The next month, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office took over from the Cal Poly police as the lead investigators. Lourdes Aguiar is the senior producer. Margarita Campos: I was, like, "Kristin, I'm going to go back home. She was pushing herself out of her comfort zone. He promised the Smarts that solving Kristin's case would be a priority. Also on the stand Tuesday were another cadaver dog handler, an expert in fiber evidence and a district attorney's office investigator. Ruben Flores was released on $50,000 bail to his ex-wife. For more than two decades, her family, friends, and supporters searched for answers and for justice. She said she didn't tell law enforcement about it until she talked to Det. She was never seen again. They're known for being a really safe school.". But 22 years later, when he couldn't find any recent stories about the case, he decided to do something. The Smart family filed a $40 million wrongful death lawsuit against Paul Flores in 1997, but he was not immediately charged criminally in the case. 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. Lindsey Smart Stewart: I think they're, like, carrying boulders on their back. "48 Hours" has learned these suspicions center around evidence found during that 2020 search of Paul Flores' home. On Monday, June 23rd, 1997, she arrived for work at the Crocker Galleria mall. 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 And might have connected Kristin to Susan Flores's house, says James Murphy. And there would be more disappointment in 2007, after the Smart's legal team searched a small portion of Susan Flores's backyard with ground penetrating radar and did not find any evidence. What happened to Kristen Modafferi? - AdvertisingRow.com Later, the sheriff's office obtained a warrant for Ruben's DNA and Det. Peuvrelle, who said Ruben Flores has helped cover up the crime for nearly a quarter-century, would continue to do so if freed. RUBEN FLORES: [long pause] We never asked that question. 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. Kristin's mother, Denise Smart, spent Memorial Day weekend at a swim meet with her two younger kids. His father Ruben Flores charged with being an accessory after the factwas found not guilty. Defense attorney Robert Sanger, in turn, tries to poke holes in Flemmings recollections. Chris Lambert and it worked. Lambert says Kristin could not stand on her own, so fellow student Cheryl Anderson who was also at the party began helping her back to campus. 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. I need you to listen to everything they say so we can punch holes in it. DAN DOW [press conference]: But the allegation that he was committing or attempting to commit a rape when he killed her, is the basis for which we are able to file first-degree felony murder charges. Was the beeping in a backyard coming from Kristin Smart's watch 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. The Kristen Modafferi Mystery: 20 years later, private investigators You wouldn't let any of your friends be drunk around him. Ann-Marie Christian: Her parents reminded me of my parents. Kristin Smart case: Shy podcaster led cops to arrest in California cold Flores was also in possession of Tramadol and Flexeril, known as date rape drugs. She spent a summer in London, was an exchange student in Venezuela, and a lifeguard at a camp in Hawaii. The next morning, Margarita waited to hear from Kristin. It did produce some information that I believe was valuable, he said. That witness initially came forward to Chris Lambert, who passed the information to the sheriff's office and Murphy. Mike McHugh is the producer-editor. [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. She didn't think that was OK. to find the next challenge. JAMES MURPHY: Does your son have any information as to where Kristin Smart's body is located? The 18- year old coed from North Carolina was taking a summer photography class at the University of Califorina Berkeley when she vanished June 23rd, 1997. Smart was talking with and socializing with several different males at the party. Cole also testified that on March 9, 2020, a witness reported some suspicious activity at the property. They told her Kristin had not been seen all weekend and asked if Kristin was with them. Chris Lambert: And that's when they're told that earring has been misplaced. DAN DOW [press conference]: The allegation against Ruben is that he helped to conceal Kristen's body after the murder was committed. Her books are available on Amazon. 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. 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. Authorities also uncovered fibers consistent with the color clothing Smart was last seen wearing. Her dorm entrance is right over here. The Disappearance of Kristin Smart: What Happened and What's Next With them is a group of FBI evidence response team members and a search warrant. To declare to the public if you stay quiet, you will get away with this. 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. Chris Lambert: That's the upsetting part about it, isn't it? 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. Just five months before Kristin disappeared, San Luis Obispo Police received a call from a student living off campus. Man charged with 1996 murder of college student Kristin Smart. When they were deposed by James Murphy, they also insisted their son was not involved. Kristen Modafferi was last seen on the afternoon of June 23, 1997, at the coffee shop where she was working in the Crocker Galleria Mall in San Francisco, California. His father, Ruben, will be tried as an accessory to the crime. She had taken a job at a coffee shop to pay for a photography course at U.C. or even her keys. PDF KRISTEN MODAFFERI - Federal Bureau of Investigation That technology uncovered a soil disturbance under the deck as well as four soil samples that tested positive for human blood; an April evacuation also tested positive for blood. Marital Status: Single Characteristics: Caucasian female with brown hair and eyes. She was never seen again and her body has not been located. The defense wants to suppress some of these searches, though, claiming that they were done illegally or without warrants. Most students had taken off but Kristin had stayed on campus. Nikki Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for the court, said the documents were not supposed to be public. Lindsey Smart Stewart: "You should go to Cal Poly. By then, the semester was over and the room had been cleaned out. The mother is washing her car in the driveway at one point. We just, "do you know anything about it". She was last seen in the Lands End area of San Francisco, close to where Laci and Connor washed up. The Smart family. The police searched her dorm room in Muir Hall, finding her wallet and reminders to turn in assignments. Paul Flores was identified as a person of interest early in the case. The judge rules that the DA cannot be disqualified for wearing purple clothing. The authorities began to describe Paul Flores as a prime suspect in the case. Kristen has never been found. Kristen was in her first year at Cal Poly when she vanished in 1996. DAN DOW [press conference]: We don't have evidence sufficient to charge anyone else at this time. She left them only after he promised to take Kristin back to her dorm. By herself, which is pretty amazing. During Tuesday's hearing, San Luis Obispo County. 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. 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. Even worse they never sealed his dorm room. JAMES MURPHY: Has your son ever told you that he did not kill Kristin Smart? Ms. Smarts family said they had faith in the justice system, comforted in the knowledge that Kristin has been held in the hearts of so many and that she has not been forgotten.. Detective in Kristin Smart case testifies human blood - KSBY Chris Lambert: Paul keeps stopping along the way and letting Cheryl Anderson know, you can go on ahead. But I've seen it. As of 2021, Kristen Modafferi's case remains unsolved. 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. But Margarita says, the police did not seem concerned. 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. They described dropping her off at the party at an unofficial fraternity house, and said that when it was over, she needed support to walk as she was being accompanied home by Paul Flores. It was updated on October 22, 2022.). I knocked on her door, and I thought she was just sleeping, or she went out and about, you know? Proof of the L.A. charges cant act as a substitute for the SLO case.. Produced by Lisa Freed. Chris Lambert: I personally think that wherever Kristin went, Paul was there with her. How are we not all talking about this every day until shes found?, Editors picks October 22, 2022 / 10:10 PM Chris Lambert: And he says he got a black eye playing basketball with his friends. And so, she pulled me into this sort of like, "oh come on, let's socialize. Members of the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department and FBI searched the grounds of Susan Flores's home in Arroyo Grande on June 19, 2000, for any evidence that might shed light on the disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart. 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. James Murphy: So why would Susan Flores, her boyfriend, and Ruben Flores be up all night long working under that deck. The lawsuit claims they were moving Kristin's remains. to search on and near the Cal Poly campus. Margarita Campos: Kristin was like, "come on, let's go, let's go." He also said that law enforcement leaked information to "Your Own Backyard" podcaster Chris Lambert. Jonathan Vigliotti: She had just 40 yards to go and yet she vanished. Let's go." James Murphy: To see them in custody was a feeling of great joy for me. 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. Cole went to his White Court home to collect it on May 19, 2021. I'm going to go back to the dorms. Chris Lambert: They're hopeful, but they've also been let down so many times before. And Murphy and Sinclair believe they can prove it. Anyone would have been terrified if they heard it.. They got to the parking lot of an apartment complex. PODCAST EPISODE 3: Something shiny catches her eye next to the front driver side tire. The search for Ms. Smart, who was nicknamed Roxy, took many forms. There is no evidence of a murder and no evidence of a rape, Sanger added. Also taking the witness stand on Wednesday was Edward Chadwell. Prosecutor Chris Peuvrelle asked him if he found the remains of any monkeys or ferrets or any human bodies on the property. On May 25, 1996, friends dropped her off at an off-campus party. Lambert began looking into what happened to Kristin, collecting articles and documents, chasing down leads and tracking down anyone with information. And then months and months later, they'd reach back out and say, can you get us in touch with this person again? Back in May 1996, Kristin Smart was finishing her freshman year at California Polytechnic State University better known as Cal Poly. Chris Lambert: He actually hit his eye on his steering wheel in the middle of the night while changing his stereo. But Paul Flores remained behind bars help without bail. But every Sunday when she called her parents, they encouraged her to stick it out. These charges mark a major milestone, Dow says in a statement. 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. Ken Blum is the editor. Ruben will be released on bail that he can afford. Plans & Pricing . On April 19, father and son each pleaded not guilty, according to The Associated Press. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time I told her I didn't I didn't want to go. He later argued that the biological evidence found under the deck was not conclusively human blood. PODCAST EPISODE 1: I googled Kristin Smart's name every few years. San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Office personnel dig in an area in the backyard of the home of Ruben Flores, in Arroyo Grande, Calif., March 16, 2021. Paul Flores is charged with first-degree murder and is accused of killing Smart while attempting to rape her. 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. Missing-person posters and billboards offering rewards appeared along roads and in other public places. Cole testified that Hudson told him about Paul's statement and that she'd also seen Paul with his white pickup truck at the skateboard ramp in Huasna. Testimony resumes at the Kristin Smart hearing after a week off. 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. The two girls walked to an area off campus where there were fraternities, sororities and residential housing for students. Human Remains Possibly Found In Home Of Missing Woman Kristen Modafferi Lindsey Smart Stewart: She had traveled the world before she even made it to college. James Murphy: Having a black eye doesn't make you guilty of anything but if the person you were with disappeared from the planet that's physical evidence. Paul Flores isnt granted bail, with Judge Craig B. The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time In a statement, the Smart family described a long wait for this bittersweet day.. Because of the statute of limitations, Dow says, Paul Flores can't be charged with rape. Paul Flores may have wanted a fresh start in Southern California, but Chris Lambert says, he could not seem to break old habits. And I was, like, "uh OK, fine.". and I was like, "Noooo.". The 100 Best Albums of 2022. 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. Denise Pearce: Kristin hasn't come home And we're not sure where she is We don't know anything. 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. But a massive search did not happen until she'd been gone for more than a month. Kristen Modafferi: Onuma and the Briefcase. But now, 25 years later, a man sits in a San Luis Obispo County Jail cell, charged with her murder. Axel Koester/Sygma via Getty Images The. Flores and his parents have always maintained that he had nothing to do with Smarts disappearance. School was over, so campus police found an empty room that had been sanitized by the university's cleaning crew. 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. Nineteen-year-old Kristin Smart disappeared Memorial Day weekend of 1996. Det. D.A. Testimony is expected to continue Wednesday. Another frustration for the Smarts: at the time Kristin disappeared, investigators weren't aware that Paul Flores's parents were separated and living apart. Murder of Kristin Smart - Wikipedia Jonathan Vigliotti: How significant was that? Jonathan Vigliotti: How did you know she hadn't been back? Flores, who had been seen with Smart earlier in the evening he attempted to flirt with her and apparently fell on her at one point, according to witnesses joined the group and allegedly accompanied Smart home. Ms. Smarts acquaintances were interviewed. Smart appeared to be under the influence of alcohol on Friday night. The unsealed documents include two claims from 2011 and 2017 that Flores raped two women while they were drunk in San Pedro. The sheriff's office still wasn't convinced they had enough evidence against Flores. James Murphy: Well, the location where all this activity occurred is where they found the biological material. Defense Attorney Sanger calls the move a stunning lack of objectivity.. A trailer was reportedly parked at Ruben's residence at odd hours and Paul's mother, Susan Flores, and her boyfriend were there. "48 Hours" looks back to their arrests and how the saga began. James Murphy: They're interested in seeing Paul Flores get convicted and Ruben Flores get held accountable. The document said investigators at the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department had biological evidence indicating Smart was once buried under Ruben Flores' deck behind his home in nearby Arroyo Grande. 3. Chris Lambert: He told those friends he just woke up with the black eye. 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. After apparently becoming intoxicated, Smart headed back to her dorm with fellow partiers Tim Davis and Cheryl Anderson. Chris Lambert: They didn't bring cadaver dogs with them. Jonathan Vigliotti: What toll over time did this have on your parents? And these girls are inviting us out. Witness Jennifer Hudson takes the stand, where she tells the court that, in 1996, when she was 17 years old, Flores laughingly told her he had taken care of Smart. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. D.A. Paul Flores, 44, has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. JAMES MURPHY: In May of 96 were you a student at Cal Poly? Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. to California to search for Kristen Modafferi. Three other women missing: Did Lac's husband kill before? It wasn't until Kristin's roommate returned to their dorm room, that Margarita realized Kristin never came home. They were after Paul Flores for an outstanding DUI warrant. The Mysterious Disappearance Of Kristen Modafferi - Grunge.com but I knew that I could try to do a small part. Denise Pearce: The phone call never comes. Chris Lambert: There was a man climbing her trellis and trying to get inside her balcony, very intoxicated and refusing to leave. The jury hearing Paul Floress case began deliberations after closing arguments on Oct. 4. 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. He'd go through tunnels, under bridges, looking for his daughter and expecting best case scenario. Anyone can read what you share. Margarita Campos: She was absolutely sober when I left her. James Murphy: I'm not at liberty to describe how it was documented. Susan's house was finally searched in March 1997 nine months after Kristin disappeared but nothing was found. 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. 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. SUSAN FLORES: [Long pause, grabs water bottle] Of course not. Margarita soon decided she'd had enough. In the crowd, taking it all in, was that podcaster, Chris Lambert. The 19-year-old, who is also from Charlotte and a . Chris Lambert: At that point I don't think they had ever dealt with a missing person, a possibly murdered person. By the time Cal Poly police began investigating, Kristin had been gone for four days. Nineteen-year-old Kristin Smart disappeared Memorial Day weekend of 1996. He had a smirk when he said it, like it was a joke, she says. 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. He said a chemical called Bluestar, which detects bodily fluids, was used on the trailer and that there was a reaction on the right side of the trailer showing a stain that could be similar to a human being lying on its side. Devastating. November 01, 2017. We want to especially thank the District Attorneys Office for their relentless efforts. 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. He later told investigators that he walked her as far as his dorm, where they parted ways. 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. 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. Jonathan Vigliotti | CBS News correspondent: You wanted to go home, and you were trying to find a way to break it to your friend. In the meantime, Paul Flores moved to Southern California, where he bounced from job to job. Even though he'd never investigated anything before, Lambert quit his job to create a podcast about the case. They also did not focus on Paul Flores immediately, waiting six days to formally interview him. Please come with me." Paul Flores killed Kristin Smart in dorm room during attempted rape, DA Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. He gets his arm around her torso and her arm around his neck, and he's helping her walk. The Smarts say they tried to file a missing person's report with the local police but were told it was too early, and the FBI told them Cal Poly police were in charge. Paul Flores is charged with the murder of Kristin Smart, who disappeared from Cal Poly in 1996. Also included is the result of a February 4th, 2020 search of Paul Flores San Pedro home, where San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs investigators seized electronic devices that featured videos showing Flores having sex with seemingly incapacitated women. Kristen Modafferi - Unsolved Mysteries My job was to hunt them. The Strange Disappearance of Kristen Modafferi - Medium
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