Michele Hundley Smith, missing since 2001, found alive in NC, arrested on old warrant, no charges for disappearance.

Michele Hundley Smith, who vanished in December 2001 after leaving her children, was found alive in February 2026 in North Carolina. Authorities confirmed she left voluntarily due to personal struggles, with no evidence of foul play. She was located after a new lead in a national database prompted renewed investigation. Smith, now 63, had been living quietly in a rural area, reportedly isolated and grieving her husband’s recent death. She was arrested on a 2001 warrant for failing to appear in court, posted bond, and is set to appear in court on March 26. Prosecutors will not charge her for her disappearance.