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Suspect in Michelle Parker's disappearance deposed in wrongful death suit

The only suspect in an Orlando woman’s disappearance is being questioned Thursday afternoon during a deposition in a civil lawsuit at the Morgan and Morgan offices.
Dale Smith is the defendant in a wrongful death suit filed by the family of Michelle Parker. The lawsuit was filed by Yvonne Stewart, Parker’s mother, after her daughter’s disappearance in 2011.
Smith was never charged, but Parker's family doesn't believe that he's innocent, and he was questioned Thursday as part of the lawsuit.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Photos: Images of Michelle Parker

The deposition didn't offer any insight into where Parker might be.

Belvin Perry, Parker's attorney and a Channel 9 legal analyst, questioned Smith and said the deposition went as expected.

Perry told Channel 9 that Smith was calm during the deposition, and that he answered questions, but he pleaded the 5th on many questions that had to do with his ex-fianceé’s missing person's case.
“If you take the 5th Amendment, you don't want to talk. That means there is something you don’t want to share,” Perry said.
Stewart was hoping that the civil suit might bring some answers in the case.
“His answers were very limited and there were no answers to what happened to her,” said Stewart.
Smith's attorney, Steven Calavacca, said he advised his client to plead the 5th on some of the questions that could incriminate him.
Calavacca told Channel 9 that Smith has given three statements to police, and that was enough.
Calavacca said Smith denied knowing anything about Parker's whereabouts.

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