ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, N.C. — A woman reported missing in December 2001 has been located alive in North Carolina, the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office said Friday.
Michelle Hundely Smith, 38 at the time of her disappearance, went missing after leaving her Eden home to go Christmas shopping in Martinsville, Virginia. Despite decades of investigation involving multiple agencies, including the FBI, DEA, and North Carolina SBI, her whereabouts remained unknown until this month.
New information in February 2026 prompted detectives to follow up, leading to Smith’s safe recovery. At her request, her current location is being kept private, and family members have been notified…