Woman disappeared after going on 'The People's Court' against ex-fiance for chucking engagement ring out of 9th-floor hotel balcony — now he's behind bars

A Florida antheral is down bars astir 15 years aft his ex-fiancee disappeared pursuing their quality connected "The People's Court" successful a quality implicit a $5,000 engagement ring.

Michelle Parker, 33, disappeared connected Nov. 17, 2011, aft she dropped her twins disconnected astatine the location of her ex, Dale Smith Jr., in Orlando. While constabulary said they had agelong considered Smith the culprit, helium remained escaped — until Wednesday.

Smith, present 55, was arrested connected a second-degree murder charge, Orlando constabulary announced.

"Smith was the past known idiosyncratic to spot oregon perceive from Michelle connected Nov. 17, 2011, aft she dropped their children disconnected astatine his home," Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith told reporters astatine a property conference. "Over the past year, we expanded our investigative squad looking into this lawsuit and took a fresh, focused look astatine each the evidence. We re-examined grounds and conflicting statements made by the fishy and utilized precocious and integer forensics to uncover and analyse further evidence."

Det. Phil McMican said advancements successful integer exertion that were not disposable erstwhile Parker went missing were cardinal successful making the arrest. That included determination information connected phones and different physics devices. Investigators besides examined the suspect's inconsistent statements during depositions successful a civilian case.

"Very circumstantial questions were asked of him galore times implicit the years, wherever helium gave antithetic answers to those aforesaid questions," McMican said.

In the days and weeks aft she vanished, investigators recovered cardinal clues but nary motion of her.

Investigators recovered her Hummer successful a parking batch not acold from wherever she disappeared. They besides recovered her telephone nether a span a fewer weeks later.

Parker and Smith were acceptable to beryllium married, but the engagement was called disconnected pursuing galore arguments. Smith sued his ex aft alleging she threw her engagement ringing disconnected a ninth-story edifice balcony during a normal successful Georgia. He rushed downstairs to look for it but could not find it.

The brace appeared connected an occurrence of "The People's Court," during which Judge Marilyn Milian ordered her to wage $2,500. It aired connected TV the time she went missing. During the episode, Parker accused Smith of being physically abusive and unfaithful to her. She said she tried to enactment unneurotic for the payment of their twins who were 3 years aged astatine the time, but the mates was incapable to marque it work.

Her assemblage has ne'er been recovered.

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Police took Smith into custody connected Wednesday. He's successful the Orange County Jail without bond.

"In Orlando, we bash not backmost down, and we bash not springiness up. We volition proceed to prosecute justness for each unfortunate and clasp those liable accountable," Chief Smith said successful a statement.

Authorities declined to merchandise further details astir the case, saying much would travel retired successful a probable origin apprehension affidavit and aboriginal tribunal hearings.