ORLANDO, Fla. —
The attorney representing Dale Smith Jr. said his client is innocent, despite Smith now facing a murder charge in connection with the disappearance of his ex-fiancé, Michelle Parker, nearly 15 years ago.
Criminal defense attorney Rajan Joshi, senior partner of Joshi Law, spoke with WESH 2’s Pattrik Perez on Wednesday evening, shortly after visiting Smith at the jail.
“The arrest came out of nowhere. Obviously, neither of us were expecting it,” Joshi said.
Smith was arrested Wednesday morning at his workplace and is charged with second-degree murder. Investigators believe Smith was the last known person to see or hear from Parker on Nov. 17, 2011, when she dropped her then 3-year-old twins off at his home.
Joshi began representing Smith in November 2011, when Smith was named a person of interest in connection with Parker’s disappearance. That same month, Joshi appeared alongside attorney Mark NeJame on NBC’s “Today” show to discuss the case.
“If you run a timeline on this, it’s physically impossible for him to have done what is being suggested,” NeJame said at the time.
Michelle Parker’s mother, Yvonne Stewart, spoke with WESH 2 after Smith’s arrest.
“I knew. We all knew. Yeah, we all knew,” she said. “They told me they arrested Dale Smith on second-degree murder charges for Michelle Parker, and it’s like the happiest day because she deserves this.”
Parker and Smith were featured on an episode of “The People’s Court” on the same day as when Parker was last seen.
Police found Parker’s cellphone in Lake Conway, as well as her Hummer SUV at Conroy and Vineland — near The Mall at Millenia — the day after her disappearance.
“I would love for him to tell us where she is,” Stewart said of Smith.
Orlando police said Wednesday that new evidence, uncovered by advancements in technology, helped move the case against Smith forward.
“We’re able to better interpret that evidence today than what we were able to do back in 2011,” Orlando police Det. Phil McMican said.
Joshi said his team wants to review that evidence.
“Whatever evidence they retested is something we want to take a look at,” Joshi said. “I plan to go through the case with a fine-tooth comb, leave no stones unturned, and talk to every witness that there is, depose them, and get down to it.”
Joshi told WESH 2 that Smith never fled or tried to hide his identity over the years and stayed in the area knowing an arrest was a possibility.
“He maintains his innocence, and we’re going to go forward with defending him,” Joshi said.
Smith is currently charged with second-degree murder, but that charge could be upgraded to first-degree murder if the state can prove Parker’s killing was premeditated.
“As you know, with all of the cases that we’ve talked about in the past, they start off as second-degree. And if the evidence supports the charge escalating, then we’ll do so,” said Monique Worrell, state attorney for Orange and Osceola counties.
Although an arrest has been made, Parker’s body has not been located. Police say investigators remain committed to finding her remains and providing answers to her family.
For now, Joshi said he and his team of attorneys will be focused on reviewing the new evidence, and he is asking the public to withhold judgment as the case moves forward.
“My heart goes out to Michelle Parker’s parents and her mom,” Joshi said. “It’s a tragedy, but we just don’t want to see the wrong person be convicted of it.”
Smith has a first appearance scheduled for 1 p.m. Thursday.