It's fine. So, she slowed down and walked with them. Detective in Kristin Smart case testifies human blood - KSBY I did have guilt about that. Peuvrelle, who said Ruben Flores has helped cover up the crime for nearly a quarter-century, would continue to do so if freed. And for the first time clues about what may have happened to Kristin Smart. JAMES MURPHY: Has your son ever told you that he did not kill Kristin Smart? Our family has always known that this was going to be a long, difficult, and emotional journey. 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. Jonathan Vigliotti: And that weighs on you. Five months after Kristin Smart disappeared, Paul Flores was brought before a grand jury but no charges were ever filed. Det. D.A. James Murphy: There's no way to get evidence back once you've lost it. The prosecution upholds the validity of these searches, including one of Flores dorm room that was done after he moved out. And she's like, "please come with me. And then months and months later, they'd reach back out and say, can you get us in touch with this person again? Two days after Kristin Smart vanished, Paul Flores went to the Arroyo Grande Police Department because of an outstanding DUI warrant. Chris Lambert: They did a significant amount of digging underneath the house. to find the next challenge. Murphy alleges four nights later, strange activity was seen at Ruben's house. Her dorm entrance is right over here. But every Sunday when she called her parents, they encouraged her to stick it out. But as Chris Lambert learned, campus police did not act right away. I was afraid Id end up missing or buried someplace, she says. Meanwhile, the hearing is scheduled to conclude on Friday, when the judge will rule if prosecutors have probable cause to go to trial. Also on the stand Tuesday were another cadaver dog handler, an expert in fiber evidence and a district attorney's office investigator. They believe they can prove Paul Flores is responsible for the disappearance of Kristin Smart. Ian Parkinson: Yes. A hundred percent that was happening. Some of those women who did not want their real names used told Lambert about their encounters with him. Axel Koester/Sygma via Getty Images. JAMES MURPHY: What is your present residence address? It's, like, she has nothing on her. And here's your key." ORIGINAL STORY - Paul and Ruben Flores are back in court Wednesday for another day of their preliminary hearing. Dennis Mahon's Podcast Flores wasn't talking. Produced by Lisa Freed. D.A. A separate jury for Ruben Flores started deliberating on Oct. 5. The Kristin Smart disappearance: After 26 years, Paul Flores is convicted of murder 20 photos. But as Chris Lambert learned, Flores's pattern of behavior with women didn't stop. 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. I've got her. So, they did not immediately get a warrant to search Susan Flores's home. And might have connected Kristin to Susan Flores's house, says James Murphy. Other witnesses included students who were at the party. He refused to answer questions during a deposition in November 1997, citing the Fifth Amendment. Kristen Modafferi - Unsolved Mysteries September 15, 2017. That witness initially came forward to Chris Lambert, who passed the information to the sheriff's office and Murphy. Margarita soon decided she'd had enough. As of 2021, Kristen Modafferi's case remains unsolved. Jonathan Vigliotti: There was a lot of focus on how Kristin was drinking what sounded a lot like victim shaming. A college student at North Carolina State University, ABC 7 writes that Modafferi had received a scholarship to work and live in a different city for the summer. Dozens of community members on Saturday evening gathered for a vigil at Santa Rosa Park in San Luis Obispo to light candles in the memory of Kristin Smart, the Cal 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. The Mysterious Disappearance Of Kristen Modafferi - Grunge.com Paul invoked the Fifth Amendment when the DAs office subpoenaed him to testify before a grand jury in 1996 and after the Smarts filed a $40 million wrongful-death lawsuit against him; during a 1997 deposition, he again pleaded the Fifth. 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. The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time So now you've got three different stories about how he got that black eye. But to fully understand Chris Lambert's contribution, you have to go back to the beginning. Ruben's attorney, Harold Mesick, dismissed the evidence against his client as "so minimal as to shock the conscience.". Lambert also interviewed a woman who dated Flores until, she says, he became physically and verbally abusive. But remarkably, the same thing happened with three more dogs. That young woman was Kristin Smart, and she hasn't been seen since. Cole also talked about his interview with Jennifer Hudson in November 2019. PAUL FLORES: On the advice of my attorney . 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. She was never seen. Man charged with 1996 murder of college student Kristin Smart. The 100 Best Albums of 2022. Two days after her daughter went missing, Denise Smart got a call from Cal Poly's campus police. 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. Defense attorney Robert Sanger, in turn, tries to poke holes in Flemmings recollections. Three other women missing: Did Lac's husband kill before? 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. Chris Lambert: Everything else, he took the Fifth Amendment. A very close-knit family. On Aug. 2, local media reported that Denise Smart, Ms. Smarts mother, spoke at a preliminary hearing, where the judge was deciding whether prosecutors had established probable cause to proceed to trial. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. Peterson. Jonathan Vigliotti: They thought she was off possibly having fun. PODCAST EPISODE 2 [LAMBERT READING REPORT] Smart does not have any close friends at Cal Poly. Cadaver dogs trained to detect human decomposition were deployed by the F.B.I. He also said there was suspicious staining in the soil indicative of human remains. He was not welcome.. Disappearance of Kristen Modafferi - Wikipedia Margarita Campos: I was expecting her to knock on my door and be, like, "Oh, Margarita, you missed a rager. Kristin Smart was a 19-year-old freshman at Cal Poly, California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, when she disappeared after a walk home from an off-campus party early in the. By the time they inspected Flores's room, Kristin had been gone for 16 days. They took in soil, I assume, for some kind of analysis. Nineteen-year-old Kristin Smart disappeared Memorial Day weekend of 1996. He gets his arm around her torso and her arm around his neck, and he's helping her walk. every piece of evidence points directly at Paul Flores. The search for Ms. Smart, who was nicknamed Roxy, took many forms. Even though he'd never investigated anything before, Lambert quit his job to create a podcast about the case. 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. 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. Kristin did not have a purse, money, her I.D. But was there evidence possibly placing Kristin Smart at his mother's home? Defense lawyers have criticized the evidence used to arrest both men last week. most importantly they wanna find their daughter. When they reached the turnoff to Cheryl's dorm, she says Flores tried to hug and kiss her. He says they are Ruben's ex-wife Susan and her boyfriend. That's when the campus police finally handed the investigation over to The San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Office but they did not find Kristin. 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. Ruben Flores, was arrested at his home on the same day and was charged with being an accessory after the fact. During Tuesday's hearing, San Luis Obispo County. He's going to find her body, which is awful for a parent. True crime podcasting is not something that particularly captivated me, Lambert told Rolling Stonelast year. James Murphy: He lied to the police about everything. On April 19, father and son each pleaded not guilty, according to The Associated Press. I also brought them witnesses that they had no interest in whatsoever. And I was like, "nah, I have to study." 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. Cole said he has the admission on a digital tape recording. Jonathan Vigliotti: You look at Kristin Smart every day. James Murphy: The podcast is out. Berkeley. I didn't know how many people were gonna listen. Ann-Marie Christian: Her parents reminded me of my parents. 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. 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.. In a statement, the Smart family described a long wait for this bittersweet day.. But the investigation is ongoing. Through the years, the Smarts have kept pressure on the Flores family. Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. Why? 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. Even worse they never sealed his dorm room. The court document was filed before bail arguments Monday in San Luis Obispo Superior Court when the father and son were arraigned. 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. We want to especially thank the District Attorneys Office for their relentless efforts. 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. 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. Peterson may or may not have been at the party Smart disappeared after. Chris Lambert's podcast caught the attention of millions of listeners and sparked new interest in the decades-old unsolved case of Kristin Smart. Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. It was first reported by The Tribune, and a reporter posted snippets of documents on Twitter. to California to search for Kristen Modafferi. That mother, Mary Lassiter, described it to Chris Lambert. She loved swimming and skiing. He also said that law enforcement leaked information to "Your Own Backyard" podcaster Chris Lambert. An important tip came in after a February 2020 search of Paul, Susan and Ruben's properties. 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. What happened to Kristen Modafferi? - AdvertisingRow.com For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 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. 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. Proof of the L.A. charges cant act as a substitute for the SLO case.. Paul Flores was ordered held without bail Monday. Ms. Smart, 19, was a freshman at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo when she disappeared in 1996. The last person to see her alive,. I need you to listen to everything they say so we can punch holes in it. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. PODCAST | EPISODE 1: At least once a day I asked myself what are you doing? And yes, we did find physical evidence at, at least two homes. And DNA evidence could not be found linking any other evidence to Kristin. I guess the answer is yes. By the time Cal Poly police began investigating, Kristin had been gone for four days. Flores and his parents have always maintained that he had nothing to do with Smarts disappearance. The podcast, "Your Own Backyard,"has drawn millions of listeners and focused renewed attention on this decades old case. Nearly a week after their arrests, father and son both pleaded not guilty in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court. 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. There was early mistakes made that you can't recover from when you're missing those vital pieces. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. PODCAST EPISODE 4: And he had like a butter knife and he like held it to my neck. A trailer was reportedly parked at Ruben's residence at odd hours and Paul's mother, Susan Flores, and her boyfriend were there. Her books are available on Amazon. The defense claims the prosecution is wearing said color as a result of a Facebook request on the site Justice for Kristin Smart' to wear purple during a Memorial Day celebration. And that's what I've been doing for a long, long time, along with a lot of other people. [emotional] I will go outside at nighttime and I'll look up at the full moon and I'll think that that kid's buried somewhere real close. 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. They might have found evidence in those vehicles. Kristin Smart: 25 Years Later - KSBY PODCAST EPISODE 4: So, I walk him up to his sister's apartment, and all of a sudden, he just like picked me up, carried me inside, turned around and shut the apartment door, and locked it. Testimony is expected to continue Wednesday. Just very involved with their children. She left around 2 a.m. and was accompanied by Paul Flores, who was also a student at Cal Poly. The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time It is every parent's worst nightmare. Like so many freshmen, Kristin struggled. These charges mark a major milestone, Dow says in a statement. Sheriff Ian Parkinson was able to confirm that forensic physical evidence that authorities believe is linked to Kristin was located at, at least two homes. In 1997 when Paul Flores was deposed for the civil suit, the only thing he would confirm on tape was his name. Ruben will be released on bail that he can afford. According to a county probation bail report obtained by the San Luis Obispo Tribune, "biological evidence" was found under Ruben's deck. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. 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. Kristin Smart's body once buried in suspect's backyard - NBC News We want to hear it. The authorities began to describe Paul Flores as a prime suspect in the case. 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! Chris Lambert: So, if you believe Paul's story, he goes into his dorm room here. So before leaving, Margarita handed over her keys to get back into Muir Hall. 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. 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. 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. And he leaves her to walk up this walkway. She was declared legally dead in 2002. Nikki Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for the court, said the documents were not supposed to be public. Today, we make the first move toward bringing justice to Kristin, her family, and the people of San Luis Obispo County.. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. D.A. He invoked the Fifth Amendment 27 times. Ms. Smarts family declared her legally dead in 2002, but the search, and the investigation, continued. Early on, a small group of volunteers also looked for Kristin. 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. And the body's not there now. Chris Lambert: I didn't know the scale. Cole also testified that the Flores family was wiretapped for 30 days starting on January 5, 2020. 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. And my roommate actually kicked down the door to make him stop. Nineteen-year-old Kristin Smart disappeared Memorial Day weekend of 1996. The next month, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office took over from the Cal Poly police as the lead investigators. And six months later, when Flores was deposed by James Murphy for the Smart's civil suit, he kept quiet. Authorities also uncovered fibers consistent with the color clothing Smart was last seen wearing. The case recently reentered the public eye with the 2019 launch of the popular true-crime podcast, Your Own Backyard, hosted by musician Chris Lambert, who has spent his life haunted by a missing persons billboard featuring Smarts face. 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 the months after Kristin's disappearance, one truck was traded in and the other was reported stolen. It also expounds on several other alleged rapes as well as unwanted sexual advances. Don Kelsen/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images. James Murphy: Well, the location where all this activity occurred is where they found the biological material. She was looking forward to hearing from Kristin that Sunday. Chris Lambert: I wish I knew why. DAN DOW [press conference]: It is alleged that Mr. Flores caused the death of Kristen Smart while in the commission of or attempted rape. You just don't talk, and you get away with it. 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.". So had Margarita Campos, who lived in the next room in Muir Hall. With them is a group of FBI evidence response team members and a search warrant. Kristen has facial dimples. After Paul and Rubens arrests, Sheriff Ian Parkinson revealed that Lamberts podcast helped move the investigation forward. Paul Flores was charged with murder and Ruben Flores with being an accessory after the fact, accused of helping to bury her remains. But Murphy says there were other incidents that should have raised alarm bells about him with law enforcement from the very beginning. The sheriff's office still wasn't convinced they had enough evidence against Flores. Like his black eye, seen faintly in a mug shot taken by the Arroyo Grande Police just by chance two days after Kristin vanished. Jonathan Vigliotti [with Lambert outside of the the dorms]: Paul and Kristin then make their way here. The evidentiary hearing is underway and witnesses are testifying in front of Superior Court Judge Craig van Rooyen about Flores interactions with Smart. The two men made their first courtroom appearance on July 14 in San Luis Obispo Superior Court, where Judge Craig B. van Rooyen denied the district attorneys motion to add two rape charges against Paul Flores, The Tribune of San Luis Obispo reported. Plans & Pricing ; Podcast Statistics; PowerPress Plugin . Everyone knew Paul (Flores) was creepy. Van Rooyen rules that Flores will be tried for murder in the 1996 disappearance of 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. The day after the arrests, Dan Dow, the San Luis Obispo County district attorney, said that Paul Flores had caused the death of Ms. Smart while in the commission of, or attempted, rape. Ruben Flores helped to hide her remains, he said. 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. At the time of the April 13 arrests, the sheriff said he believed that had enough evidence to win convictions.