A very close-knit family. An important tip came in after a February 2020 search of Paul, Susan and Ruben's properties. Just very involved with their children. Margarita Campos: they were, like, "are you sure she didn't go out of town?" I've got her. And yes, we believe it's linked to Kristin. Joe Johnston/The Tribune (of San Luis Obispo), via Associated Press. James Murphy: There has been no other suspect. She was never seen again. / CBS News, (This story previously aired on May 8, 2021. Chris Lambert: So much was lost in those first few days where if that very first phone call was taken seriously answers might have been uncovered the first week. In April 2021, investigators finally put the pieces of the puzzle together and decided they had enough to charge the then-44-year-old Paul Flores with Kristin's murder, and his then-80-year-old father with being an accessory after the fact. 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. 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." On day two, August 3rd, a close friend of Smarts from college, Steven Flemming, tells the court that Flores had interacted with Smart before the party they both attended prior to her disappearance. They also did not focus on Paul Flores immediately, waiting six days to formally interview him. Paul Flores was charged with murder and Ruben Flores with being an accessory after the fact, accused of helping to bury her remains. They told her Kristin had not been seen all weekend and asked if Kristin was with them. We just, "do you know anything about it". Case Those were kind of unspoken things. In fact, Cheryl Anderson, who trusted Flores to walk Kristin back to her dorm alone, told police that her friends called him "Chester the molester," because he was known for groping girls. The jury hearing Paul Floress case began deliberations after closing arguments on Oct. 4. The document presented summaries of why prosecutors didn't want either man to be released pending a trial that could be years away. There was early mistakes made that you can't recover from when you're missing those vital pieces. Nineteen-year-old Kristin Smart disappeared Memorial Day weekend of 1996. Police investigated whether Durst, 71, who lived in San Francisco at the time Modafferi went missing, was connected to her disappearance. Flores, 44, was arrested Tuesday at his home, nearly 25 years after Smart left a party near the Cal Poly campus and vanished on the way back to her campus dormitory. Another frustration for the Smarts: at the time Kristin disappeared, investigators weren't aware that Paul Flores's parents were separated and living apart. James Murphy: The podcast is out. It was updated on October 22, 2022.). San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office, via Associated Press. Meanwhile, the hearing is scheduled to conclude on Friday, when the judge will rule if prosecutors have probable cause to go to trial. Chris Lambert: That's the upsetting part about it, isn't it? He has not been charged in those incidents. Kristin Smart's body once buried in suspect's backyard - NBC News to search on and near the Cal Poly campus. Why? Jonathan Vigliotti: What toll over time did this have on your parents? Murphy and his wife, Garin Sinclair, agreed to take the case pro bono promising to go after Paul Flores and put pressure on the sheriff's office. Prior to the arrests, in February 2020, Flores home, his parents home, and his sisters home were searched by police. He'd go anywhere. Her books are available on Amazon. A jury acquitted Ruben Flores of the charge of being an accessory after the fact. 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. They didn't look at the Flores family's vehicles. The younger Flores has long been the only person of interest in Smarts disappearance; she was last seen on May 25th, 1996, after attending a party near campus. He's going to find her body, which is awful for a parent. She left around 2 a.m. and was accompanied by Paul Flores, who was also a student at Cal Poly. Margarita Campos: Kristin was like, "come on, let's go, let's go." Kristin Smart, a bright, adventurous communication studies freshman at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, went missing May 25, 1996. But every Sunday when she called her parents, they encouraged her to stick it out. Paul Flores pleads not guilty to the murder and attempted rape of Smart. Cole said he has the admission on a digital tape recording. He also said that law enforcement leaked information to "Your Own Backyard" podcaster Chris Lambert. The court document was filed before bail arguments Monday in San Luis Obispo Superior Court when the father and son were arraigned. Judge van Rooyen objects to this assertion, though: Just because (Lamberts) been served does not necessarily mean he should be excluded, he says. On July 21, Kristin Smarts parents and her brother, Matt, testified about how they had searched for her after her disappearance. Plans & Pricing . but I knew that I could try to do a small part. UPDATE - San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Detective Clint Cole returned to the witness stand Wednesday in the preliminary hearing for Paul and Ruben Flores, testifying that searches of Ruben's home turned up evidence leading them to believe human remains had been buried there. School was over, so campus police found an empty room that had been sanitized by the university's cleaning crew. On April 19, father and son each pleaded not guilty, according to The Associated Press. James Murphy: Somebody found an earring that they say was Kristin Smart's jewelry in the driveway. Twenty-five years after Smart went missing, a prime suspect is charged with murder. They havent revealed what was found but returned to the yard for additional digging after the arrests. 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. And Murphy and Sinclair believe they can prove it. Denise Pearce: She was becoming more and more alarmed, you know? All Rights reserved. In his mug shot, a black eye can faintly been seen. Cole said investigators checked out the skateboard ramp location but did not find a body. Testimony resumes at the Kristin Smart hearing after a week off. It is also what the Smarts have been waiting for for more than a quarter of a century. The documents also include several people the defense believes investigators should have looked into in addition to Flores, including convicted murderer and fellow then-student Scott Peterson, who was previously ruled out. Chris Lambert: They're hopeful, but they've also been let down so many times before. Don Kelsen/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images. Like what may have been discovered in March 2021 when investigators searched Ruben Flores' house using cadaver dogs and ground penetrating radar. The county sheriffs office searched his room once more during the weekend of June 29th, when a team of cadaver dogs signaled the smell of human decay. Back in May 1996, Kristin Smart was finishing her freshman year at California Polytechnic State University better known as Cal Poly. Van Rooyen rules that Flores will be tried for murder in the 1996 disappearance of Smart. 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. The elder Flores is charged with accessory after the fact to the crime of murder for allegedly helping Paul conceal Smarts body. Chris Lambert: I don't think she ever imagined that Kristin would end up dead by the end of the night. They also uncovered videos in a folder labeled practice that featured women wearing ball gags and in other fetish positions. Real Name: Kristen Deborah Modafferi Nicknames: No known nicknames Location: San Francisco, California Date: June 23, 1997 Bio Occupation: Student Date of Birth: June 1, 1979 Height: 5' 8" Weight: 140 lbs. Nic Coury / AP. What happened to Kristen Modafferi? One man's 20-year search for PODCAST EPISODE 3: Something shiny catches her eye next to the front driver side tire. I told her I didn't I didn't want to go. First published on November 28, 2020 / 11:10 PM. Defense attorney Robert Sanger, in turn, tries to poke holes in Flemmings recollections. 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. They believe they can prove Paul Flores is responsible for the disappearance of Kristin Smart. 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. She left them only after he promised to take Kristin back to her dorm. His father, Ruben Flores, pleads not guilty to being an accessory to the crime after the fact. Remember, Flores's room had been emptied and thoroughly cleaned. 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. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. And so, she pulled me into this sort of like, "oh come on, let's socialize. PODCAST EPISODE 1: I googled Kristin Smart's name every few years. Ms. Smarts acquaintances were interviewed. Then, in 2011, Ian Parkinson was elected sheriff. The prosecution upholds the validity of these searches, including one of Flores dorm room that was done after he moved out. She didn't think that was OK. But as Chris Lambert learned, campus police did not act right away. The defense also tells Lambert he will not be allowed back in the courtroom where he has been covering the hearing as he is now a potential witness. Paul Flores was ordered held without bail Monday. The Kristin Smart Scholarship has been established by her family to help other college bound women pursue their dreams. Kristin Smarts family in 1999, three years after she was last seen walking home from a party in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Earthmovers were used in searches on and near the California Polytechnic State University campus in 2016. She and all who have worked so hard toward this day deserve nothing less.. Chris Lambert: As they describe it, Paul Flores just sort of appears out of nowhere. Human Remains Possibly Found In Home Of Missing Woman Kristen Modafferi Jonathan Vigliotti: How did you know she hadn't been back? There's no question about it. That turned out to be college. Alicia Tejada is the field producer and Addison Briley is the associate producer. Chris Lambert: I brought them a number of witnesses that they were very interested in. She was pushing herself out of her comfort zone. Paul Flores and his father both pleaded not guilty to all charges at their arraignment. 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.. D.A. They got to the parking lot of an apartment complex. Jonathan Vigliotti: There was a lot of evidence that could have been gathered, that wasn't. Jonathan Vigliotti: Is this a case that takes a miracle to solve? Four months later, while attempting to reconcile, Susan rented out her house in Arroyo Grande. Chris Lambert: They just have never given up and are never going to give up on their daughter. She was she was frantic I don't understand this, you know? Cole in 2019. Chris Lambert: It's mostly frat guys from the Kappa Chi fraternity. I don't think she went back to her dorm at all. And according to that probation report, "dozens of women have recounted Paul Flores' sexual assaults and predatory behavior that document his 25 years as a serial rapist." Chris Lambert says they're cautiously optimistic. Other witnesses included students who were at the party. At the time, they did not know about a missing college student. Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. Dennis Mahon's Podcast She was looking forward to hearing from Kristin that Sunday. James Murphy: they let the dog in, the dog makes a beeline to the bed of Paul Flores. His father, Ruben, will be tried as an accessory to the crime. Disappearance of Kristen Modafferi - Wikipedia Ian Parkinson: I committed to them that I was going to go back to the beginning and re-examine every piece of evidence that we had. Ms. Smarts family declared her legally dead in 2002, but the search, and the investigation, continued. 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. Peuvrelle, who said Ruben Flores has helped cover up the crime for nearly a quarter-century, would continue to do so if freed. But the Flores's have fought back, suing the Smarts for intentional infliction of emotional distress. Detective in Kristin Smart case testifies human blood - KSBY My job was to hunt them. JAMES MURPHY: Would you state your full name for the record please. 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. But the investigation is ongoing. 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. 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. It was first reported by The Tribune, and a reporter posted snippets of documents on Twitter. 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. Some of those women who did not want their real names used told Lambert about their encounters with him. Anyone can read what you share. PODCAST EPISODE 5: If you were making a film about a new law enforcer who's coming to a small town to save the day, you'd probably cast Parkinson. We are now one step closer to justice for Kristin. Specifically, that they had Paul's white Nissan pickup in their possession. Testimony is expected to continue Wednesday. Lindsey Smart Stewart: She had traveled the world before she even made it to college. Flores was first interviewed by Cal Poly police investigators near the end of May 1996, according to The San Luis Obispo Tribune, and the Cal Poly police didnt search his room until June 10th. On October 18, 2022, Paul Flores was found guilty of first-degree murder. Podcaster Lambert will not be called to the stand during the Kristin Smart murder hearing. 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. Book Author Jenn is a lawyer-turned-author and true crime writer. The Kristin Smart disappearance: After 26 years, Paul Flores is convicted of murder. The next month, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office took over from the Cal Poly police as the lead investigators. Just five months before Kristin disappeared, San Luis Obispo Police received a call from a student living off campus. For the next 25 years, I did whatever I could and looked for answers wherever I could, Denise Smart told the court, according to CBS 13, a local television station. What's going on? And he leaves her to walk up this walkway. "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.. DAN DOW [press conference]: It is alleged that Mr. Flores caused the death of Kristen Smart while in the commission of or attempted rape. The defense questions Hudson about her drug use, but she says she was not doing drugs at the time. Our family has always known that this was going to be a long, difficult, and emotional journey. When they showed up, it was Paul Flores. But you have to understand, she was a really independent free spirit. 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. PAUL FLORES: On the advice of my attorney, I refuse to answer that question based on the fifth amendment of the United States Constitution.