CA KRISTIN SMART: Missing from San Luis Obispo, CA - 25 May 1996 - Age 19 *PAUL FLORES GUILTY*

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Kristin was last seen on May 25, 1996. Her nickname is Roxy. FOUL PLAY IS SUSPECTED.
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Smart was a freshman architecture major at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo, California in 1996. She departed from an off-campus party and headed for her dormitory at approximately 1:30 and 2:00 a.m. on May 25, 1996. At the party, Smart was acting as if she was intoxicated or under the influence of drugs. When she left the gathering, she was having trouble walking.

Smart was accompanied by a female acquaintance and another student from the university, Paul R. Flores, when she left the party. Her friend separated from Smart and Flores at the intersection of Perimeter Road and Grand Avenue on the college campus.

Flores allegedly told Smart's friend that he would see Smart to her home. She was last seen walking north on Grand Avenue with Flores, towards Muir Hall, her dormitory. Smart has never been heard from again. She was not carrying any identification, cash or personal belongings at the time she vanished.

NCMEC - NamUs - Doe Network -

 
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UPDATE (10:10 a.m.) - Ruben Flores was booked into the San Luis Obispo County Jail shortly after 9:30 a.m. on a single charge of being an accessory after the fact, California Penal Code 32PC.

The 80-year-old's bail is set at $250,000.

His attorney, Harold Mesick, declined to comment.
 

Watch Live: Authorities will give "major" update in Kristin Smart case​


Law enforcement officials in California will hold a news conference Tuesday afternoon to share "major developments" in the case of Kristin Smart, a Cal Poly student who disappeared in May 1996. Paul Flores, who is considered the prime suspect in the case, was arrested earlier Tuesday, The Associated Press reported.


The San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Office will update the public at 2 p.m. PT

Smart disappeared while returning to a dorm at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, after a party on May 24, 1996. A fellow student who was with Smart earlier in the night previously told "48 Hours" the pair separated when Smart wanted to stay out, and she wanted to go home. "To this day, like, I was like, why – why did I just let her go by herself?" her friend, Margarita Campos, asked.

 
Kristin Smart was 19 when she vanished while walking back to her dorm at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

At 6-feet-1-inch tall, she was beautiful and energetic — but also, friends said, could be quite reserved.

She's been missing for more than 20 years.


I never realized how tall she was!

ETA: NamUS says she was 5'8" ?
 

Kristin Smart case: No pleas entered by Paul, Ruben Flores; judge issues gag order​

The father and son charged in the 1996 disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart did not enter pleas during their first court appearance Thursday, and a judge issued a gag order due to "high publicity" surrounding the case.

Paul Flores, 44, wore a suit and tie while Ruben Flores, 80, was dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit for the arraignments that were conducted via Zoom at Superior Court in San Luis Obispo. Both appeared from County Jail with their attorneys Dave Sanger and Harold Mesick, respectively.

Judge Craig Van Rooyen started by asking the defendants if they wanted to waive their rights to be physically present in court.

“Yes, I guess,” said Ruben Flores. Paul Flores answered a simple, “yes.”

Van Rooyen granted a request by both attorneys for another hearing Monday to enter pleas and present arguments related to bail reduction. Bail for Ruben Flores remains at $250,000, while Paul Flores is being held without bail.

Van Rooyen also signed a gag order prohibiting officials involved in the case from making public statements, except for procedural matters.
 

Kristin Smart case: No pleas entered by Paul, Ruben Flores; judge issues gag order​

The father and son charged in the 1996 disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart did not enter pleas during their first court appearance Thursday, and a judge issued a gag order due to "high publicity" surrounding the case.

Paul Flores, 44, wore a suit and tie while Ruben Flores, 80, was dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit for the arraignments that were conducted via Zoom at Superior Court in San Luis Obispo. Both appeared from County Jail with their attorneys Dave Sanger and Harold Mesick, respectively.

Judge Craig Van Rooyen started by asking the defendants if they wanted to waive their rights to be physically present in court.

“Yes, I guess,” said Ruben Flores. Paul Flores answered a simple, “yes.”

Van Rooyen granted a request by both attorneys for another hearing Monday to enter pleas and present arguments related to bail reduction. Bail for Ruben Flores remains at $250,000, while Paul Flores is being held without bail.

Van Rooyen also signed a gag order prohibiting officials involved in the case from making public statements, except for procedural matters.
Does Paul think a suit will save him? Minor I guess but interesting son wore a suit and dad a jail jumpsuit. All I have seen since Covid who are not in court but in the jail I think have been in jumpsuits.
 

Lambert has been thrust into the spotlight with the arrests. His eight-part series, “ Your Own Backyard, ” hit 7.5 million downloads Thursday and it was the No. 2 podcast on iTunes. Lambert’s phone has been blowing up with messages — from fans, tipsters and news reporters. He appreciates the attention but has been overwhelmed.

“It’s driving me insane,” he said, yet he remained focused, patient and polite during a 45-minute interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday.

All the attention isn’t leading to any money — Lambert takes no advertising for the podcast, relying on donations.

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.
 

Suspects in Kristin Smart disappearance plead not guilty​

A former California college student charged with murder in the 1996 disappearance of classmate Kristin Smart pleaded not guilty Monday and his father denied helping to hide the young woman’s body.


Defense lawyers, however, questioned the value of the evidence disclosed to them so far in the case.

"The evidence is so minimal as to shock the conscience,” said attorney Harold Mesick, who represents Ruben Flores.
Prosecutor Christopher Peuvrelle countered that investigators had found substantial new evidence since a series of searches last year that ultimately led to the arrests.

“Counsel said, ‘There was very little new evidence,’” Peuvrelle said, referring to Paul Flores' lawyer, Robert Singer. "Well then he must not have read the same warrant that I have. There is substantial new evidence."
 
It sounds like daddy knows where she is and probably moved her.... I don't know about his low bond, I wish it was higher so he would perhaps think about telling them and cutting a deal.

 
It is past 3 a.m. and I am more than tired but this is worth listening to, the first 11 minutes is about this case. I do not know a link for where this is coming from but he is reading and at first I thought from an article but it may be from the full court document that was obtained with some of the above info.

Of interest, dozens of women have said he raped them over these past 25 years! They also were monitoring Paul's cell and texts. There is a bit more of interest, pictures of where her body was allegedly "recently" moved from, details on where they searched or who lived where they searched etc.

I actually was discussing this case earlier (or now I guess it was last night) with a couple of people and we talked about his father's age and a father covering for his son for all of these years. I actually said I wonder if it was a one time crime and the son (Paul) went on to never do a thing bad again or if otherwise. Now hours later I hear this. A serial rapist if true!!! His freedom over these past many years, 1/4 century is one thing but how many women were hurt because he was not behind bars?

I wonder when they came forward... It is worth the 11 minutes just for these additional "facts" allegations, I was surprised because generally this podcast would be about Morphew but he does touch on other recent news/cases at times when doing these Wed. night shows. There must be a document or article out there with this as he is reading it. Maybe he even mentioned it, I would have to go rewatch that part.

 
Why is our society allowing these kind of people to run around raping women repeatedly? It’s just crap! It’s really making me mad. All these high profile cases going on and the victimization of women is constantly being ignored in my opinion.
 
Why is our society allowing these kind of people to run around raping women repeatedly? It’s just crap! It’s really making me mad. All these high profile cases is going on and the victimization of women is constantly being ignored in my opinion.
I'd like to know when dozens of allegations resulted--was it throughout all these years since Kristin disappeared or more recently? Did you follow this back when it happened, was there talk of this then?

Yes, the treatment of women has been sliding backwards again for years now imo. And crimes against women are often not taken as seriously imo as other crimes.

I would really like to know more about what happened here. "Dozens" is not a low number. Was he charged with any of these?
 
I'd like to know when dozens of allegations resulted--was it throughout all these years since Kristin disappeared or more recently? Did you follow this back when it happened, was there talk of this then?

Yes, the treatment of women has been sliding backwards again for years now imo. And crimes against women are often not taken as seriously imo as other crimes.

I would really like to know more about what happened here. "Dozens" is not a low number. Was he charged with any of these?
No, I only read about this case in depth within the past 5 years or so.
 
The parents of longtime missing California college student Kristin Smart have sued the father of the man charged with killing their daughter for allegedly moving her body after police first searched his land last year.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court, argued that Smart's body was buried in Ruben Flores's backyard until he moved her remains "under cover of darkness" to another location a few days after investigators searched his property in February 2020.

 
The parents of longtime missing California college student Kristin Smart have sued the father of the man charged with killing their daughter for allegedly moving her body after police first searched his land last year.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court, argued that Smart's body was buried in Ruben Flores's backyard until he moved her remains "under cover of darkness" to another location a few days after investigators searched his property in February 2020.

Good for them! I hope they win this lawsuit! If they get a positive ruling, perhaps it will help prevent others from doing the same!
 

Kristin Smart case: Paul and Ruben Flores to begin in-person preliminary hearings July 6​

A July 6 preliminary hearing date was set on Monday for Paul and Ruben Flores who both are charged in the death on Stockton native Kristin Smart.

Both men were present via Zoom for Monday's proceedings. A pre-preliminary hearing date was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. June 23 and new media rules were also ruled upon.


San Luis Obispo County judge approves cameras for Flores preliminary hearing​

A San Luis Obispo County Superior Court judge on Monday confirmed a July 6 start date for the preliminary hearing in the Kristin Smart murder trial and approved the use of photo news coverage inside the courtroom.

During a Zoom hearing, Judge Craig Van Rooyen denied a request to prohibit electronic media coverage filed by Bob Sanger, the attorney representing Paul Flores, who is accused of sexually assaulting and killing Smart.
 

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