Law enforcement served search warrants Wednesday in the missing person case of Kristin Smart. Paul Flores was the last person to see Kristin Smart alive in 1996, police say. At the time of Smarts disappearance, Flores was a 19-year-old food science major at Cal-Poly. At that time, the car belonged to Paul Flores sister Ermelinda Flores, who lived near Cal Poly. "It's part of the reason I called it 'Your Own Backyard,' because of the frustration at the beginning was, 'Why are not enough people talking about this? Same for the rest of his family. Previous. READ NEXT: Teenage Porn Star Controversy Rocks California High School, Paul Flores: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Paul Flores at a St. James classmate's birthday party, 1983. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Their trial is expected to last into at least October. Doesnt sound plausible. We want to give you the support you need., The creator of the podcast, Your Own Backyard: The Disappearance of Kristin Smart, Chris Lambert told the Stockton Record that he believes Flores is responsible for Smarts death. Denise Smart told the Examiner in 1998, Were not after Paul Flores; were not trying to persecute Paul Flores. The authorities have stated that Kristin's remains have not yet been found. He is the father of Paul Flores, the only suspect in the disappearance of Smart. Mom Is Presumed Dead, as Police Search for Possibly Suicidal Ex, Who Is Murder Suspect, Parents of Missing N.C. I cant recall another case of this nature where an entire family including extended family members worked together to protect a family member who committed murder. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Susan Flores, an Arroyo Grande resident whose son Paul is the prime suspect in Smart's disappearance, broke her silence after new searches in the haunting case last week. Paul Flores pictured in 2006. Deputies towed the car from Rubin Flores home on Monday afternoon. Authorities arrested Ruben Flores after San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs deputies served a search warrant at his Arroyo Grande home. Cole also states, this could have very well been an accident that night while telling Thomas he believes she knows what happened and had some involvement by being a good sister., Cole offers Thomas full immunity in exchange for her telling the truth about what she knows. One of his friends had told authorities that Flores already had a black eye when he showed up to play in a pick-up game. Do you have a point you would like to make? Paul Flores was taken into custody in the Los Angeles area, where he resides. That's why he's the way he is. Send pics, videos and tips to CCN. The 19-year-old was last seen in the company of then-fellow student Paul Flores, who claims he escorted Smart to her dorm, which was relatively empty over the Memorial Day weekend. "Me, my sister, my cousinPaul has no limits," she said, requesting anonymity. Flores was home at the time and could be seen in news . At one point, Flores said that he woke up with a black eye. Then in Feb. 2021, Los Angeles police officers arrested Paul Flores in Rancho Palos Verdes on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Audio from Flores father, Ruben Flores, can be heard on an episode of the podcast in which Ruben says he never spoke to his son about the disappearance of Smart. Were after our daughter. IF they knew he was out there murdering, raping etc. How Does This Happen, I started Biz in AG in 1989 ,I am now 58 I do not have any kids So Sad .. Monsters .. At the time of Smart's disappearance, the vehicle belonged to Paul Flores' sister, Ermelinda Flores, who lived near Cal Poly. Smart was last seen returning to the Cal Poly campus, where she was a freshman, after attending a party in San Luis Obispo one night in May 1996. We appreciate the vigilance and professionalism of Sheriff Ian Parkinson and his department and our family looks forward to learning more in the hours and days ahead.. Prior to that incident, Susan Flores and her boyfriend had filed a harassment lawsuit against Smarts family. Lambert believes her remains are "local. Smart, a native of Stockton, was nearing the end of her freshman year at Cal Poly when she vanished on May 25, 1996, after attending an off-campus party. The Kristin Smart disappearance: After 26 years, Paul Flores is convicted of murder 20 photos In 2011, the Smarts hoped those boulders would become a little lighter when Ian Parkinson became the . Copy of immunity deal letter posted here. If someone in my family killed somebody and I knew, I would sing like a canary. Authorities in California are crediting a true-crime podcast for helping them solve the Kristin Smart case. His father, Ruben, is facing a charge of accessory to murder. Nothing ever mentioned to any of them. Investigators are currently digging under Rubin Flores home in another apparent attempt to find the missing teens body. Authorities served another search warrant at Paul Flores home in April 2020. Investigators are currently digging under Rubin Flores home in another apparent attempt to find the missing teens body. An attorney representing Flores, Sarah Sanger could not be reached for comment. But I don't think she actively participated. The Daily Beast reported in November 2016 that four women had come forward to accuse Flores of sexually assaulting them. Arroyo Grande High School graduate Paul Flores was the last person to see Kristin Smart on the night she disappeared. Deputies towed the car from Rubin Flores home. Galambos says the letters referred to several crimes that Thomas may have committed, including being a possible accessory after the fact, or destruction of evidence, or even mishandling human remains., Galambos argument, in part, states that when trying to secure Thomas as a witness, the DAs Office fails to state which defendants actions or statements she witnessed and it fails to identify what actions and statements she witnessed. It basically implies a video of Paul saying he did it. Alexandra Wallace June 11, 2022. Could answers be coming in Kristin Smarts disappearance? In October 2022, Paul Flores, the man long suspected in her disappearance, was found guilty of murder. This educated many current residents. Smart was declared legally dead in 2002 and her body has yet to be recovered. They probably used her car because she was the least "famous" member of the family (yeah let's involve her in a MURDER because that's what FAMILIES do). The documents include information about a January 2020 appearance from a San Luis Obispo County sheriffs detective at Thomas Washington home. Kirsten deserves better and her family deserves to bring her home. After Smarts disappearance, the car was transferred into their parents names. Lambert said, The biggest mistake I think the sheriffs department made was that the first sheriff commented within one year of investigating that if (Flores) didnt talk they would never be able to solve this. Comment Guidelines. Paul Ruben Flores, 44, of San Pedro was arrested on suspicion of murder in connection to the disappearance of missing Cal Poly student Kristin Smart, according to the San Luis Obispo County. I find Parkinsons involvement of Cal Poly and their clown of a president in this news conference as distasteful and pandering to Cal Polys interests. This video shows the full deposition given by Paul Flores to the Smart family's attorney, James R. Murphy on November 14, 1997. I hate to make things any darker than they already are, but I truly wonder if Paul ever tried anything on her. Nor could Ruben Flores' attorney, Harold Mesick. The parents stopped renewing the tags in 2010 and parked the Volkswagen in Rubin Flores garage. Last month, deputies conducted a two-day search for Smarts remains at the home of Ruben Flores. Kristin Smart Disappearance Suspects Taken into Custody, Classmate of Kristin Smart Briefly Detained, Police Search Home Decades After Her Disappearance, Ga. Police Officer Arrested After Naked Body of Missing 16-Year-Old Girl Found in Woods, Ex-Boyfriend of Missing Md. 19 years after the disappearance of Kristin Smart from Cal Poly's campus, Paul Flores still remains the only suspect. Support local news. A month later, Thomas home was reportedly one of four Flores family homes searched by authorities. Dow . Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. San Luis Obispo County Sheriff deputies arrested Paul Flores, the primary suspect in the disappearance of Kristin Smart, and his father, Ruben Flores, at separate locations Tuesday morning.. . Those dogs led officers to Flores mattress but no hard evidence was found. On April 13, Paul's father, Ruben Flores, 80, was also arrested and charged with being an accessory after the murder for allegedly hiding her body in his yard on White Court in Arroyo Grande. If Dan Dow prosecutes the case then the Flores have nothing to worry about. In documents filed June 18, 2021, Thomas' attorney, Guy Galambos, filed a motion of notice in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court to quash a subpoena for Thomas' testimony during the preliminary hearing for Paul and Ruben's case that July. Send your pictures, videos and tips to: San Luis Obispo County headed towards the coronavirus orange tier, Firefighters extinguish blaze at downtown SLO restaurant, CCT pausing, get your local news at CalCoastNews, Storms cause more than $100 million of damage in SLO County, Driver goes off Highway 1 in Cambria, hits tree, Crews find possessions but slow down search for Kyle Doan, Caltrans to evacuate residents trapped between Highway 1 landslides. A neighbor on White Court in Arroyo Grande told KSBY News the home of Ruben Flores, Paul's dad, was also searched Wednesday morning, and the King County Sheriff's Office confirmed that it assisted the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office in the service of a search warrant at a home near Kenmore, Washington. His father, Ruben, is charged as an accessory, accused of helping cover up the crime. This is really going to be something you dont expect. While her body has never been found, Kristin was declared legally dead in 2002. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. In Southern California, investigators served a search warrant at Paul Flores' San Pedro home. At that time, the car belonged to Paul Flores' sister Ermelinda Flores, who lived near Cal Poly. She was last seen alive with Paul Flores, a classmate who offered to walk an inebriated Smart to her room. Cant blame her for wanting to get far away from the dysfunction. He threw [my cousin] to the ground and got on top of her and putting his hands down her top even after he got his wallet. At that time, the car belonged to Paul Flores sister Ermelinda Flores, who lived near Cal Poly. Then in Feb. 2021, Los Angeles police officers arrested Paul Flores in Rancho Palos Verdes on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm. 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