1,013 text messages help lead investigators to evidence in Michelle Parker’s disappearance
Parker Disappeared in 2011
Parker, 33, disappeared on Nov. 17, 2011, the day an episode of “The People’s Court” featuring a dispute between her and Smith aired. Her car was found the following day, but she was never located.
Parker’s sister reported her missing. She told police Parker had stopped at her workplace before going to drop their children off at Smith’s home. Smith told Parker’s mother that Parker had left after dropping off the children.
Records Challenge Smith’s Timeline
Cellphone records placed Parker’s phone in the service area closest to Smith’s home at about 3:15, roughly 45 minutes before Smith said she had dropped off the children. The phone remained in that area for about an hour, according to the affidavit.
Messages and Earlier Allegations
From Oct. 1 through Nov. 17, 2011, Smith and Parker exchanged 1,013 text messages. Records showed Smith did not contact Parker’s phone again after Nov. 17. Parker’s sister told police that Parker had described several domestic violence incidents. In one account cited in the affidavit, Parker said Smith grabbed her by the neck, pinned her against a wall, then pushed her out of his home by the neck. The affidavit said there was no record police asked how Smith received his injuries.
Key points
- Parker disappeared on Nov. 17, 2011, and has not been found.
- Phone and neighbor video records conflict with Smith’s account of when Parker left his home.
- The pair exchanged 1,013 text messages before Parker vanished; Smith’s phone had no further contact with hers after Nov. 17.
- Parker’s sister reported domestic violence allegations, and the affidavit says police did not ask about Smith’s injuries.