ORLANDO, Fla. (Court TV) — A man charged with killing his ex-fiancee hours after the two appeared on an episode of a reality show appeared in court for the first time on Thursday, where a judge ordered him to be held without bond.
Dale Smith Jr. appears in court on Oct. 15, 2026. (Court TV)
Dale Smith Jr., 55, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of second-degree murder in the death of Michelle Parker, 33, who disappeared after she was last seen with the defendant on Nov. 17, 2011. At the time of her disappearance, Parker had just dropped off the twins she shared with Smith at his house.
Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith announced Smith’s arrest on Wednesday, saying that while he had long been a suspect, the arrest finally happened after detectives “reexamined testimony and conflicting statements made by the suspect and used advanced and digital forensics to uncover and analyze additional evidence.” While detectives declined to detail the evidence, they said the “new” evidence resulted from technological advances that let them extract more precise data from vehicles, phones and computers.
A judge sealed the 46-page affidavit, which was referenced in court, so the details of how police tied Smith to Parker will not be released. Smith’s attorney referenced the document at Thursday’s brief appearance in his request for bond, saying that he did not believe the lengthy affidavit contained enough proof of guilt. The judge disagreed and ordered that Smith be held without bond pending his next court appearance.
On the day she was last seen alive, Parker appeared with Smith on an episode of “The People’s Court,” where the two were involved in a dispute over an engagement ring valued at $5,000, Law&Crime reported. The couple, who had initially planned to marry, called off their engagement after several arguments. Smith then sued Parker, claiming she threw the engagement ring he had given her off a hotel balcony.
Police escort Dale Smith Jr. after his arrest. (Orlando Police Department)
In the TV episode, Parker claimed her ex could be “malicious and vindictive,” and admitted to throwing the ring at him, NBC News reported.
Orlando police said Smith was taken into custody at his business, and they shared video on social media showing officers walking the defendant through the police department after his arrest.
When asked, Chief Smith said his team had not yet found or identified Parker’s remains. He also said he had not ruled out other suspects: “We’re not sure of that right now; we’re looking into all aspects of the case.”
