Volunteers, police regroup in search for missing mom

It's been 26 days, and there's still no sign of missing mom Michelle Parker. It's such a mystery that volunteers admitted to WFTV's Renee Stoll that they don't know where to look next.

On Tuesday, WFTV got a better understanding from detectives just how tough this case is.

On scene at the search command center Tuesday, it looked as though searchers have quit looking for Parker, but they want to assure everyone that is not the case.

"We haven't given up by any means; we just have to regroup," said volunteer coordinator Angela Mann.

COMPLETE COVERAGE: Michelle Parker case

GALLERY: Images of Michelle Parker

The parking lot at the Barn in Sanford was barer than usual as about a dozen volunteers who normally man the command center are taking at least one day off from searching for Parker.

"I mean we've been at it for almost a month now. We have to step back a second, get our thoughts in order," Mann said.

This comes just days after two new search efforts: the first in a canal behind a home owned by the father of the only suspect, Dale Smith Jr., and the second in east Orange County, where Parker's family was asked to stand by.

The lead detective on the case, Mike Moreschi of Orlando Police, said he feels confident that investigators have searched these two locations and another at Lake Ellenor thoroughly.

"I'm coming up on my 21st year at OPD and this has been the most massive effort I've ever been a part of," Moreschi said. "Twenty-six days into this and we still got a lot to do, and that's good. Anytime you have an investigation and it ends quickly and don't have anything to do -- that's not a good sign."

Police won't go into further detail where they may plan to search next, or just how much information they were able to get off Parker's iPhone, which was found last week submerged under a Belle Isle bridge.

For volunteers, their break won't last long.

"Our main focus is still bringing Michelle home, but we have to figure out kind of how we're going to do that from here," Mann said.

The volunteers will get back together either Wednesday or Thursday to figure out if they want to keep the command center in Sanford, or move it back closer to search efforts in Orlando.