In 1997, civil attorney James Murphy, Kristin Smart's family attorney, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Paul Flores. If you have any information, please call Murphy Law Corporation at 805-489-8929 or San Luis Obispo Sheriff at 805-781-4500. Send pics, videos and tips to CCN. Three dog handlers were brought in to testify during the preliminary hearing for Paul and Ruben Flores in August 2021. Soon after her disappearance, a sheriffs search party combed remote parts of the Cal Poly campus on horseback, archival video from KCRA-TV shows. However, cadaver dogs were used in the early days of the case in Paul Floress dorm room. That VW Cabriolet was removed from Ruben Flores home on Monday morning and towed to an undisclosed location by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Department. Flores' father, Ruben Ricardo Flores, 80, was also arrested and is accused. The trials began in July this year in Monterey, California. Flores also invoked the Fifth Amendment during a 1997 deposition, after Smart's family sued him for the wrongful death of Kristin. However, the two were prevented from returning to the backyard by the homes owner (it turned out permission was given by a roommate and not the owner of the home). 'The community moved Heaven and Earth to try to find her. Besides Tapia-Rubio and Mora-Sanchez, federal agents identified 15 other suspects. Not a single day goes by where you aren't missed, remembered, loved and celebrated.'. The search for Ms. Smart, who was nicknamed Roxy, took many forms. Paul was then named a person of interest in Kristins disappearance. His father was then taken into custody. Ruben Flores stares down the Google Street View car. Prosecutors had argued Paul killed Kristin then hid her body in his father's yard. The two alleged culprits are being held at the San Luis Obispo County Jail, awaiting arraignment. During the prosecution's rebuttal,Peuvrelle asked the jury to find Paul Flores guilty of first-degree murder and summarized the evidence that had been presented during the trial that started on July 18. and We will refer to this property as Lot 29. Paul Flores sued by Kristin Smart's family. Lambert forensically interviewed Smart's parents, best friend, college roommate, and others who knew Flores. Episode 06: Ongoing and Active. It has never been resolved. But, unfortunately, Buster did not go with him so as not to wake the neighbors if he were to bark. Helicopters were used to canvas the area. And honestly once it's done, I think we're all just going to be relieved that it's over, regardless of the outcome. After reading the paper, Dostie said he was thoroughly impressed with the amount of detail put into the articles on Kristin Smart. Dostie trained Buster in 100-year-old cemeteries in Nevada and used techniques from bomb detection dogs. Here, DailyMail.com examines the mystery that's gripped the US for nearly three decades. Judge Jennifer O'Keefe thanked the jury for their service, after reading out the verdict. As Kristin Smarts body was never found, it is reasonable to assume that Paul Flores received assistance in moving the body in the middle of the night. All three handlers testified that they knew Kristin disappeared but did not know any further details on the case. 2am, May 26: Kristin is last seen alive walking towards her dorm room with Paul Flores, May 28: Kristin's family report her missing, June 1996: Paul Flores invokes his Fifth Amendment rights to avoid answering questions about the case, 1997: Kristin Smart's family sue Paul Flores for wrongful death. 'But you're here as jurors. Ian Parkinson became the San Luis Obispo County sheriff. The civil attorney for Kristin Smart's family is suing Ruben Flores for emotional damages in connection to the Cal Poly student's 1996 disappearance. His attorney, Harold Mesick, defended the decision by the court by saying Ruben is 'not just not guilty, he is absolutely innocent, and today's verdict proved that. The two assisted on a search at the Barker Rancha ranch located in Death Valley, infamously known for its association with Charles Manson and his family.. In the lawsuit, Murphy alleges "Ruben Flores and Doe defendants 1 and 2 worked through the night, under the cover of darkness, to remove the remains of Kristin Smart to avoid having those remains at 710 White Ct. in the event of an additional search of the property.". When Kristin Smart fell at the party, he helped her up. Teschendorf said it was odd because although they weren't particularly close, Smart would usually tell her if she was going to spend the night out of their dorm. His father was found not guilty of helping to hide her body. Flores is accused of killing Smart of Stockton, while attempting to sexually assault her after a party, when both were students atCalifornia Polytechnic State University in 1996. He worked in law enforcement for 30 years. It was fascinating to be able to combine all the different levels of technology, including the dog alerts. Flores had been behind bars at the San Luis Obispo County Jail since the morning of April 13 when he and . When he was first questioned in 1996, Paul Flores told police that Kristin had walked all the way to her own dorm room after the party. Searches were conducted on campus and in her Muir Hall dorm room, where they found her wallet and other belongings. Ruben Flores son Paul Flores is accused of murdering Kristin Smart during an attempted rape in 1996. The San Luis Obispo Sheriffs Office said, As a result of Judge Van Rooyens suppression order, in this case, the Sheriffs Office is unable to comment at this time., https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7401519/, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dogs-archaeologists-detect-3000-year-old-graves-croatia-180973409/. He later told investigators that he walked her as far as his dorm, where they parted ways. Prosecutor Chris Peuvrelle told jurors the 'truth is, Kristin Smart is dead and the evidence is clear that she was killed by Paul Flores. Yet, in this case, no body, no crime scene, its a 30 year old case and now lies by the investigators and DAs office this will cost all residents hundreds of millions of dollars. 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.. No remains have been found. On Jun. During the search, officials said they found evidence related to the murder of Smart. No other information regarding the evidence has been made public, with the police citing the fact that it is an ongoing investigation. and 19, 2000. It was also believed that the first sample was taken at a shallower depth, which resulted in a weak positive due to vegetation drawing bio-marker chemicals through cracks in the wall of the footer. They called him 'Chester the molester' and 'Psycho Paul', they said. ', Mesick said the case has been the one he is 'most invested in on a personal level.'. A judge moved the trial to Monterey County in April over concerns that unbiased jurors could not be found in the county. Jennifer Smith, Chief Reporter 'He's charged with murder, not rape or attempted rape,' he said. His father Ruben Flores was found not guilty by a separate jury. Other witnesses included students who were at the party. A San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's spokesman says investigators uncovered some 'items of interest'. San Luis Obispo County district attorney's officials interviewed Flores in June 1996, but he later invoked his Fifth Amendment right before a grand jury, and then again during a civil disposition. A neighbor of Ruben Flores denied seeing anyone under his Arroyo Grande home on Feb. 9, 2020, calling the allegations she viewed digging, shovels and a wheelbarrow "untrue." Ruben Flores'. 'Conspiracy theories can be fun. Next, he brought the duo to an area where he knew there were recently recovered graves. Noah said, He [Buster] alerted within six inches of the biggest recovery of MIAs thats been done since WWII. 'He never should have been charged, and I'm very pleased with the outcome. Paul and Ruben Flores appear at the San Luis Obispo Superior Court for the first time, at which time Judge Craig van Rooyen denies Deputy District Attorney Christopher Peuvrelle's request to. By The documents also detail arguments by prosecutor Christopher Peuvrellethat evidence from an excavation of Ruben Flores's propertywhere the prosecution allegesSmart's body was once buried must be allowed at trial, over the defendants' objections. Missing-person posters and billboards offering rewards appeared along roads and in other public places. Ranch Life/Equine Enthusiast, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Twin Cities Community Hospital Receives Award for Maternity Care, Colony Days and the Worlds Greatest Margarita By Barbie Butz, SLO County Bids Fond Farewell to Longtime Chief Probation Officer, North County Wakes Up to Snow Saturday Morning, Open for Business? As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. On Oct. 18, Paul Flores was found guilty of murdering Ms. Smart. Freshman Kristin Smart disappeared without a trace after a Californian college party 26 years ago - and now the prime murder suspect has been found guilty after a crime podcast helped cops crack the case. Constructive debate is good; mockery, taunting, and name calling is not. The search of Ruben Flores' home took place about a month after Paul . Prosecution, defense lay out case as Paul Flores trial opens in death of Kristin Smart, 24 years from the Cal Poly student's disappearance to a suspect's arrest, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Ruben's personal network of family, friends, associates & neighbors include Valeria Valerio, Dustin Flores, Jessica Gomez, Sophi Flores and Rebecca Rifenburgh. But the findings didnt stop there. Ms. Smarts acquaintances were interviewed. It would be one of several home searches . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Based on that, we are not going to submit more evidence, said Robert Sanger, one of Paul Flores attorneys. Remember, if it does not fit, you must acquit. His defense lawyer, Harold. 'We like to watch shows, and you think, "I bet I know what happened." The property was searched by the Sheriffs Department; in addition, cadaver dogs and ground penetrating radar were employed to locate the remains of Kristin Smart. He now faces a minimum of 25 years in prison but could spend the rest of his life behind bars. He was also unable to search a garage building that was built on the East side of the home in 1997 because of wire mesh in the floor. Filed less than 12 hours since Ruben posted bail and was released from jail. Over the years, he was considered the prime suspect in her disappearance and was arrested in April 2021, along with his father, Ruben Flores. But her family vowed to get justice. That 'good deed,' it now transpires, was the murder of 19-year-old Kristin Smart. By 2007 Dostie began training his new black labrador, Buster, in detecting human remains. After passing the tests, Noah and his team brought Buster and Dostie to some areas with known historical correlation to American graves, but no graves had been found yet. He will be sentenced on December 9, at 9am. Not long after Dostie and Buster were heading home, Smallwood called saying he got permission from the owner at another neighboring property, Lot 27. Investigators conducted dozens of searches over two decades, but turned their attention in 2020 to Ruben Flores' home about 12 miles south of Cal Poly. So if Vass finds human-specific chemicals in the soil sample, that means there are human remains in the area. - On Friday, August 14, 2015, Elmer Rice told Christopher Garland that Ruben Flores (Paul's father) told him that Kristin was rolled up in carpet and buried in concrete. Ruben Flores, 81, is charged with accessory after the fact, accused of helping cover up the alleged crime. 'It is a great personal sacrifice to serve as a juror. He wasn't arrested, despite the fact that four cadaver dogs singled out his dorm room as having a scent of death when they searched the entire dorm building of 120 rooms. She was declared legally dead in 2002. In the History Flight Search, Recovery and Identification Report 45 LT Alexander Bonnyman Jr. Betio, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati 2006-2015, a map shows where Buster alerted and where remains were found. Dostie reached out to Cadaver Dog: K9 Specialty Search Associates for cadaver trainers. They had attended the off-campus frat party with other friends, and their dorms were close to each other. However, he also said that he had never searched for human remains before and did not have the proper equipment. These tests search for chemicals specific to humans. The East side of the home was not properly searched because of this. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. @KSBY pic.twitter.com/ElsXUdUNcN. It was now about 11:00 p.m. Resides in Southgate, MI. San Luis Obispo teen killed in Highway 101 crash, Comparing COVID-19 death rates in California, to other states, Pismo Beach traffic stop nets gun and two arrests, Most of California out of drought, find reservoir levels, Donations raised, but not delivered to Los Osos mudslide victims, Teen arrested for assault, robbery and shooting in SLO, UCSB student dies from fentanyl exposure at Deltopia, Santa Maria man accused of threatening to shoot people, Man airlifted to hospital after Lompoc shooting, Four takeaways from the Paso Robles school board race, Holocaust Remembrance Day, lest we forget, SLO County gas prices increasing, find the lowest prices. Cadaver dogs trained to detect human decomposition were deployed by the F.B.I. The paper that attorney Melvin Delamotte repeatedly pointed to during the deposition of his client, Paul Flores, on November 14, 1997. Central Coast TRVLR The jury in Ruben's case reached a decision on Monday but were told they could not announce the decision until Paul's case was closed. Soil samples were then retrieved from the backyard corner bordering Susans home. As Paul's conviction was read aloud in court, Kristin's father smiled and placed an arm around her mother, who quietly wept, The Tribunereported. Thats one case that got away.. The comments below represent the opinion of the writer and do not represent the views or policies of CalCoastNews.com. KSBY News reached out to Ruben Flores's attorney for comment and has not yet heard back. New witnesses were interviewed which led detectives to securing a court order to monitor Paul Flores' cellphone activity. He said that during the trial, defense attorneys have said 'a number of times' that the podcast was 'designed to convict Paul Flores.'. 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