The defense argued that other skateboarders who were at the San Luis Obispo location said they never saw Paul there, and Hudson's boyfriend denied ever seeing Paul in Huasna or anywhere else. By the time they called the Cal Poly campus police, Kristin had been missing for more than 48 hours. Chris Lambert: I think that might have been the biggest misstep that investigators have made to this day. Don Kelsen/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. Cadaver dogs trained to detect human decomposition were deployed by the F.B.I. Paul Flores pleads not guilty to the murder and attempted rape of Smart. 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. During Tuesdays hearing, San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Detective Clint Cole testified about a conversation he had with Ruben Flores at his Arroyo Grande home when Cole was there to obtain a DNA swab. They also did not focus on Paul Flores immediately, waiting six days to formally interview him. And they told Lambert they weren't surprised when they heard about Flores's connection to Kristin's disappearance. He says they are Ruben's ex-wife Susan and her boyfriend. But every Sunday when she called her parents, they encouraged her to stick it out. Testimony resumes at the Kristin Smart hearing after a week off. His father was found not guilty of helping to hide her body. She spent a summer in London, was an exchange student in Venezuela, and a lifeguard at a camp in Hawaii. to find the next challenge. D.A. 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. 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. But further investigation of the Flores's two trucks seemed impossible. All of Kristin's personal belongings including her purse, her money, her I.D. I think they're just waiting to see what the outcome is going to be. Just very involved with their children. Kristen has facial dimples. Lindsey Smart Stewart: Right. Investigators in Kristin Smart case serve search warrant at the home of the prime suspect's father Smart was last seen near her California Polytechnic State University (CalPoly) dorm, but she. What happens next? Mike McHugh is the producer-editor. Cole said he has the admission on a digital tape recording. The day after my sister disappeared, Paul Flores had a black eye and scratches on him. 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. Denise Pearce | Longtime family friend: Things were gonna get better and, you know, and and they did. James Murphy: An eyewitness actually documented the fact that throughout the night that there was activity in the area of the underside of that deck. Paul Flores was identified as a person of interest early in the case. She left them only after he promised to take Kristin back to her dorm. D.A. By the time Cal Poly police began investigating, Kristin had been gone for four days. 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. Three more witnesses are expected to take the stand on Thursday, including two cadaver dog handlers.___. He never expected it would be a hit, but his podcast caught the attention of millions of listeners and sparked new interest in this decades-old unsolved case. Chris Lambert: I didn't know the scale. But you have to understand, she was a really independent free spirit. A California jury has found Paul Flores, the man accused of the 1996 murder of Kristin Smart, guilty of first-degree murder, according to a news release from the San Luis Obispo County District. That turned out to be college. The document presented summaries of why prosecutors didn't want either man to be released pending a trial that could be years away. It was updated on October 22, 2022.). That young woman was Kristin Smart, and she hasn't been seen since. "Should he be allowed bail, it is a virtual certainty that he would use his freedom to continue his attempts to help Paul Flores thwart prosecution in this case and continue to hide her remains.. Also taking the witness stand on Wednesday was Edward Chadwell. James Murphy: Well, the location where all this activity occurred is where they found the biological material. With them is a group of FBI evidence response team members and a search warrant. Due to the evidence gleaned from the excavation, it is reasonable to believe Ruben Flores currently knows the location of Kristin Smarts remains," Peuvrelle said. Remember, Flores's room had been emptied and thoroughly cleaned. Lindsey Smart Stewart: She definitely, like, took advantage of life, seized the day she was super ambitious and was determined you know, to find the next adventure. The police searched her dorm room in Muir Hall, finding her wallet and reminders to turn in assignments. She was she was frantic I don't understand this, you know? Kristen was in her first year at Cal Poly when she vanished in 1996. Ken Blum is the editor. The next morning, Margarita waited to hear from Kristin. That warrant allowed them to dig up the backyard, but deputies chose not to excavate. The lawsuit claims they were moving Kristin's remains. Twenty-five years after Smart went missing, a prime suspect is charged with murder. But it's Susan Flores's concrete backyard that initially received a lot of attention. Ms. Smarts acquaintances were interviewed. Margarita Campos: Kristin was like, "come on, let's go, let's go." The podcast, "Your Own Backyard,"has drawn millions of listeners and focused renewed attention on this decades old case. were in the room exactly where she had left them. It also expounds on several other alleged rapes as well as unwanted sexual advances. In March 2021, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office served a search warrant at the Arroyo Grande home of Ruben Flores. Once, he says, Flores was lurking in the lobby of Smarts dorm at 1 a.m.; another time, he says he saw the man in Smarts dorm room. Mary Lassiter says the earring she found in the driveway matched the necklace Kristin Smart is seen wearing on this billboard. But I've seen 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.. James Murphy: I'm not at liberty to describe how it was documented. Case Flores claimed after walking Kristin back from the party, he went to his room in Santa Lucia Hall while she walked alone to her dorm. Lindsey Smart Stewart: It just amazes me the amount of evidence that's available, yet nothing has happened. IE 11 is not supported. These charges mark a major milestone, Dow says in a statement. ", 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.". Denise Smart, Kristins mother, has also praised the show. Our family has always known that this was going to be a long, difficult, and emotional journey. Margarita Campos: I mean, she was gone. Chris Lambert: It's mostly frat guys from the Kappa Chi fraternity. Mesick declined to comment Tuesday, citing the gag order. Det. 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. Chris Lambert was just 8 years old when Kristin Smart vanished on her way home from a college party in San Luis Obispo, California. Because of the statute of limitations, Dow says, Paul Flores can't be charged with rape. Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. Produced by Lisa Freed. Chris Lambert: So, if you believe Paul's story, he goes into his dorm room here. Other witnesses included students who were at the party. The court document was filed before bail arguments Monday in San Luis Obispo Superior Court when the father and son were arraigned. I didn't know how many people were gonna listen. It's, like, she has nothing on her. Murphy has filed a new civil suit against Ruben Flores for the intentional infliction of emotional distress. On Tuesday, Cole testified that Ruben clarified that he meant he was the only one of the three who had been arrested. Flores defense team serves Your Own Backyard podcaster Chris Lambert with a subpoena to serve as a witness in San Luis Obispo Superior Court on August 30th, as he has interviewed several witnesses before they spoke to law enforcement. Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. At the time of the April 13 arrests, the sheriff said he believed that had enough evidence to win convictions. It is also what the Smarts have been waiting for for more than a quarter of a century. She didn't think that was OK. Ian Parkinson: Yes. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. From the start, investigators. Prosecutor Chris Peuvrelle asked him if he found the remains of any monkeys or ferrets or any human bodies on the property. Chris Lambert: I wish I knew why. In his complaint, Murphy alleges, along with Ruben, there were two other unnamed individuals. I don't know if Kristin knew anybody there. Podcaster Lambert will not be called to the stand during the Kristin Smart murder hearing. Chris Lambert: I remember seeing it on the news it was something scary and they were talking about it pretty regularly. 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Billie Eilish Explains Her Complicated Relationship With Social Media: 'I Don't Look at It Anymore', Theres no evidence of a sex crime in the charged crime (the murder case) itself, van Rooyen says. James Murphy: He lied to the police about everything. PODCAST EPISODE 2 [LAMBERT READING REPORT] Smart does not have any close friends at Cal Poly. Murphy alleges four nights later, strange activity was seen at Ruben's house. By then, the semester was over and the room had been cleaned out. Paul Flores and his father both pleaded not guilty to all charges at their arraignment. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Margarita Campos: She was absolutely sober when I left her. On Monday, June 23rd, 1997, she arrived for work at the Crocker Galleria mall. October 22, 2022 / 10:10 PM Chris Lambert: He actually hit his eye on his steering wheel in the middle of the night while changing his stereo. Chris Lambert: The only thing he would confirm on tape is that his name is Paul Flores. She disappeared in 1996 after attending an off-campus party and while she was declared legally dead in 2002, her body has never been found. Meanwhile, the hearing is scheduled to conclude on Friday, when the judge will rule if prosecutors have probable cause to go to trial. Anyone can read what you share. In the late 1990s, the. Missing-person posters and billboards offering rewards appeared along roads and in other public places. Um, wherever we can punch holes. That witness initially came forward to Chris Lambert, who passed the information to the sheriff's office and Murphy. Kristin Denise Smart (born February 20, 1977 [1] [6] -declared legally dead May 25, 2002) was an American woman who was found to have been murdered by Paul Flores at the end of her freshman year on the campus of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly). 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. But remarkably, the same thing happened with three more dogs. So before leaving, Margarita handed over her keys to get back into Muir Hall. The unsealed documents include two claims from 2011 and 2017 that Flores raped two women while they were drunk in San Pedro. RUBEN FLORES: [long pause] We never asked that question. Ruben Flores was acquitted by a separate jury. He was not welcome.. About 45 minutes after Kristen got off of work on the day she vanished, she was seen on the 2nd f. The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time And she's like, "please come with me. The search for Smart did not begin until a week after her disappearance, as campus police refused to take a missing persons report from a dorm mate; the hunt only began in earnest after the student called the police and the Smart family. 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. Margarita Campos: I was a little bit more introverted and inhibited and she was like, "no, we have to go out and we have to go like live life." Van Rooyen rules that Flores will be tried for murder in the 1996 disappearance of Smart. They believe they can prove Paul Flores is responsible for the disappearance of Kristin Smart. And here's your key." You can go." Margarita Campos: I'll never forget her shadow against the building, this apartment complex, just standing like kind of cross-armed with the long leg And she was just kind of like looking at me like, [sighs] you're really walking away now, like you're really, you're leaving? Chris Lambert: They just have never given up and are never going to give up on their daughter. Cole also testified that on March 9, 2020, a witness reported some suspicious activity at the property. Margarita Campos: But when we got to the house it was pretty dead too, it was really -- it was like a couple of roommates hanging out playing video games And Kristin was, like oh gosh, there has to be something better than this. The 19-year-old, who is also from Charlotte and a . Axel Koester/Sygma via Getty Images. She disappeared in 1996 after attending an off-campus party and while she was declared legally dead in 2002, her body has never been found. San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office, via Associated Press. She was never seen again. Ms. Smarts family declared her legally dead in 2002, but the search, and the investigation, continued. She feared for her life, so did not tell anyone at the time or for years after. 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. But as Chris Lambert learned, campus police did not act right away. I'm going to go back to the dorms. James Murphy and Garin Sinclair look at the billboard that has been in their front yard for more than two decades. 1 of 47. Chris Lambert: That's the upsetting part about it, isn't it? JAMES MURPHY: What is the name of your father? The last person to see her alive,. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says. Kristen Modafferi. Defense lawyers have criticized the evidence used to arrest both men last week. Smart appeared to be under the influence of alcohol on Friday night. 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. Whatever happened in those early hours, one thing is indisputable: Kristin Smart has never been seen again. A missing-person report was filed with the campus police on May 28. He says "no.". Susan's house was finally searched in March 1997 nine months after Kristin disappeared but nothing was found. Defense Attorney Sanger calls the move a stunning lack of objectivity.. The hearing began August 2 and is expected to last into at least next week. Like what may have been discovered in March 2021 when investigators searched Ruben Flores' house using cadaver dogs and ground penetrating radar. so eventually he unlocked you know, the apartment door, and I left. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The Kristin Smart disappearance: After 26 years, Paul Flores is convicted of murder. But Parkinson acknowledges it hasn't been easy. Authorities also uncovered fibers consistent with the color clothing Smart was last seen wearing. September 15, 2017. Today, we make the first move toward bringing justice to Kristin, her family, and the people of San Luis Obispo County.. Jonathan Vigliotti: They thought she was off possibly having fun. Jonathan Vigliotti: What toll over time did this have on your parents? It's just a motivator for me. JAMES MURPHY: In May of 96 were you a student at Cal Poly? A jury acquitted Ruben Flores of the charge of being an accessory after the fact. So now you've got three different stories about how he got that black eye. Ann-Marie Christian: Her parents reminded me of my parents. Kristin Smart, a bright, adventurous communication studies freshman at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, went missing May 25, 1996. So, they did not immediately get a warrant to search Susan Flores's home. Books from this author. PODCAST EPISODE 3 | MARY LASSITER: It was like a red thing and it was like a smudge-like fingerprinted look on the back, just red, like maroon, like old looking and the smudge that it was like half a fingerprint. His is the latest in a line of true-crime podcasts to play a role in an arrest, a court appeal or even an exoneration. Flores defense team moves to recuse the San Luis Obispo County District Attorneys Office from the Smart case because prosecutor Peuvrelle and others have been seen wearing purple clothing, Smarts favorite color. 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. She adds that Flores said he put Smart under a skateboard ramp in Arroyo Grande. And he leaves her to walk up this walkway. As they soon learned, she had ended up at a party at an off-campus house. But while campus police weren't doing much, Kristin's parents were doing whatever they could to find their daughter. No remains have been found. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Nineteen-year-old Cal Poly student Kristin Smart went missing after a campus party 25. True crime podcasting is not something that particularly captivated me, Lambert told Rolling Stonelast year. 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. It would be three more years before the property was searched again. A trailer was reportedly parked at Ruben's residence at odd hours and Paul's mother, Susan Flores, and her boyfriend were there. Book Author Jenn is a lawyer-turned-author and true crime writer. The Smart family. Mesick argued there were many innocent explanations why soil had previously been dug up in the yard. Cole said this was done so Lambert would include the information in his podcast during the time of the wiretap. to California to search for Kristen Modafferi. Convicted killer Scott Peterson is expected to be called to the witness stand at a pre-trial hearing in California involving the 25-year-old disappearance of co-ed Kristin Smart. And I was screaming. 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. How are we not all talking about this every day until shes found?, Editors picks Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. Chris Lambert spoke with some women who knew Flores back then. Chris Lambert says they're cautiously optimistic. 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. Nineteen-year-old Kristin Smart disappeared Memorial Day weekend of 1996. Paul Flores talks to his attorneys Sara Sanger and Robert Sanger on Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021 in San Luis Obispo, Calif. had been arrested in connection with her disappearance, Paul Flores was found guilty of murdering Ms. Smart, while in the commission of, or attempted, rape. Kristen Modafferi was an 18-year-old college student who was about to start a summer photography course at UC Berkeley when she disappeared after leaving work at a San Francisco coffee shop. James Murphy: Every day. 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. The defense wants to suppress some of these searches, though, claiming that they were done illegally or without warrants. He'd go anywhere. Chris Lambert: I don't think she ever imagined that Kristin would end up dead by the end of the night. Some of those women who did not want their real names used told Lambert about their encounters with him. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. His father, Ruben Flores, pleads not guilty to being an accessory to the crime after the fact. When Kristin Smart disappeared, Paul Flores's parents Susan and Ruben were separated and living apart. Just five months before Kristin disappeared, San Luis Obispo Police received a call from a student living off campus. We just, "do you know anything about it". Clockwise from left, Kristin, Denise, Stan, Matt and Lindsey. And yes, we did find physical evidence at, at least two homes. At the time, they did not know about a missing college student. Chris Lambert: A young couple moves into it with their kid. The judge rules that the DA cannot be disqualified for wearing purple clothing. No charges were filed, but Lambert discovered Flores's troubles started at a young age. Classes were difficult, she was trying to fit in, and she missed her family. Smarts remains have never been found, but authorities recently said they believe they know where she was buried, though they havent disclosed the location. Her parents, Denise and Stan were both educators who encouraged their kids' passions. Paul Flores is charged with first-degree murder and is accused of killing Smart while attempting to rape her. James Murphy: They brought in the first dog and they'd had the dog go through the dorms. I did have guilt about that. The authorities began to describe Paul Flores as a prime suspect in the case. Since Parkinson came on the scene, investigators have dug up hillsides; searched the homes and properties of all the Flores'; collected evidence; seized Paul Flores' computers; monitored his cell phone and text messages, and found new witnesses -- some with the help of Chris Lambert. Jonathan Vigliotti: There was a lot of evidence that could have been gathered, that wasn't. She was never seen again and her body has not been located. They asked him not to use their names: PODCAST EPISODE 2 | WOMAN #1: Well his nickname was "Scary Paul.". She loved swimming and skiing. They havent revealed what was found but returned to the yard for additional digging after the arrests. What Chris did was take a local story and turn it into an international story. James Murphy: Somebody found an earring that they say was Kristin Smart's jewelry in the driveway. Chris Lambert: I brought them a number of witnesses that they were very interested in. The Kristin Smart Scholarship has been established by her family to help other college bound women pursue their dreams. There was no reaction until the dog reached Paul Flores's room. Back in May 1996, Kristin Smart was finishing her freshman year at California Polytechnic State University better known as Cal Poly. Nic Coury / AP. Police investigated whether Durst, 71, who lived in San Francisco at the time Modafferi went missing, was connected to her disappearance. She and all who have worked so hard toward this day deserve nothing less.. In the meantime, Paul Flores moved to Southern California, where he bounced from job to job. But it was a local story and the thing that stood out to me is that nobody was talking about it anymore. Nineteen-year-old Cal Poly student Kristin Smart went missing after a campus party 25 years ago, and, this summer, her case is finally getting its day in court. For more than two decades, her family, friends, and supporters searched for answers and for justice. When they reached the turnoff to Cheryl's dorm, she says Flores tried to hug and kiss her. The sheriff's office seized the trailer and Det. Back in San Luis Obispo, the Smarts, feeling ignored by the sheriff's office, continued a relentless campaign to get them to do more to find their daughter. Chris Lambert: They didn't bring cadaver dogs with them. Even though he'd never investigated anything before, Lambert quit his job to create a podcast about the case. "Up and Vanished" led a man to confess to killing a . The Tribune said it got the public documents from the courthouse in the city 160 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. When authorities later confronted him with the two stories, Flores admitted lying and offered a new explanation. 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. Maybe we cant. Cole in 2019. 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. They got to the parking lot of an apartment complex. Jonathan Vigliotti: Is there any doubt in your mind that Paul Flores is responsible for the disappearance of Kristin Smart? The evidentiary hearing is underway and witnesses are testifying in front of Superior Court Judge Craig van Rooyen about Flores interactions with Smart. James Murphy: If it was, in fact, a piece of jewelry that matched Kristin's jewelry, it would have been blockbuster evidence. Jonathan Vigliotti: How significant was that? Chris Lambert: Paul keeps stopping along the way and letting Cheryl Anderson know, you can go on ahead. 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.
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