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A North Carolina woman who was reported missing more than two decades ago was found alive, bringing a 24-year investigation to a close, authorities said.
The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office said Michelle Hundely Smith, who disappeared in December 2001, was located on Feb. 20 in North Carolina after detectives received new information about her case.
Smith was 38 years old when her husband reported that she had left their Eden home on Dec. 9, 2001, to go Christmas shopping in Martinsville, Virginia, and never returned. Her vehicle was also never located.
An extensive investigation followed, involving multiple agencies across North Carolina and Virginia, including the State Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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Michelle Hundely Smith disappeared after leaving her home in North Carolina to go Christmas shopping in Virginia in December 2001. (Bring Michelle Hundely Smith Home/Facebook)
Despite years of investigative work, her whereabouts remained unknown until last week, when Sgt. Disher and Detective Worley made contact with Smith at an “undisclosed location within North Carolina alive and well,” after receiving a tip.
At her request, officials said her current location will not be disclosed. Her family has been notified that she has been located and informed of her wishes.
The motive for her disappearance remains unknown.
“The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office extends its sincere gratitude to the many agencies and investigators who dedicated substantial time, resources, and unwavering determination to this case over the years,” the agency wrote on Facebook.
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A missing persons flyer circulated at the time of Michelle Hundely Smith’s disappearance in December 2001. (Bring Michelle Hundely Smith Home/Facebook)
“Their persistence and commitment ultimately led to the locating of Michelle Hundely Smith and is a testament to the dedication of the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office and the Criminal Investigations Division, and the many other Law Enforcement agencies that have assisted throughout the years.”
For years, Smith’s cousin Barbara Byrd searched for answers about her whereabouts, with her family even turning to true crime podcasts and television shows to keep her name in the news.
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“I kind of want to go outside and scream, ‘she’s alive, she’s alive,’” Byrd told WFMY.
“For years, we didn’t know if we were grieving or waiting,” she added.
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However, the reality that Smith has been alive and well for 24 years has reportedly left Byrd with conflicting feelings about how to proceed.
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“My biggest question is to her… what happened all those years ago in December? What made you leave? What happened?” Byrd said.
Michelle Hundely Smith was found living a new life in North Carolina after disappearing 24 years ago, according to the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office. (Bring Michelle Hundely Smith Home/Facebook)
While Byrd is relieved that her cousin was found, the reality that Smith does not want her location shared is adding a new layer of confusion within the family, though she insists she is choosing to be grateful.
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“I understand and respect that she doesn’t want any of us to contact her,” Byrd told WFMY. “I’m not angry.”
“The biggest answer I had today was [that] she was alive. Nothing else matters right at this moment,” she said.
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Smith’s daughter Amanda told the outlet she had only been recently informed of the development regarding her mother’s whereabouts and is still processing the news.
“As far as my opinions and feelings on my mom, I am ecstatic, I am p—-ed, I am heartbroken, I am all over the map! Will I have a relationship once more with my mom?” Smith’s daughter said in the statement posted to a Facebook account used to help find her missing mother.
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“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,” she added. “But even then, my mom is only human, just as we all are.”