Missing North Carolina Mother Found and Arrested on 2001 Warrant
Found Feb. 20 in North Carolina, Michele Hundley Smith was arrested on a 2001 failure-to-appear warrant tied to a Nov. 11, 2001 DWI; she posted $2,000 bond and a March 26, 2026 court date is set.
Daily BeastMom of 3 Missing for 24 Years Makes Bombshell Admission After Being Found
FOX NewsAlleged criminal history of missing mom found after 24 years catches up with her
USA TODAYMissing mother found after 24 years arrested for 2001 warrant
NBC NewsNorth Carolina mother missing for 24 years is arrested in 2001 case days after she was found
Overview
Detectives located Michele Hundley Smith at an undisclosed North Carolina location on Feb. 20, and Robeson County deputies arrested her on an outstanding order for arrest on Feb. 25, 2026, the sheriff’s office said.
The arrest stems from an outstanding order for arrest for failure to appear on a DWI charge issued Nov. 11, 2001, after Smith missed a Dec. 27, 2001 court date, authorities said.
Amanda Smith, who led the public search, wrote on a Facebook page dedicated to her mother that Michele chose a new life and that they are in contact, according to her posts.
Smith was 38 when she vanished, is now reported to be 62 to 63 years old, has three children, and posted $2,000 bond after the arrest, court records and officials said.
The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office said the district attorney’s office is conducting a full review and that Smith is scheduled to appear in Rockingham County District Court on March 26, 2026.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources report this story neutrally: they rely on official records and agency statements, use factual chronology, and avoid loaded language. For example, they cite sheriff’s office news releases, court records, and NCIC alerts, present dates and procedural details, and do not editorialize or speculate about motives or circumstances.
FAQ
Smith was reported missing on December 9, 2001, after her husband said she left their Eden home to go Christmas shopping at a K-Mart in Martinsville, Virginia, and never returned.
The warrant was issued for failure to appear in court on December 27, 2001, for a DWI charge cited by Eden police on November 11, 2001.
She was located by detectives on February 20, 2026, in St. Pauls, North Carolina, and arrested by Robeson County deputies on February 25, 2026.
She posted $2,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Rockingham County District Court on March 26, 2026; the district attorney’s office is reviewing the case.
Amanda Smith, who led the search, posted on Facebook that her mother chose a new life and that they are now in contact.
