The family of a woman who went missing after appearing on The People's Court with her ex-fiance is now publicly suing him claiming he was the cause of her disappearance. He denies any wrongdoing. INSIDE EDITION has the latest.
A dramatic new twist in the mystery of a mother of three who vanished without a trace after appearing on the People's Court after a tense confrontation with her ex-fiancée.
Michelle's mom, Yvonne Stewart, has just filed a civil suit against Michelle's former fiancée, Dale Smith, claiming he caused her death.
Yvonne said, “You don't get to take somebody's family member and dispose of them like they're garbage.
Yvonne says the lawsuit was inspired by the famous civil suit against OJ Simpson brought by the families of his victims, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
She said, “I just had this thought like, why can't I do what they did with OJ Simpson? Why can't I do that?”
Michelle confronted Dale Smith on The People's Court over a lost $5,000 engagement ring in November 2011.
She was last seen the very day the show was broadcast on a security video. She was taking the three-year-old twins she had with Smith to see him at his home in Orlando. Cops later found her car abandoned, 11 miles away.
Michelle's attorney, John Morgan, hopes the lawsuit will force Smith to reveal whatever he may know about Michelle's disappearance.
Morgan, said, “Either tell the truth under oath or to take the 5th amendment.”
Dale Smith's attorney, Mark NeJame, says he was not involved in Michelle's disappearance.
Smith said, “He's spoken to them, he's let his children speak to them. He's let them search his property inside out. Unbeknownst to him they put a bug in the place and they still came up with nothing.”
Almost as painful as losing her daughter is losing access to Michelle’s children with Smith.
Yvonne said, “I got up with them twice a night and changed their diapers and fed them and took care of them when he didn't want to and I love them and they love us.”
Now, the case that started on The People's Court is headed for a real court.
Even though Dale Smith has been named as a suspect he has "not" been charged with any crime.
