Florida man charged with murder in ex-fiancée’s 2011 disappearance

In Orlando, Florida, Dale Smith Jr. has been arrested on a second-degree murder charge related to the disappearance of his ex-fiancée, Michelle Parker, who vanished nearly 15 years ago. Parker, then 33, went missing on November 17, 2011, the same day she appeared on “The People’s Court” with Smith in a dispute over an engagement ring. Her SUV was found abandoned the next day, but she was never located. The Orlando Police Department, led by Chief Eric Smith, announced the arrest after a renewed investigation using advanced digital forensics and reexamined evidence. Smith Jr., who has consistently denied involvement, was the last person known to have seen Parker after she dropped off their children at his home. Despite the lack of a body, police assert that all evidence points to Smith Jr. as responsible for Parker’s murder. QUESTION: How might advancements in forensic technology continue to impact the resolution of cold cases in the future?