And she's like, "please come with me. That technology uncovered a soil disturbance under the deck as well as four soil samples that tested positive for human blood; an April evacuation also tested positive for blood. James Murphy: If it was, in fact, a piece of jewelry that matched Kristin's jewelry, it would have been blockbuster evidence. Any evidence that might have been there was long gone. After apparently becoming intoxicated, Smart headed back to her dorm with fellow partiers Tim Davis and Cheryl Anderson. He'd go through tunnels, under bridges, looking for his daughter and expecting best case scenario. Like so many freshmen, Kristin struggled. Attorney Harold Mesick said Monday that the evidence against the father was so minimal as to shock the conscience.. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says. They were soon joined by another partygoer, Paul Flores. All Rights reserved. He later told investigators that he walked her as far as his dorm, where they parted ways. Kristin did not have a purse, money, her I.D. I think they're just waiting to see what the outcome is going to be. D.A. Cole also talked about his interview with Jennifer Hudson in November 2019. At the time, they did not know about a missing college student. The sheriff's office seized the trailer and Det. So many people have played such important roles over the past 25 years, and we are humbled by the amazing support and generosity we have received. That's when Cole said Ruben asked why they would also be collecting DNA from Susan Flores and her boyfriend and Ruben told him, "They did not commit a felony, only I did.". Chris Lambert: And that's when they're told that earring has been misplaced. He said a chemical called Bluestar, which detects bodily fluids, was used on the trailer and that there was a reaction on the right side of the trailer showing a stain that could be similar to a human being lying on its side. I was afraid Id end up missing or buried someplace, she says. The Kristin Smart disappearance: After 26 years, Paul Flores is convicted of murder 20 photos. Chris Lambert: They did a significant amount of digging underneath the house. Four months after that futile search, Paul Flores was brought before a grand jury. Chris Lambert: So, if you believe Paul's story, he goes into his dorm room here. Griffin Cherry was her close friend: When asked about how he got the injury Flores told three different stories. After over 25 years, there is no evidence that Paul Flores committed the crimes for which there is no evidence.. That's been our goal. She was she was frantic I don't understand this, you know? Lourdes Aguiar is the senior producer. An important tip came in after a February 2020 search of Paul, Susan and Ruben's properties. But the judge indicated he would set a reasonable bail amount Wednesday for the father, who has health problems is currently in the San Luis Obispo jail on $250,000 bail. SUSAN FLORES: [Long pause, grabs water bottle] Of course not. D.A. Murphy alleges four nights later, strange activity was seen at Ruben's house. Jonathan Vigliotti: There was a lot of evidence that could have been gathered, that wasn't. That's when Denise Smart learned her daughter had not been seen all weekend, and all her belongings were still in her dorm room. Kristin Smart 19, a freshman at California Polytechnic State University had gone to a party on Friday, May 24 , 1996 -- and has not been seen since. But cadaver dogs told a different story. When they were deposed by James Murphy, they also insisted their son was not involved. The Sheriffs Office investigators and forensic specialists assigned to Ms. Smarts case executed 18 search warrants, submitted 37 items that were collected in the early days of the case for DNA testing, recovered 140 new items of evidence and conducted 91 interviews from 2011 to 2020, the office said. Paul Flores, right, in court with his attorney Richard Hutton in 1996. Smart was declared dead in 2002. They were after Paul Flores for an outstanding DUI warrant. But 22 years later, when he couldn't find any recent stories about the case, he decided to do something. The Smarts say they tried to file a missing person's report with the local police but were told it was too early, and the FBI told them Cal Poly police were in charge. Hudson previously testified during the preliminary hearing that while hanging out with a group of skateboarders in San Luis Obispo in 1996, she heard Paul Flores use a derogatory term to refer to Kristin Smart and say, "I'm done playing with her and I put her out underneath my ramp in Huasna.". His father was found not guilty of helping to hide her body. Peuvrelle, who said Ruben Flores has helped cover up the crime for nearly a quarter-century, would continue to do so if freed. And while they did not rush to investigate Flores, Kristin's family says campus police were very quick to judge her. She was never seen. His father Ruben Flores charged with being an accessory after the factwas found not guilty. According to a county probation bail report obtained by the San Luis Obispo Tribune, "biological evidence" was found under Ruben's deck. By the time they inspected Flores's room, Kristin had been gone for 16 days. Kristin Smart: Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong calls the Smarts. James Murphy: It was just a sad phone call to have somebody say, our daughter disappeared and we think she's the victim of foul play and we'd like to pursue the guy that we think is responsible. Kristen has facial dimples. It was updated on October 22, 2022.). Nic Coury / AP. Peterson may or may not have been at the party Smart disappeared after. were in the room exactly where she had left them. Lambert also interviewed a woman who dated Flores until, she says, he became physically and verbally abusive. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Devastating. And yes, we did find physical evidence at, at least two homes. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. In October 2022,. In March, the Oakland Police Department released a statement saying that it had worked with the FBI and found no evidence indicating Durst was involved. She was never seen again. Witness Jennifer Hudson takes the stand, where she tells the court that, in 1996, when she was 17 years old, Flores laughingly told her he had taken care of Smart. James Murphy and Garin Sinclair look at the billboard that has been in their front yard for more than two decades. What happens next? The 100 Best Albums of 2022. So had Margarita Campos, who lived in the next room in Muir Hall. SHERIFF IAN PARKINSON [to reporters]: It's been a puzzle and it's a very slow process to find each of those little pieces some of that information came to light through the podcast many of you are familiar with. Nineteen-year-old Kristin Smart disappeared Memorial Day weekend of 1996. People are watching Ruben Flores and Susan Flores and Paul Flores. Denise Pearce | Longtime family friend: Things were gonna get better and, you know, and and they did. But further investigation of the Flores's two trucks seemed impossible. The Smart family. Jonathan Vigliotti: Is there any doubt in your mind that Paul Flores is responsible for the disappearance of Kristin Smart? His father, Ruben, is charged as an accessory. He says they are Ruben's ex-wife Susan and her boyfriend. Kristin Smart, a bright, adventurous communication studies freshman at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, went missing May 25, 1996. Flores was also in possession of Tramadol and Flexeril, known as date rape drugs. Chris Lambert: I brought them a number of witnesses that they were very interested in. DAN DOW [press conference]: We don't have evidence sufficient to charge anyone else at this time. Chris Lambert: Everything else, he took the Fifth Amendment. They told her Kristin had not been seen all weekend and asked if Kristin was with them. And yes, we believe it's linked to Kristin. Four months later, while attempting to reconcile, Susan rented out her house in Arroyo Grande. PODCAST EPISODE 4: At 8 a.m. on June 19th, 2000, a team of sheriff's investigators knocks on the front door of Susan Flores's East Branch Street home. His father, Ruben Flores, pleads not guilty to being an accessory to the crime after the fact. When they reached the turnoff to Cheryl's dorm, she says Flores tried to hug and kiss her. D.A. JAMES MURPHY: In May of 96 were you a student at Cal Poly? Proof of the L.A. charges cant act as a substitute for the SLO case.. That witness initially came forward to Chris Lambert, who passed the information to the sheriff's office and Murphy. No remains have been found. Onuma was evicted from a Kaneohe, Hawaii residence after his connection to the Kristen Modafferi . In one of Paul's police interviews he mentioned that he wanted to be let out of the interview because he needed to help clean up concrete at his mom's house So, what was being done in Susan Flores's backyard in the weeks after Kristin went missing? Another frustration for the Smarts: at the time Kristin disappeared, investigators weren't aware that Paul Flores's parents were separated and living apart. Mesick argued there were many innocent explanations why soil had previously been dug up in the yard. putting murder on the lawsuit was sending a message to Paul Flores and his family, that we believe that he killed Kristin and that we're coming for him. When authorities later confronted him with the two stories, Flores admitted lying and offered a new explanation. Cole also testified that the Flores family was wiretapped for 30 days starting on January 5, 2020. She loved swimming and skiing. Peterson. Paul and Ruben Flores appear at the San Luis Obispo Superior Court for the first time, at which time Judge Craig van Rooyen denies Deputy District Attorney Christopher Peuvrelles request to add two rape charges against Paul, according to The Tribune of San Luis Obispo. Denise Pearce: The phone call never comes. The podcast, "Your Own Backyard,"has drawn millions of listeners and focused renewed attention on this decades old case. PODCAST EPISODE 1: Kristin broke down begging her mother to let her drop out and go somewhere else. And she was growing as an individual. On Tuesday, Cole testified that Ruben clarified that he meant he was the only one of the three who had been arrested. That turned out to be college. In March 2021, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office served a search warrant at the Arroyo Grande home of Ruben Flores. Jonathan Vigliotti: And that phone call never comes. Just days after she disappeared, an incident report seemed to imply that Kristin's behavior contributed to her disappearance. James Murphy: They're interested in seeing Paul Flores get convicted and Ruben Flores get held accountable. Ruben will be released on bail that he can afford. Chris Lambert: It's mostly frat guys from the Kappa Chi fraternity. Cole testified about why investigators believe a crime was committed at Ruben's property on White Court in Arroyo Grande. You just don't talk, and you get away with it. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time The arrests of the father and son came after investigators using ground-penetrating radar and cadaver dogs discovered evidence connected directly to Smarts death last month during a search at Ruben Flores home, authorities said. So before leaving, Margarita handed over her keys to get back into Muir Hall. The mother is washing her car in the driveway at one point. JAMES MURPHY: Has your son ever told you that he did not kill Kristin Smart? Paul Flores, 44, has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge. They believe they can prove Paul Flores is responsible for the disappearance of Kristin Smart. Van Rooyen saying that his release could result in great bodily harm to the public. Nikki Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for the court, said the documents were not supposed to be public. The next morning, Margarita waited to hear from Kristin. Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. JAMES MURPHY: Would you state your full name for the record please. She had taken a job at a coffee shop to pay for a photography course at U.C. Chris Lambert's podcast caught the attention of millions of listeners and sparked new interest in the decades-old unsolved case of Kristin Smart. Jonathan Vigliotti | CBS News correspondent: You wanted to go home, and you were trying to find a way to break it to your friend. Judge van Rooyen announced in April that the trial would be moved to Monterey County, about 140 miles north of San Luis Obispo, after the defense team requested the change of venue because of extensive publicity around the case. Greg Fisher and Michelle Fanucci are the development producers. When they showed up, it was Paul Flores. Related Stories In addition, the documents include a phone tap from January 2020 in which Pauls mother, Susan, tells her son: The other thing I need you to do is to start listening to the podcast. Chris Lambert and it worked. Please come with me." October 22, 2022 / 10:10 PM The search for Ms. Smart, who was nicknamed Roxy, took many forms. Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife and son, Biden had cancerous skin lesion removed last month, doctor says, White supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes kicked out of CPAC, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Biden team readies new advisory panel ahead of expected reelection bid, At least 10 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, House Democrats unhappy with White House handling of D.C.'s new criminal code. During Tuesday's hearing, San Luis Obispo County. And they told Lambert they weren't surprised when they heard about Flores's connection to Kristin's disappearance. After a lengthy hearing, San Luis Obispo County Judge Craig B. Smart's body was recently moved from the home of Ruben Flores, a prosecutor said. Lindsey Smart Stewart: "You should go to Cal Poly. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. And when they did . And my roommate actually kicked down the door to make him stop. An earring that appeared to match the necklace Kristin is wearing on the billboard. The 18- year old coed from North Carolina was taking a summer photography class at the University of Califorina Berkeley when she vanished June 23rd, 1997. That warrant allowed them to dig up the backyard, but deputies chose not to excavate. In his complaint, Murphy alleges, along with Ruben, there were two other unnamed individuals. Cadaver dogs trained to detect human decomposition were deployed by the F.B.I. It was turned over to a detective with the San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Office, but Garin Sinclair says, the Smarts never knew it existed until the Lassiters were deposed in January 1997. Margarita Campos: I mean, she was gone. For more than two decades, her family, friends, and supporters searched for answers and for justice. I did have guilt about that. On Oct. 18, Paul Flores was found guilty of murdering Ms. Smart. Kristin Smart went missing on May 25, 1996 while attending California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and has not been heard from since. James Murphy: And it's 2:30 and 3 o'clock in the morning at Cal Poly this is not a a location from which Paul alone could easily move a body without a vehicle. In March 2021, investigators used cadaver dogs and ground-penetrating radar to search Ruben Floress property in Arroyo Grande, Calif. Paul Flores was taken into custody at his home in the San Pedro section of Los Angeles on April 13, 2021, and was charged with murder.