A Florida man has been arrested on a murder charge nearly 15 years after his former fiancée, Michelle Parker, disappeared in Orlando, with investigators saying renewed evidence analysis and a review of conflicting statements helped advance the long-running case.

Dale Smith Jr. was arrested Wednesday morning by the Orlando Police Department’s fugitive task force and SWAT team on a charge of second-degree murder. Parker, a 33-year-old mother of three, disappeared on November 17, 2011. Her body has never been found.

Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith said investigators expanded the team assigned to Parker’s case over the past year, revisiting evidence and examining statements made during the original investigation.

“This case never stopped being a priority,” the chief said. “Our detectives kept working. They kept asking questions. They kept examining the evidence.”

Parker was last known to have been seen or heard from after dropping off her 3-year-old twins at Smith’s home on the day she disappeared, according to police. Investigators identified Smith as the last known person to have contact with her.

Detective McMicken said advances in technology have allowed investigators to analyze evidence from vehicles, phones, computers and other electronic devices more thoroughly than they could during the initial investigation. Some of the material had been available since 2011, while additional evidence was discovered over the past year.

“We’re able to better interpret that evidence today than we were able to do back in 2011,” McMicken said.

Investigators also revisited Smith’s interviews and depositions. McMicken said Smith repeatedly provided different answers to the same specific questions. Police declined to disclose the evidence underlying the murder charge, citing the need to protect the prosecution.

Parker’s disappearance attracted national attention because a previously recorded episode of The People’s Court featuring Parker and Smith aired on the same day she vanished. The episode centered on a dispute involving a $5,000 engagement ring.

The investigation took several unusual turns in the days following her disappearance. Parker’s black Hummer was found abandoned the next day, and decals advertising her tanning business had been removed. Her cellphone was later recovered from a lake near Belle Isle.

Despite years of investigation, authorities have never located Parker’s body, leaving her family without answers about what happened to her.

Police said the renewed investigation reflects their continued commitment to resolving the case and pursuing accountability.

“We owe it to Michelle and her family to make sure justice is served in this case,” Chief Smith said.