Michelle Parker case: Judge to unseal arrest affidavit against Dale Smith Jr.
Judge orders Dale Smith's arrest affidavit to be unsealed
A judge says that the state has to release the arrest warrant for Dale Smith's arrest. Smith is the ex-fiancé of Michelle Parker, a woman who went missing back in 2011. The judge for the case is now considering a gag order for attorneys and law enforcement involved.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - An Orange County judge on Monday ordered the arrest report for Dale Smith Jr. to be unsealed and released to the public. Smith Jr. is charged with second-degree murder in the disappearance and presumed death of his ex-fiancée, Michelle Parker, who disappeared in November 2011.
Judge OKs release of Dale Smith Jr.'s arrest affidavit
What we know:
Judge Sonia McDowell issued her ruling during a Monday morning court hearing, ordering that Dale Smith's arrest affidavit be unsealed and made available to the public on Monday, Oct. 26.
State prosecutors argued in court that Smith Jr.'s arrest affidavit should remain sealed over concerns that news coverage of the case could potentially taint a potential jury pool. The defense argued that Michelle Parker's disappearance has been part of news coverage since she disappeared nearly 15 years ago.
Prosecutors also argued for the judge to impose a gag order, barring attorneys and law enforcement from discussing the case or any evidence that could potentially be used against him in court.
What we don't know:
While Judge McDowell argued that Dale Smith Jr.'s arrest affidavit could be unsealed, it's unclear when it will be available and released to the public.
Michelle Parker has been missing since 2011
The backstory:
Michelle Parker has been missing since Nov. 17, 2011, after she dropped her children off at Sale Smith Jr.'s house. She and Dale Smith Jr. shared two children – twins. Parker has another child from a previous relationship.
Police said Parker was reported missing after she did not show up for work to a bar in Sanford.
She disappeared on the same day that an episode of "The People's Court" featuring both Parker and Dale Smith Jr. aired across the country. Smith Jr. sued Parker for $5,000 over their engagement ring, which he claimed was thrown over a hotel balcony and lost following a breakup and fight between the two.
Dale Smith, Parker's ex-fiancé, arrested in her disappearance
Dig deeper:
Dale Smith Jr. was arrested on Oct. 14 under suspicion of second-degree murder in the disappearance and death of Michelle Parker.
Smith has long been considered a person of interest/suspect in Parker's disappearance, but had not been arrested or formally charged in her disappearance or death – until Oct. 14.
Police said Smith Jr. was the last known person to see Parker alive. Orlando police said advancements in digital forensics helped investigators reexamine data and old evidence in the case, leading to Smith's arrest.
Smith has maintained his innocence and denied any involvement in Parker's disappearance.
The Source: This story was written based on information from Orange County court records, the Orlando Police Department and previous FOX 35 reporting.