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Orange County Judge Orders Unsealing of Dale Smith Jr. Arrest Affidavit
An Orange County judge ordered the arrest affidavit for Dale Smith Jr., charged with second-degree murder in the 2011 disappearance of Michelle Parker, to be unsealed and released to the public on Monday, Oct. 26. Judge Sonia McDowell issued the ruling during a court hearing, rejecting state prosecutors' arguments that sealing the document was necessary to protect the jury pool. Prosecutors also requested a gag order for attorneys and law enforcement, which remains under consideration by the judge. Smith Jr., Parker's ex-fiancé, was arrested in October 2024 after digital forensics led investigators to reexamine old evidence.