Medical examiner reviews death of Dale Smith Jr.'s ex-wife

Some newly formed idea suggestion that something other than an accidental overdose occurred. New details tonight of the case involving Dale Smith Jr., the man charged in connection with his ex-fiancee, Michelle Parker's, disappearance. It is a cold case that has haunted central Florida for over a decade, and now law enforcement experts say Smith's past could be playing a bigger role in the investigation. Welcome in at 6, I'm Jack Royer. Good evening, I'm Luanne Sorrell. The medical examiner is now looking into the death of his late wife, Shannon Collins Smith. Hannah McKenzie spoke with her mother today. Shannon Collins, Smith's mother, tells me the family is extremely grateful the medical examiner is reviewing the case and they're awaiting the results. Still, she stresses they don't want attention pulled from Michelle Parker's case or her family's quest for answers. More than 25 years after the death of Shannon Collins-Smith, the District 9 Medical Examiner's Office confirming Thursday they're reviewing her case. Collins-Smith was married to Dale Smith Jr. before he was engaged to Michelle Parker. Parker went missing in 2011. Smith is now charged with second-degree murder in connection to her disappearance, although a body was never found. Smith has pled not guilty. But the fact the ME's office is reviewing Colin Smith's death is interesting, says Jamie Copenhaver. What I think I'm taking away from this, there's some newly formed idea, suggestion. That something other than an accidental overdose occurred. A former Orange County Sheriff's detective, Copenhaver was part of the original case and is very familiar with Colin Smith's death in 2001. According to investigators, she died at a house party. Her death ruled accidental. MDMA was found in her system. When I saw MDMA slash ecstasy, I thought party drug. You say not always. No, absolutely not. That type of drug will literally render you defenseless. Here's something else. Was that MDMA pure or was it laced with something other than the chemicals that make MDMA? We just don't know the answer to that. Maybe the medical examiner can expound on that on their second visit. There is something else they're looking at and they have seen that makes them say we must take a deeper dive and make sure this was truly accidental and not a homicide. Former FBI Special Agent Jennifer Coffendaffer didn't work the case but has studied it for years. She says Smith was in jail when Colin Smith died, serving time for a domestic violence incident seven months earlier. He was arrested after allegedly Pushing her, landing her in the hospital with a severe head injury. So often people think, well, if the person has an alibi and they weren't there, that they weren't involved. But the question is, did they have a motive? Dale Smith Jr. is currently being held on no bond in connection to the disappearance of Michelle Parker. He's due back in court Monday. In Orange County, Hannah McKenzie, Fox 35 News.