Missing Mum Found After 24 Years Cites 'Ongoing Domestic Issues', Arrested on DWI Warrant

A 62-year-old woman who was missing for 24 years and was found alive and living a new life was taken into custody on a 2001 DWI warrant, authorities confirmed. Michele Hundley Smith from North Carolina was 38 years old when she disappeared on Dec. 9, 2001. She was reported missing by her husband, who said she had gone to K-Mart in Virginia for holiday shopping but never returned.

Arrests on Decades-Old DWI Warrant

Over two decades later, authorities confirmed having made contact with her at an undisclosed location. They said she was alive and well and requested that information on her whereabouts be withheld.

In a recent turn of events, a Rockingham County Sheriff's Office press release states that Smith was taken into custody in Robeson County on an outstanding failure-to-appear warrant related to a November 2001 DWI charge.

According to the press release, court records indicate that Smith was cited for driving while impaired on Nov. 11, 2001, and did not appear in court on Dec. 27, 2001. Michele Hundley Smith was arrested on Feb. 25, 2026. She posted bail on the same day. Her next court appearance is on March 26, 2026, according to a People report.

Claims of Domestic Issues and Prosecutorial Response

Smith, who has two daughters and one son with her husband, told investigators that ongoing domestic issues were her reason for leaving her family in 2001. According to authorities, no domestic reports related to Smith's claim were found on file, and there has been no evidence of foul play.

On filing criminal charges against Smith's disappearance, such as abandonment, Rockingham County District Attorney Katie Gregg stated that no sufficient evidence was available. Her DWI charge, on the other hand, had not been dismissed.

According to news reports, the investigation into Smith's disappearance remained active, with the help of local and state agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

Daughter Speaks Out After Mother's Reappearance

In a previous report, Smith's daughter, Amanda, had taken to social media to express her reaction to her mother resurfacing after over two decades of being missing, at which time she had been actively posting on social media for the public to help her locate her missing mother.

Upon finding Smith, Amanda said she was 'ecstatic, pissed, and heartbroken.' In a post on social media, Amanda said, 'Will I have a relationship once more with my mom? Honestly I can't answer that because I don't even know... My initial reaction would be yes absolutely but then I think of all the hurt... But even then ... My mom is only human just as we all are.'​

Amanda posted on the Facebook page she created in her search for her missing mother, Bring Michele Hundley Smith Home, 'I will say that my mother chose her new life and we know she is alive, and for now that is enough,' as shared by NBC News.

She also wrote, 'My dad has been through so many accusations since all the way back then. My father has been through so much and I want it made clear that while their marriage had issues (just as many marriages go through) that my mom did not leave simply bc of a bad marriage.'

According to the sheriff's office, the district attorney's office is carrying out a thorough investigation of the case.