But Paul Flores remained behind bars help without bail. Cole testified about why investigators believe a crime was committed at Ruben's property on White Court in Arroyo Grande. So before leaving, Margarita handed over her keys to get back into Muir Hall. It did produce some information that I believe was valuable, he said. Denise Pearce: The investigation was completely botched by the campus police. Mesick argued there were many innocent explanations why soil had previously been dug up in the yard. The defense wants to suppress some of these searches, though, claiming that they were done illegally or without warrants. Also taking the witness stand on Wednesday was Edward Chadwell. "48 Hours" looks back to their arrests and how the saga began. But 22 years later, when he couldn't find any recent stories about the case, he decided to do something. Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. So now you've got three different stories about how he got that black eye. Chris Lambert: It's hard to take too much credit But I was one piece of the puzzle that helped to make this all come together when it did. Paul Flores and defense attorney Robert Sanger in court on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. And she was growing as an individual. Recently unsealed court documents show the extent to which law enforcement has looked into Flores over the years: 48 search warrants involving wiretaps and GPS tracking, and a search of Flores former Cal Poly dorm room. And there would be more disappointment in 2007, after the Smart's legal team searched a small portion of Susan Flores's backyard with ground penetrating radar and did not find any evidence. His father, Ruben, will be tried as an accessory to the crime. ", Although suspicion surrounded Flores almost from the beginning, any hopes for an arrest were dashed in May 1997 when then-Sheriff Ed Williams made an admission to the San Luis Obispo Telegraph: "We need Paul Flores to tell us what happened to Kristin Smart so absent something from Mr. Flores, I don't see us completing this case.". They have not been able to proceed with the civil case while there was an ongoing criminal investigation, but that didn't stop them from following every lead and preparing for an eventual trial. San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office, via Associated Press. She feared for her life, so did not tell anyone at the time or for years after. It's fine. 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. They seized digital devices during the search and, in April 2020, executed another search on Paul Flores property in San Pedro. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. The trial got underway with opening statements on July 18 in Monterey County Superior Court in Salinas. Chris Lambert: I personally think that wherever Kristin went, Paul was there with her. Kristen Modaferri Observer file Family and friends of a Charlotte woman who has been missing for nearly two decades are awaiting results after a possible break in the case came Thursday.. Kristen was in her first year at Cal Poly when she vanished in 1996. Podcaster Lambert will not be called to the stand during the Kristin Smart murder hearing. JAMES MURPHY: Has your son ever told you that he did not kill Kristin Smart? https://www.nytimes.com/article/kristin-smart-case-timeline.html. We want to hear it. so eventually he unlocked you know, the apartment door, and I left. Paul Flores pleads not guilty to the murder and attempted rape of Smart. Ken Blum is the editor. Just days after she disappeared, an incident report seemed to imply that Kristin's behavior contributed to her disappearance. Chris Lambert: I didn't know the scale. JAMES MURPHY: Would you state your full name for the record please. 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 1997 when Paul Flores was deposed for the civil suit, the only thing he would confirm on tape was his name. First published on November 28, 2020 / 11:10 PM. An earring that appeared to match the necklace Kristin is wearing on the billboard. Attorney Harold Mesick said Monday that the evidence against the father was so minimal as to shock the conscience.. Chris Lambert: I remember seeing it on the news it was something scary and they were talking about it pretty regularly. They were after Paul Flores for an outstanding DUI warrant. Jonathan Vigliotti: Is there any doubt in your mind that Paul Flores is responsible for the disappearance of Kristin Smart? SHERIFF IAN PARKINSON [at press conference]: Forensic physical evidence was located. And that's what I've been doing for a long, long time, along with a lot of other people. Jonathan Vigliotti [with Lambert outside of the the dorms]: Paul and Kristin then make their way here. PODCAST | EPISODE 1: At least once a day I asked myself what are you doing? But one of those friends told police Flores already had the black eye when he arrived. Chadwell answered no. It's just a motivator for me. So, she slowed down and walked with them. The document presented summaries of why prosecutors didn't want either man to be released pending a trial that could be years away. You, youre the one that can tell me, a reference to Lamberts Your Own Backyard, the podcast about Smart and Flores that has brought new attention to the case. Cadaver dogs trained to detect human decomposition were deployed by the F.B.I. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says. Chris Lambert: As they describe it, Paul Flores just sort of appears out of nowhere. And I was like, "nah, I have to study." He promised the Smarts that solving Kristin's case would be a priority. Paul Flores may have wanted a fresh start in Southern California, but Chris Lambert says, he could not seem to break old habits. They might have found evidence in those vehicles. Chris Lambert: And that's when they're told that earring has been misplaced. Prosecutor Chris Peuvrelle asked him if he found the remains of any monkeys or ferrets or any human bodies on the property. 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. Nic Coury / AP. The evidentiary hearing is underway and witnesses are testifying in front of Superior Court Judge Craig van Rooyen about Flores interactions with Smart. PODCAST EPISODE 1: I googled Kristin Smart's name every few years. Unsealed court documents in the Kristin Smart murder case include allegations of a discovery of human blood and witnesses who claim to have seen suspicious . Chris Lambert: Paul worked with a number of women that he made incredibly uncomfortable girls who he tried to make a pass at sexually, girls that he tried to force to kiss him. By the time they inspected Flores's room, Kristin had been gone for 16 days. In high school he was known as a loner. Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. Jonathan Vigliotti: They thought she was off possibly having fun. It had been the focus of widespread speculation for more than two decades especially her planter boxes. Paul Flores isnt granted bail, with Judge Craig B. to search on and near the Cal Poly campus. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. James Murphy: To see them in custody was a feeling of great joy for me. Nineteen-year-old Kristin Smart disappeared Memorial Day weekend of 1996. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. That witness initially came forward to Chris Lambert, who passed the information to the sheriff's office and Murphy. most importantly they wanna find their daughter. It worked. were in the room exactly where she had left them. I told her I didn't I didn't want to go. No charges were filed, but Lambert discovered Flores's troubles started at a young age. Garin Sinclair: He never once turned to the Smart family and said, hey, we have an earring, we'd like to show it to you to see if it matches any of your daughter's jewelry. Kristin's mother, Denise Smart, spent Memorial Day weekend at a swim meet with her two younger kids. Even more difficult to understand was why they waited two months to search the family home where Paul Flores was living with his father, Ruben. She and all who have worked so hard toward this day deserve nothing less.. That turned out to be college. Related Stories James Murphy: Well, the location where all this activity occurred is where they found the biological material. Lindsey Smart Stewart: It just amazes me the amount of evidence that's available, yet nothing has happened. James Murphy: I'm not at liberty to describe how it was documented. Just days after taking over the investigation, the San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Office brought several dogs trained to detect human remains, to the Cal Poly dorms. Jonathan Vigliotti: There was a lot of focus on how Kristin was drinking what sounded a lot like victim shaming. James Murphy: Every day. Chris Lambert says, two days after that, when Flores was interviewed by campus police, they asked how he got his black eye as well as scratches on his hands and knees. . And these girls are inviting us out. JAMES MURPHY: Your husband have information as to where Kristin Smart's body is located? And the body's not there now. But as Chris Lambert learned, campus police did not act right away. Jonathan Vigliotti: She had just 40 yards to go and yet she vanished. The excavation below his deck showed damning evidence that a body had been buried in that location and then recently moved, prosecutor Christopher Peuvrelle said. The two girls walked to an area off campus where there were fraternities, sororities and residential housing for students. Chris Lambert: Kristin became incredibly intoxicated, whether she was drugged or whether she just had a lot to drink in a short amount of time She ends up passed out on the lawn next door. Cole testified that Hudson told him about Paul's statement and that she'd also seen Paul with his white pickup truck at the skateboard ramp in Huasna. Ruben Flores was acquitted by a separate jury. D.A. James Murphy: Paul Flores had a reputation amongst the girls that knew him at Cal Poly as being a creeper that he was always trying to hit on women. JAMES MURPHY: In May of 96 were you a student at Cal Poly? Even worse they never sealed his dorm room. every piece of evidence points directly at Paul Flores. After a lengthy hearing, San Luis Obispo County Judge Craig B. Despite the fact that law enforcement had collected substantial evidence that Kristin Smart may have had reason not to return to her dorm room after leaving (fellow party-goers) Cheryl (Manzer) Anderson and Paul Flores and despite the fact that they had collected substantial evidence that there were multiple potential suspects who stalked, harassed or otherwise had conflicts with Kristin Smart, law enforcement made an early choice to change their focus to murder and to Paul Flores as the only suspect, Sanger wrote in a defense motion. He later told investigators that he walked her as far as his dorm, where they parted ways. "48 Hours" has learned these suspicions center around evidence found during that 2020 search of Paul Flores' home. 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. PAUL FLORES: On the advice of my attorney . and I was like, "Noooo.". Sources tell us investigators discovered videos and photographs on Flores' computer showing him engaged in sexual activity with at least 10 different women, apparently in various states of consciousness. They also did not focus on Paul Flores immediately, waiting six days to formally interview him. Case The mother is washing her car in the driveway at one point. And for the first time clues about what may have happened to Kristin Smart. Denise Pearce: She was becoming more and more alarmed, you know? When they were deposed by James Murphy, they also insisted their son was not involved. 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. I don't think she went back to her dorm at all. The Smart's attorney James Murphy, and his wife and office manager Garin Sinclair, have had Kristin's billboard in their front yard since late 1997. In February 2020, the authorities executed search warrants at four locations in California and Washington State and recovered what the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office described as items of interest. One location was the Los Angeles home of Paul Flores, KCAL-TV reported. But as Chris Lambert learned, Flores's pattern of behavior with women didn't stop. The elder Flores is charged with accessory after the fact to the crime of murder for allegedly helping Paul conceal Smarts body. Produced by Lisa Freed. Below, Rolling Stone outlines where the Smart case is now: San Luis Obispo District Attorney Dan Dow announces chargesagainst Paul Flores and his father Ruben in connection with what he calls the 1996 homicide of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart. Paul Flores, right, in court with his attorney Richard Hutton in 1996. The judge in the case has issued a gag order preventing lawyers, investigators, witnesses and others from speaking about the case or releasing documents. He built the home on White Court for Ruben and Susan Flores in 1991. Two days after her daughter went missing, Denise Smart got a call from Cal Poly's campus police. He invoked the Fifth Amendment 27 times. She left around 2 a.m. and was accompanied by Paul Flores, who was also a student at Cal Poly. PODCAST EPISODE 2 | WOMAN #1: I wasn't surprised, but there's also that shock value of kind of "oh my god, I knew it! The 100 Best Albums of 2022. And Murphy and Sinclair believe they can prove it. It encouraged the previously reluctant to come forward. This obviously gave law enforcement new leads to follow and connect with what they already were holding close.. Ruben Flores and his estranged wife Susan have always denied any role in Kristin Smart's disappearance. Kristin Smart: Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong calls the Smarts. The Tribune said it got the public documents from the courthouse in the city 160 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Kristen was in her first year at Cal Poly when she vanished in 1996. 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. On Monday, he questioned why investigators needed to keep searching for evidence after making arrests. James Murphy: He lied to the police about everything. Jonathan Vigliotti: How did you know she hadn't been back? Det. Anyone can read what you share. 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. Jonathan Vigliotti: What toll over time did this have on your parents? The Kristin Smart Scholarship has been established by her family to help other college bound women pursue their dreams. Cole said that Ruben then clarified that he meant he was the only one of the three to have been arrested. In April 2021, investigators charged Paul Flores, left, with Kristin Smart's murder, and his then-80-year-old father Ruben, as an accessory after the fact. He discussed some of the evidence that was collected during searches of the property, including anomalies in the backyard and a 4-foot deep hole under the deck containing fibers and human blood. 1 of 47. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. But cadaver dogs told a different story. Chris Lambert: They did a significant amount of digging underneath the house. Plans & Pricing . Chris Lambert: There was a man climbing her trellis and trying to get inside her balcony, very intoxicated and refusing to leave. Oct. 18, 2022 In the spring of 1996, Kristin Smart, a 19-year-old college student, left an off-campus party in San Luis Obispo, Calif., and walked home to her dormitory. Through the years, the Smarts have kept pressure on the Flores family. DAN DOW [press conference]: But the allegation that he was committing or attempting to commit a rape when he killed her, is the basis for which we are able to file first-degree felony murder charges. Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Craig van Rooyen rules that having the podcaster testify and release his records would have a chilling effect on the medias ability to do their job. 7,781 days.. That is all it took. to California to search for Kristen Modafferi.

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