The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office announced on Feb. 20 that Michelle Hundely Smith had been found alive in an undisclosed location within North Carolina. Smith, 38 at the time, disappeared on Dec. 9, 2001, after leaving her Eden home to go Christmas shopping in Martinsville, Virginia, and never returned. Her vehicle was also never recovered.

Multiple agencies, including the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the FBI, had worked on the case for years without success. Detectives Sgt. A. Disher and Detective C. Worley located Smith last week following a new tip, and her family has been notified of her whereabouts. At her request, her current location remains private.

Smith’s cousin, Barbara Byrd, had long sought answers, turning to podcasts and television shows to keep attention on the case. Byrd described mixed emotions upon learning Smith was alive, saying, “For years, we didn’t know if we were grieving or waiting,” and expressed curiosity about why Smith disappeared all those years ago.

Smith’s daughter Amanda also reacted to the news, describing a mix of relief, anger, and heartbreak as she processes her mother’s return. She questioned whether a renewed relationship is possible but emphasized gratitude that her mother is alive.

The motive for Smith’s disappearance remains unknown, and authorities and family members continue to respect her wishes for privacy while celebrating her safe return after 24 years.