ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Five years after Michelle Parker disappeared, her family is seeking answers as they pursue a wrongful death civil lawsuit against her ex-fiance.
The family specifically wants answers to 100 questions to which Dale Smith Jr. pleaded the Fifth Amendment during a July deposition in the case.
"It shouldn't have to be this hard ,but it has been, so we are fighting the fight, keep fighting the fight," said Yyvonne Stewart, Parker's mother.
An Orange County judge on Tuesday ruled that Smith will have to answer some of the questions.
Smith, the lone suspect in Parker’s disappearance, refused to answer the questions over fears that testimony in the civil suit could be used against him in criminal court.
The questions that he did not answer mainly concerned previous allegations of violence and possible anger issues, and questions about Smith’s time in the military and his ex-wife.
Channel 9 legal analyst Belvin Perry said the attorneys for Parker's family are trying to establish whether Smith exhibited a pattern of violent behavior before he met Parker.
“It’s quite evident that his past has something to do with his present,” Perry said. “How much of his past has to do with his present? We don’t know. We are simply trying to evaluate and look at things at this time.”
Smith will be deposed in the case again, but a date was not available.
On Channel 9 Eyewitness News at 4 p.m., Shannon Butler will have a live report on what the hearing means, and at 5 p.m., Butler will discuss more about what the public has not heard from Smith.
Read previous stories related to the Michelle Parker case:
[ Michelle Parker's mom continues process to see grandchildren ]
[ Previous Story: Suspect in Orlando woman's disappearance deposed in wrongful death suit ]
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