A fresh look at cell phone data and text messages led to arrest of a Florida man accused of murdering his ex-fiancée within hours of their appearance on TV’s “The People’s Court” in 2011, court documents unsealed Tuesday revealed.
\n\nDale Smith Jr., a 55-year-old Orlando resident, was taken into custody Oct. 14 and charged with second-degree murder in the death of Michelle Parker, whose body has never been found, police said.
\n\nSmith was 40 and Parker 33 when she was last seen alive on Nov. 17, 2011. The two shared custody of twins at the time.
\n\nThat afternoon, at about 2 p.m., Parker and Smith appeared for a taping of “The People’s Court” to settle a dispute over a $5,000 engagement ring she allegedly threw off a balcony. The episode was filmed in June 2011. The judge ruled “that both parties were responsible for the ring and ordered they split the $5,000.00 damage,” according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
\n\nSmith told investigators that Parker dropped the children off at his home on Nov. 17, 2011, and left about 10 minutes later, police said.
\n\nBut surveillance cameras appeared to show that “the victim’s Hummer was at the suspect’s residence for at…
Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/