Alleged criminal history of missing mom found after 24 years catches up with her

A North Carolina pistillate whose disappearance successful 2001 and triggered a 24-year hunt is present facing transgression charges from the twelvemonth she vanished.

Michelle Hundley Smith, present 63, was located Feb. 20 astatine an undisclosed determination wrong North Carolina aft detectives received caller accusation astir her case, the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office said.

Smith was 38 erstwhile her hubby reported that she near their Eden location connected Dec. 9, 2001, to spell Christmas buying successful Martinsville, Virginia, and ne'er returned. Her conveyance was ne'er found.

An extended probe followed, but contempt years of investigative work, her whereabouts remained chartless until past week.

The 63-year-old pistillate posted $2,000 enslaved connected a nonaccomplishment to look complaint related to DWI from period earlier she vanished for 24 years. (Robeson County Sheriff's Office)

Authorities said Smith told investigators she near connected her ain accord and referenced "domestic issues."

Sheriff Sam Page told Fox News Digital that the sheriff’s bureau had nary anterior grounds of home incidents astatine the home. No transgression charges are expected successful transportation with her disappearance. However, pursuing her identification, investigators discovered an outstanding Order for Arrest dating backmost to 2001.

A missing persons flyer circulated astatine the clip of Michelle Hundely Smith’s disappearance successful December 2001. (Bring Michelle Hundely Smith Home/Facebook)

MISSING NORTH CAROLINA MOM FOUND ALIVE AFTER 24 YEARS REVEALS WHY SHE LEFT

In a statement, the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office said that aft consultation with the District Attorney’s Office and further investigation, authorities identified an outstanding Order for Arrest for Smith for nonaccomplishment to appear.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

The bid stemmed from a DWI complaint issued by the Eden Police Department connected Nov. 11, 2001. Smith failed to look successful tribunal connected Dec. 27, 2001, for that charge, the connection said.

On Feb. 25, 2026, Smith was taken into custody by the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office astatine the petition of Rockingham County authorities. She aboriginal posted $2,000 successful enslaved and is scheduled to look successful Rockingham County District Court connected March 26, 2026.

Missing ma recovered live aft 23 years reveals she near owed to home issues. North Carolina pistillate disappeared successful 2001, leaving household with questions. (Bring Michelle Hundely Smith Home/Facebook)

SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER

On Thursday, the New York Post reported that they had located Smith successful a trailer successful a agrarian assemblage adjacent the South Carolina authorities line.

"My girl is forgiving me. We are successful contact, truthful permission maine alone," she told the outlet.

Smith's neighbors said that she had "been present for years and years" and mostly keeps to herself. 

"We asked wherefore she didn’t travel retired of the location overmuch and she said her hubby passed. He passed past year… She was truly bittersweet astir it. She said she was depressed and stayed inside," the neighbour said.

Michelle Hundely Smith disappeared aft leaving her location successful North Carolina to spell Christmas buying successful Virginia successful December 2001.  (Bring Michelle Hundely Smith Home/Facebook)

In a 2018 interrogation connected "The Vanished Podcast," her daughter, Amanda Hundley, said her mother’s matrimony was unraveling nether the value of intoxicant abuse, infidelity and escalating marital arguments.

Smith had precocious mislaid her occupation astatine a veterinary signifier aft being fired for drinking connected the job, Hundley said.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB

"My dada didn’t similar the information that my ma hid her drinking. I knew astir it, and I was the lone one. And I felt, you know, I was young, and I felt obligated not to accidental thing to betray my mom," Hundley said connected the podcast.

SEND US A TIP HERE

According to Hundley, her begetter suspected the drinking but did not afloat recognize the grade of it until aft Smith vanished.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"He said, ‘Do you cognize wherever she kept the bottles at?’ And I showed them we had a small reddish gathering outside, and it was afloat of rum bottles, the empties, the ones that she had already drunk," recalled Hundley, who was 14 astatine the time.

The couple’s narration had besides deteriorated. Hundley said some her parents had affairs during the marriage. She described predominant arguments that "got carnal a fewer times."

Related Article