Woman Who Disappeared in 2001 Finally Located, Taken Into Custody

The FOX True Crime Podcast

Fox News

True Crime

4.7 • 826 Ratings

🗓️ 2 March 2026

⏱️ 1 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

A North Carolina mother of three who vanished in 2001 was located 24 years later and taken into custody on an outstanding warrant tied to a decades-old DWI charge, after telling investigators she left due to domestic issues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Gianno Jalosi with your Fox True Crime Minute.
0:02.8	A missing North Carolina mom of three has been found 24 years after she ran away and left her family,
0:07.7	and now she's in trouble with the law for an old drunk driving charge.
0:11.2	Michelle Hunley Smith, now 62 years old, was taken into custody February 25th on an outstanding failure-to-appear warrant,
0:17.9	tied to the November 2001 DWI charge.
0:20.4	Court record show Smith was cited for driving while impaired on November 11th, 2001. Smith was 38 years old when she disappeared December 9th, 2001 after she left her Rockingham County, North Carolina home to go Christmas shopping and never came back. Earlier this month, detectives tracked her down somewhere in North Carolina after getting some new information in the decades-old cold case.
0:39.2	The mother of three told investigators she left in 2001 because of ongoing domestic issues.
0:44.2	The Rockingham County District Attorney said there wasn't enough evidence to pursue criminal
0:47.9	charges related to Smith's disappearance, like abandonment, but the original DWI charge
0:52.5	remained active.
0:53.4	There's more on this story at Fox News.com or subscribe to the Fox True Crime Podcast.
0:57.3	I'm Gianna Jalosi with your Fox True Crime Minute.
1:00.1	This is Ainsley Earhart.
1:01.3	Thank you for joining me for the 52 episode podcast series, The Life of Jesus.
1:05.2	A listening experience that will provide hope, comfort, and understanding of the greatest story ever told.
1:10.0	Listen and follow now at Fox Newspodcasts.com or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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