Thursday, February 26, 2026 - A North Carolina mother of three who vanished more than two decades ago has told investigators the reason she ditched her home.
Michele Lyn Hundley Smith was 38 when she disappeared in
December 2001. At the time, she told her family she was heading out from her
home in Eden to do Christmas shopping at a Kmart in Virginia, according to the
Rockingham County Sheriff's Office.
She was never seen again until last week.
Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page said Smith recently told
authorities she left voluntarily due to “ongoing domestic issues.” He did not
provide details about those issues and noted that there had been no documented
reports of domestic incidents at the residence at the time of her
disappearance.
Officials emphasized there were no indications of foul play
connected to her departure.
Smith’s disappearance triggered an extensive search effort in 2001, involving multiple agencies across North Carolina and Virginia, including the FBI. Investigators pursued numerous leads and distributed missing-person flyers describing her as endangered and stating she “would not leave her kids by choice.”
On Friday last week, authorities announced that Smith had
been located “alive and well” at an undisclosed location in North Carolina
after receiving a tip. Her family has since been notified.
In a statement posted to Facebook over the weekend, one of
Smith’s daughters described a flood of emotions following the discovery.
“These last couple of days have been a whirlwind,” she wrote,
expressing a mix of joy, anger, heartbreak, and confusion.
The daughter said she remains uncertain about whether she
will rebuild a relationship with her mother, acknowledging the pain caused by
her long absence while also reflecting on the love and positive memories they
once shared.
“When my mom was part of my daily life, she showed me a love
and bond that will never be forgotten,” she wrote, adding that despite past
arguments, what stands out now are the happy moments they experienced together.
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