Former Orlando police chief reflects on Michelle Parker investigation

When Michelle Parker was reported missing 15 years ago, police say they left no stone unturned. Those efforts back in 2011 helped detectives arrest her ex-fiancé for second-degree murder just this week. Fox 35's Marie Edinger spoke with the former Orlando police chief, who looks back on the early days of this investigation. I talked with a man who was the chief of police at the time of this crime, and he told me this is a case that's haunted him all these years. He also said getting the call that an arrest had finally been made was one of the best moments of his life. It's a traumatic, sad, senseless case. Paul Rooney was chief of police when Michelle Parker was first reported missing in November 2011. It was a big case. It was probably one of the biggest cases of my career as a chief. And I was determined to find Michelle. and if something happened to her we were determined to make sure that individual was held accountable that individual police now say is Dale Smith Jr. No bond, he's being held in jail with no bond accused of second-degree murder but police have been saying for almost 15 years now that they think he's the one who killed Michelle but everything that we had was leaning towards Dale Smith Jr. Former Chief Rooney says his team of officers deputies and state officials working this case back in 2011 left no stone unturned, checking for any sign of Michelle or of a struggle. And police say today, for the most part, it was that same material gathered all those years ago that led to Smith's arrest in the end. New evidence was found using advancements in technology, especially in our digital forensics-related evidence, so vehicles, electronic devices, phones, computers. We were able to better interpret that evidence today than what we were able to do back in 2011. The state filed a motion to seal the affidavit that explains how they finally got a warrant for Smith's arrest. So right now, we don't know just yet what that final puzzle piece was. But we do know NewTech is helping crack cases statewide. The attorney general told me today it's making a huge difference for the Office of Statewide Prosecution. They rolled out a cold case initiative about a year ago. At the end of the day, I think it's important to give a lot of those families closure for the loss and the suffering that they've endured for many years. Former Chief Rooney and I talked about closure, too. He says it's all he's wanted for Michelle's family for 15 years now, and it's finally in sight. At least we have a few answers, not all the answers, but a few to help relieve some of that anxiety, the stress, just the everyday wondering, you know, what happened. Dale Smith Jr. will have a hearing to decide whether he'll be let out on bond while he waits for his trial, but that court date has not been set yet. In Orlando, Marie Ettinger, Fox 35 News.