Suspect named in Michelle Parker’s disappearance

Below is a link to my first entry about Michelle Parker:

• Orlando mom missing after appearing on TV show

Michelle Parker’s ex-fiance, Dale Smith Jr., has officially been named a suspect in her disappearance, according to a news conference police held earlier this afternoon. Smith had argued with Parker on an episode of The People’s Court, which aired on November 17th, the same day Parker disappeared.

According to Orlando Police Chief Paul Rooney, police have asked Smith to take a polygraph and he has refused.  Parker’s mother, sister, and brother also addressed the media and pleaded with Smith to come forward with anything he knows.

Over the weekend, SWAT teams raided Smith’s father’s house, but it’s not known what, if anything, they found in the raid. That house is about two miles away from where Parker’s cell phone was powered off at around 8 p.m. the day she went missing.

When asked by reporters if she had heard from Smith or any of his family members, Parker’s mother said that she hadn’t. I find this to be extremely bizarre. If the mother of your grandchildren suddenly went missing, wouldn’t you call her family to see if you can help look for her? The fact that they seem to be avoiding Parker’s family, along with the fact that police raided Smith’s father’s house, makes me wonder if they could possibly know something about Parker’s disappearance.

Parker’s family also told reporters that they still need help with the search. This is one of those times where I wish I lived close so I could help. If you are reading this and know anyone in the Orlando area, please help to get the word out. Here is the link to the Help Find Michelle Facebook page – http://www.facebook.com/michelleparkermissingperson.

Crimeline is offering a reward of $5,000 for information leading to Michelle Parker. The anonymous tipline is (800) 423-TIPS (8477).

I’ll post any more updates below.

UPDATE: 11/29 6:05 PM

The Florida Department of Children and Families now has custody of Parker and Smith’s 3-year-old twins, and an emergency shelter hearing will take place tomorrow morning at 10:30 EST.

Smith has also retained Mark NeJame, a high-profile attorney from Orlando. If you recognize the name, that’s because he was an attorney for George and Cindy Anthony, as well as for Texas Equusearch, during the Casey Anthony case.

During a press conference earlier today, NeJame noted that Smith has not been out searching for Parker or comforting her family, because he was busy taking care of their twins. Now that he no longer has to worry about that, let’s see if he actually does something, or if that was a line of BS.

Brad Parker, Michelle Parker’s father, called into the Nancy Grace show tonight, and told her that he suspected that Smith was involved in Parker’s disappearance from day one. When asked why he felt that way, he said it was because of the abusive way Smith treated her. According to her father, he was “very abusive.” On the subject of The People’s Court episode, Brad Parker said he heard that Smith was embarrassed about his portrayal on the show.

Nancy Grace also reported that Smith has quite a violent past.

20 years ago, Smith was a co-defendant in a murder case. He and a bunch of friends attacked two guys coming out of a nightclub. One of his friends stabbed and killed one guy, and Smith kicked the other guy in the head. His friend pleaded guilty to 2nd degree murder, and Smith pleaded no contest for attempted aggravated battery. Smith served six months in prison.

A few years after his prison stint, he joined the military and was eventually discharged, due to domestic abuse. It certainly seems as though Smith has some violent tendencies, huh?

Since the children have been taken away from him, I’m thinking there will be an arrest soon.

UPDATE: 11/30 8:15 PM

At the emergency hearing today, the judge ruled that there was not enough evidence to show that Smith is a danger to his children, and ordered that the children be returned to him.

UPDATE: 12/7 8 PM CST

As the searches for Michelle Parker continue, reports surfaced today that Parker’s iphone has been found. No word on where it was found yet, but hopefully this is another step towards finding her.

SOURCES:

– http://www.wftv.com/videos/news/news-conference-police-name-suspect-in-missing-mom/vFLBz/

– http://www.cfnews13.com/article/news/2011/november/350182/Police-name-ex-fianc&eacute%3B-as-suspect-in-search-for-missing-mom

Orlando mom missing after appearing on TV show

Michelle Parker, a 33-year-old mother of three, disappeared from Orlando last Thursday, November 17th, just a few hours after appearing on a taped episode of The People’s Court with her ex-fiance, Dale Smith.  She was last seen dropping off her kids at Smith’s house at about 2:30 p.m. According to Smith, she dropped off their 3-year-old twins and then told him she was going shopping.

At 3:30 p.m., Parker’s 11-year-old son from a previous relationship returned home from school to find an empty house. He called his grandma, Yvonne Stewart, to ask where his mother was, and Stewart told him that she should have already returned home.

At about 4:30 p.m., a text message was sent from Parker’s phone to her brother, in response to her brother’s text, asking where she was. The text message simply said “Waterford,” which is a shopping area located across town. Parker’s family became suspicious at the one-word answer, and called the police.

Parker was reportedly due to show up for her bartending shift at The Barn in Sanford at 6 p.m. that night, but never showed up. Stewart told WKMG that police told her they tracked Parker’s cell phone, and it was never in the Waterford area that day. Police say Parker’s phone was powered off in the south Orlando area at about 8 p.m. Thursday night, and has been dead ever since. The phone is still missing.

On Friday, Parker’s Hummer SUV was found abandoned on the west side of Orlando, near a shopping mall that she allegedly rarely shopped at. Decals that had previously been on the car had been removed.

Washington Nationals catcher kidnapped in Venezuela

Photo courtesy of espn.com

Major league baseball catcher Wilson Ramos was kidnapped from his home in Venezuela last night by four gunmen. Ramos had just finished his rookie season with the Washington Nationals, and was back in his hometown to play for the Aragua Tigers, in Venezuela’s winter league.

Kathe Vilera, a spokesperson for the Tigers took to her Twitter account last night to confirm the news:

“We are still waiting for any news about Wilson Ramos… all the authorities are working in the case… We need to be patience and pray.”

According to CBS news, Ramos, 24, was approached by four armed men and taken away in an SUV at about 6:45 p.m. last night.

A person close to Ramos’ family, who asked not to be quoted by name out of safety concerns, said the catcher was at home with his father and brothers when several men “entered the house and took him away.”

“As of this hour, there has been no contact” between the kidnappers and Ramos’ family, the person said.

Kidnappings like this in Venezuela are apparently quite common, with kidnappers often abducting wealthy people, and then demanding a large ransom.  The fact that the family has not yet heard from the kidnappers yet is troubling, but hopefully they will hear something soon, and Ramos will be let go.

Updates will be posted below.

UPDATE: 11/10 10:40 AM

The Associated Press is reporting that the vehicle that was used to kidnap Ramos has been recovered from a nearby town. No word yet from his captors.

UPDATE: 11/11 11 PM

Wilson Ramos has been rescued, and is safe in Venezuela, according to CBSNews.com:

The kidnapping ordeal of Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos ended after two days when Venezuelan police commandos swooped in to rescue him in a flurry of gunfire and arrested five alleged abductors.

Ramos said he was happy and thankful to be alive, and that the final moments had been hair-raising as police and the kidnappers exchanged heavy fire in the remote mountainous area where he was being held.

The kidnappers reportedly told Ramos that they planned on asking for a big ransom from his family members, before he was rescued.

I just love a happy ending. 🙂

SOURCES:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-400_162-57322219/nationals-wilson-ramos-kidnapped-in-venezuela/

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/10/world/americas/venezuela-mlb-player-kidnapped/index.html

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/dailypitch/post/2011/11/nationals-catcher-wilson-ramos-reportedly-kidnapped-in-venezuela/1

Where is Lenny Harris?

Photo provided by City of Alexandria Facebook page

A popular community activist has been missing from Alexandria, Virginia since September 21. Lenny Harris, 53, was scheduled to give a presentation at the Alexandria Adult Detention Center, but he never made it there. He was last seen at the Charles Houston Rec Center in Old Town, where witnesses say he received a call on his cell phone, and then left in his car. Police say Lenny is believed to be in danger.

Authorities found Lenny’s wallet and cell phone the next afternoon on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, after his wife used her computer to track the phone’s whereabouts. Lenny’s car, a 1994 light blue Toyota Corolla, turned up about three weeks later, in the parking lot of an apartment complex, not far from where he went missing.

Police are asking for help identifying a vehicle that was caught on surveillance tape during an attempt to use one of Lenny’s credit cards at midnight the night of his disappearance. The car appears to be a white Dodge Caravan with no front license plates – see below for a photo from the surveillance video. The attempted credit card usage was in Prince Georges County, Maryland.

Another attempt to use Lenny’s credit card came about an hour later at another ATM across town. Police have released the below image of a man at the ATM, as he tries to use Lenny’s card. He appears to be a black male with a mustache and small goatee. He has a muscular build and tattoos on his right and left forearm. Police are saying he is a “person of interest.”

Unfortunately, this isn’t looking like it’s going to have a positive outcome, although you never know in these cases. It’s possible Lenny left on his own accord, and this guy attempting to use his credit cards could have just found his wallet, having nothing to do with his disappearance.  It’s also possible that something horrible happened to Lenny at the hands of this man.  Either way, Lenny needs to be found – he is a husband, a father, and does amazing things for his community.

Lenny is described as 6’1”, 210 pounds and has dark hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a gray sweat top and gray sweat pants.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Lenwood “Lenny” Harris is asked to call the Criminal Investigations Section of the Alexandria Police Department at 703.746.4711 or the non-emergency number at 703.838.4444.

SOURCES:

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Missing_Man_in_Alexandria_Washington_DC-130483913.html

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/local/after-vehicle-is-found-family-remains-hopeful-in-finding-alexandria-man-lenny-harris-101211