The judge said, ‘Both of you are idiots.’ That can`t feel good, and this was something that she was embarrassed about. She was ashamed that this had happened. She said she wished she had never, ever done it before.  You know, hindsight`s always 20/20. And it`s a $5,000 ring, so there was lot of money involved, so maybe she thought this was the best way to get the settlement that was fair.”

“But she does have two kids with this guy, who she does accuse of horrible domestic violence.”

That day, Michelle stopped by the Oviedo hair salon, owned by her mother and sister, before driving her 3-year-old twins to their biological dad’s home in the Carter Glen Townhomes, off of Goldenrod Road. Michelle’s mother, Yvonne Stewart, recalls the day and describes the distinctive decals on her daughter’s car.

“It said ‘GLOW’ in huge letters. And the letters kind of looked like diamonds. And it said ‘Mobile airbrush tanning,’ you know? And then of course, it had her phone number. But she never did anything with anybody she didn`t know. She`s not stupid.”

In the past year, Florida police decided to reignite their efforts, taking fresh look at the disappearance, searching a swampy area near Carter Glen condominiums, where Dale Smith lived at one time.  Police also revisited the lake where her cell phone was found.  Orlando PD says nearly 30 officers took part in the renewed search.  Yvonne Stewart believed cops were trying to locate the tanning business decals scraped from her daughter’s vehicle.

No evidence was discovered to lead to her whereabouts.

Michelle’s mom, Yvonne, calls Michelle “her best friend” and continues to plead with the public for the safe return of her daughter and information as to her whereabouts.  If you have or know of information about Michelle Parker’s disappearance, please call Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477.

[Feature Photo by Facebook/Find Michelle Parker]