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. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. Hudson previously testified during the preliminary hearing that while hanging out with a group of skateboarders in San Luis Obispo in 1996, she heard Paul Flores use a derogatory term to refer to Kristin Smart and say, "I'm done playing with her and I put her out underneath my ramp in Huasna.". Ms. Smarts family declared her legally dead in 2002, but the search, and the investigation, continued. They're known for being a really safe school.". 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. DAN DOW [press conference]: We don't have evidence sufficient to charge anyone else at this time. Man charged with 1996 murder of college student Kristin Smart. Testimony resumes at the Kristin Smart hearing after a week off. Jonathan Vigliotti: And that phone call never comes. His father was found not guilty of helping to hide her body. He has not been charged in those incidents. 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 was pushing herself out of her comfort zone. On Monday, he questioned why investigators needed to keep searching for evidence after making arrests. Chadwell answered no. But Paul Flores remained behind bars help without bail. But it's Susan Flores's concrete backyard that initially received a lot of attention. Three more witnesses are expected to take the stand on Thursday, including two cadaver dog handlers.___. JAMES MURPHY: Your husband have information as to where Kristin Smart's body is located? 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. They also uncovered videos in a folder labeled practice that featured women wearing ball gags and in other fetish positions. She had taken a job at a coffee shop to pay for a photography course at U.C. Margarita Campos: She was absolutely sober when I left her. So, they did not immediately get a warrant to search Susan Flores's home. Kristin Smart, a bright, adventurous communication studies freshman at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, went missing May 25, 1996. Just five months before Kristin disappeared, San Luis Obispo Police received a call from a student living off campus. Chris Lambert: So much was lost in those first few days where if that very first phone call was taken seriously answers might have been uncovered the first week. to search on and near the Cal Poly campus. SHERIFF IAN PARKINSON [at press conference]: Forensic physical evidence was located. Chris Lambert says, two days after that, when Flores was interviewed by campus police, they asked how he got his black eye as well as scratches on his hands and knees. PODCAST EPISODE 1: Kristin broke down begging her mother to let her drop out and go somewhere else. I did have guilt about that. Dennis Mahon's Podcast A single woman's earring. That's been our goal. [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. The search for Smart did not begin until a week after her disappearance, as campus police refused to take a missing persons report from a dorm mate; the hunt only began in earnest after the student called the police and the Smart family. 1 of 47. In October 2022, Paul Flores, the man long suspected in her disappearance, was found guilty of murder. Maybe we cant. Denise Pearce says that was a crushing blow for the Smart family. On April 13, 2021, almost 25 years after Kristin Smart went missing, longtime suspect Paul Flores, 44, was arrested at his home in San Pedro, California, and charged with murder. For more than two decades, her family, friends, and supporters searched for answers and for justice. 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. I don't think she went back to her dorm at all. Most students had taken off but Kristin had stayed on campus. Berkeley. It was updated on October 22, 2022.). 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. True crime podcasting is not something that particularly captivated me, Lambert told Rolling Stonelast year. The 100 Best Albums of 2022. Chris Lambert: He actually hit his eye on his steering wheel in the middle of the night while changing his stereo. Murder of Kristin Smart - Wikipedia Chris Lambert: I remember seeing it on the news it was something scary and they were talking about it pretty regularly. 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 Peuvrelles request to add two rape charges against Paul, according to The Tribune of San Luis Obispo. JAMES MURPHY: Does your son have any information as to where Kristin Smart's body is located? Nineteen-year-old Cal Poly student Kristin Smart went missing after a campus party 25 years ago, and, this summer, her case is finally getting its day in court. 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. or even her keys. Other witnesses included students who were at the party. Ruben will be released on bail that he can afford. The search for Ms. Smart, who was nicknamed Roxy, took many forms. He says Smart seemed uncomfortable but was too nice to ask the boy to leave. In April, Paul Flores, 44, was arrested on one count of murder in connection to the case, and his father, Ruben Flores, 80, was arrested as an accessory after the fact. Denise Smart, Kristins mother, has also praised the show. Previously sealed documents related to the case become available to the public that explain the rape charges Peurelle attempted to add against Paul Flores. Margarita Campos: To this day, like, I was like, why why did I just let her go by herself? 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. Was the beeping in a backyard coming from Kristin Smart's watch ", Although suspicion surrounded Flores almost from the beginning, any hopes for an arrest were dashed in May 1997 when then-Sheriff Ed Williams made an admission to the San Luis Obispo Telegraph: "We need Paul Flores to tell us what happened to Kristin Smart so absent something from Mr. Flores, I don't see us completing this case.". They had become close friends despite their differences. Chris Lambert, who worked as a CBS News consultant, pieced together what he learned from people who were there that night. He never expected it would be a hit, but his podcast caught the attention of millions of listeners and sparked new interest in this decades-old unsolved case. Denise Pearce: She was becoming more and more alarmed, you know? It did produce some information that I believe was valuable, he said. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. But as Chris Lambert learned, Flores's pattern of behavior with women didn't stop. Investigators in Kristin Smart case serve search warrant at the home of the prime suspect's father Smart was last seen near her California Polytechnic State University (CalPoly) dorm, but she. 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. D.A. Murphy has filed a new civil suit against Ruben Flores for the intentional infliction of emotional distress. She left them only after he promised to take Kristin back to her dorm. Margarita Campos: I was, like, "Kristin, I'm going to go back home. It worked. Peterson. That turned out to be college. The Kristen Modafferi Mystery: 20 years later, private investigators PODCAST EPISODE 2 | WOMAN #2: You wouldn't want to be alone in a room with him. Kristen Modafferi - Unsolved Mysteries Other witnesses are also questioned, but Flemmings testimony is noteworthy as he is the first to say he saw Flores and Smart together before the party. His father, Ruben Flores, pleads not guilty to being an accessory to the crime after the fact. She adds that Flores said he put Smart under a skateboard ramp in Arroyo Grande. Jonathan Vigliotti: How did you know she hadn't been back? Lambert also interviewed a woman who dated Flores until, she says, he became physically and verbally abusive. James Murphy: I'd love to do anything to end their suffering. suddenly major pieces of evidence came forward. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. IE 11 is not supported. Smarts family issues a statement following the news about Flores going to trial: Yesterday was a very good day and we want to take this opportunity to thank all of Kristins supporters in San Luis Obispo and beyond. were in the room exactly where she had left them. Chris Lambert: And he says he got a black eye playing basketball with his friends. The younger Flores has long been the only person of interest in Smarts disappearance; she was last seen on May 25th, 1996, after attending a party near campus. According to a county probation bail report obtained by the San Luis Obispo Tribune, "biological evidence" was found under Ruben's deck. An important tip came in after a February 2020 search of Paul, Susan and Ruben's properties. The Kristin Smart disappearance: After 26 years, Paul Flores is convicted of murder 20 photos. Lindsey Smart Stewart: Right. She feared for her life, so did not tell anyone at the time or for years after. Mesick declined to comment Tuesday, citing the gag order. Authorities also uncovered fibers consistent with the color clothing Smart was last seen wearing. 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. On July 21, Kristin Smarts parents and her brother, Matt, testified about how they had searched for her after her disappearance. Cole in 2019. 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. After apparently becoming intoxicated, Smart headed back to her dorm with fellow partiers Tim Davis and Cheryl Anderson. Detective in Kristin Smart case testifies human blood - KSBY Jonathan Vigliotti | CBS News correspondent: You wanted to go home, and you were trying to find a way to break it to your friend. James Murphy: The podcast is out. Two days after her daughter went missing, Denise Smart got a call from Cal Poly's campus police. But to fully understand Chris Lambert's contribution, you have to go back to the beginning. Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. But Lindsey says her sister was happiest when she was traveling. Paul Flores was ordered held without bail Monday. And so, she pulled me into this sort of like, "oh come on, let's socialize. Four months later, while attempting to reconcile, Susan rented out her house in Arroyo Grande. DAN DOW [press conference]: It is alleged that Mr. Flores caused the death of Kristen Smart while in the commission of or attempted rape. Twenty-five years after Smart went missing, a prime suspect is charged with murder. Cadaver dogs trained to detect human decomposition were deployed by the F.B.I. We feel like the stars aligned when the podcast aired, she told Rolling Stone. You wouldn't let any of your friends be drunk around him. Soon after her disappearance, a sheriffs search party combed remote parts of the Cal Poly campus on horseback, archival video from KCRA-TV shows. The authorities removed items from Paul Floress home in Los Angeles in February 2020. 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. And DNA evidence could not be found linking any other evidence to Kristin. But as Chris Lambert learned, campus police did not act right away. James Murphy and Garin Sinclair look at the billboard that has been in their front yard for more than two decades. Any evidence that might have been there was long gone. In March 2021, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office served a search warrant at the Arroyo Grande home of Ruben Flores. There's no question about it. It's, like, she has nothing on her. That mother, Mary Lassiter, described it to Chris Lambert. 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. And she was growing as an individual. Axel Koester/Sygma via Getty Images The. Other men cited by the defense either reportedly dated or pursued Smart. Everyone knew Paul (Flores) was creepy. D.A. They went on trial in July 2022 in Monterey County, Calif. On Oct. 18, 2022, Paul Flores was found guilty of murdering Ms. Smart. Chris Lambert was just 8 years old when Kristin Smart vanished on her way home from a college party in San Luis Obispo, California. They havent revealed what was found but returned to the yard for additional digging after the arrests. JAMES MURPHY: Has your son ever told you that he did not kill Kristin Smart? 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. After a lengthy hearing, San Luis Obispo County Judge Craig B. 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. JAMES MURPHY: In May of 96 were you a student at Cal Poly? The arrests of the father and son came after investigators using ground-penetrating radar and cadaver dogs discovered evidence connected directly to Smarts death last month during a search at Ruben Flores home, authorities said. Denise Pearce: Kristin hasn't come home And we're not sure where she is We don't know anything. 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. 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. 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. The sheriff's office seized the trailer and Det. What happened to Kristen Modafferi? One man's 20-year search for Kristen was in her first year at Cal Poly when she vanished in 1996. Her younger sister Lindsey says their mother urged Kristin to go there. Nineteen-year-old Kristin Smart disappeared Memorial Day weekend of 1996. 'Keep her memory alive': Organizer encourages community to spread We want to hear it. Det. Early on, a small group of volunteers also looked for Kristin. And I was like, "nah, I have to study." Why? Nic Coury / AP. But a massive search did not happen until she'd been gone for more than a month. 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. In his mug shot, a black eye can faintly been seen. Disappearance of Kristen Modafferi - Wikipedia In his complaint, Murphy alleges, along with Ruben, there were two other unnamed individuals. What happens next? In June 1997, 18-year-old Kristen Modafferi arrived in San Francisco to take a photography class at UC Berkeley. 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. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time The prosecution upholds the validity of these searches, including one of Flores dorm room that was done after he moved out. 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. A separate jury for Ruben Flores started deliberating on Oct. 5. Ms. Smart, 19, was a freshman at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo when she disappeared in 1996. Paul Flores, lower left, remained in jail without bail while Ruben Flores, upper right, was able to post bail after a judge agreed to lower the bail amount from $250,000 to $50,000, San Luis Obispo County Superior Court/Zoom, How a tragic boating crash is connected to the family of Alex Murdaugh, Five deaths with a connection to Alex Murdaugh's family investigated, Chilling details revealed in JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan deaths, Mother at center of international manhunt speaks out to "48 Hours". But while campus police weren't doing much, Kristin's parents were doing whatever they could to find their daughter. Lambert began looking into what happened to Kristin, collecting articles and documents, chasing down leads and tracking down anyone with information. "Should he be allowed bail, it is a virtual certainty that he would use his freedom to continue his attempts to help Paul Flores thwart prosecution in this case and continue to hide her remains.. And that's what I've been doing for a long, long time, along with a lot of other people. They asked him not to use their names: PODCAST EPISODE 2 | WOMAN #1: Well his nickname was "Scary Paul.". The Kristin Smart disappearance: After 26 years, Paul Flores is convicted of murder. Chris Lambert: Paul keeps stopping along the way and letting Cheryl Anderson know, you can go on ahead. So, when they were invited to a party that Friday night, Kristin was excited to go. UPDATE - San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Detective Clint Cole returned to the witness stand Wednesday in the preliminary hearing for Paul and Ruben Flores, testifying that searches of Ruben's home turned up evidence leading them to believe human remains had been buried there. / CBS News, (This story previously aired on May 8, 2021. I've got her. They were soon joined by another partygoer, Paul Flores. The body of Kristin Smart, which has never been found, was recently moved from the home of Ruben Flores, a prosecutor said, according to a document filed Monday and posted on social media by a reporter for The Tribune of San Luis Obispo. Kristen Modafferi. Chris Lambert: At that point I don't think they had ever dealt with a missing person, a possibly murdered person. Like his black eye, seen faintly in a mug shot taken by the Arroyo Grande Police just by chance two days after Kristin vanished. Dennis Mahon's Podcast - Blubrry Podcasting Proof of the L.A. charges cant act as a substitute for the SLO case.. Paul Flores did not have a car on campus, so Murphy surmises he had to have had help. To think that you're going to finally get some resolution, and then it doesn't happen the way it's supposed to. 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. By the time they inspected Flores's room, Kristin had been gone for 16 days. The podcast, "Your Own Backyard,"has drawn millions of listeners and focused renewed attention on this decades old case. The two are charged in connection with the death of Cal Poly freshman Kristin Smart. Additionally, the documents include information about a March 15th, 2021 search by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office of Ruben Flores Arroyo Grande property that included ground-penetrating radar. What's going on? 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. Lindsey Smart Stewart: "You should go to Cal Poly. Smart was declared dead in 2002. How are we not all talking about this every day until shes found?, Editors picks I'm going to go back to the dorms. 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 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. I think they're just waiting to see what the outcome is going to be. Kristin Smart: Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong calls the Smarts. Smart appeared to be under the influence of alcohol on Friday night. She left around 2 a.m. and was accompanied by Paul Flores, who was also a student at Cal Poly. Susan's house was finally searched in March 1997 nine months after Kristin disappeared but nothing was found. Lindsey Smart Stewart: She definitely, like, took advantage of life, seized the day she was super ambitious and was determined you know, to find the next adventure. It wasn't until Kristin's roommate returned to their dorm room, that Margarita realized Kristin never came home. 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. PAUL FLORES: On the advice of my attorney, I refuse to answer that question based on the fifth amendment of the United States Constitution. Chris Lambert: The only thing he would confirm on tape is that his name is Paul Flores. She was she was frantic I don't understand this, you know? DAN DOW [press conference]: We have evidence that we do believe there are other people that are not yet identified that have had some kind of a criminal act perpetrated on them by Mr. Flores. After over 25 years, there is no evidence that Paul Flores committed the crimes for which there is no evidence.. DAN DOW [press conference]: We intend to use evidence of other sexual crimes in this prosecution to prove the facts necessary for the attempted rape in this case. (Pool photo by Dave Minsky/Santa Maria Times). And they told Lambert they weren't surprised when they heard about Flores's connection to Kristin's disappearance. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. By the time they called the Cal Poly campus police, Kristin had been missing for more than 48 hours. On Monday, June 23rd, 1997, she arrived for work at the Crocker Galleria mall. Margarita soon decided she'd had enough. PDF KRISTEN MODAFFERI - Federal Bureau of Investigation Margarita Campos: I was a little bit more introverted and inhibited and she was like, "no, we have to go out and we have to go like live life." You just don't talk, and you get away with it. The authorities began to describe Paul Flores as a prime suspect in the case. Paul Flores killed Kristin Smart in dorm room during attempted rape, DA She was never seen again and her body has not been located. Denise Pearce | Longtime family friend: Things were gonna get better and, you know, and and they did. Kristin Denise Smart (born February 20, 1977 [1] [6] -declared legally dead May 25, 2002) was an American woman who was found to have been murdered by Paul Flores at the end of her freshman year on the campus of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly). And it was only 250 miles from Stockton, California, where she grew up with Lindsey and their brother Matt. "YOUR OWN BACKYARD" PODCAST: EPISODE 1: It's a cold and cloudy winter afternoon in San Luis Obispo and I'm retracing missing Cal Poly student Kristin Smart's last known steps. Like the Smart's civil case, theirs also has been on hold. Related Stories As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. And while they did not rush to investigate Flores, Kristin's family says campus police were very quick to judge her. 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. D.A. Chris Lambert says they're cautiously optimistic. Some of those women who did not want their real names used told Lambert about their encounters with him. The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time School was over, so campus police found an empty room that had been sanitized by the university's cleaning crew. The next morning, Margarita waited to hear from Kristin. Ms. Smart, who was from Stockton, Calif., was a freshman at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. Paul Flores and defense attorney Robert Sanger in court on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. In March 2021, investigators used cadaver dogs and ground-penetrating radar to search Ruben Floress property in Arroyo Grande, Calif. Paul Flores was taken into custody at his home in the San Pedro section of Los Angeles on April 13, 2021, and was charged with murder. And the complaint has some explosive claims about what led investigators to focus under Ruben's deck in the first place. In high school he was known as a loner. Kristen has never been found. At the time of the April 13 arrests, the sheriff said he believed that had enough evidence to win convictions. James Murphy: they let the dog in, the dog makes a beeline to the bed of Paul Flores. The elder Flores is charged with accessory after the fact to the crime of murder for allegedly helping Paul conceal Smarts body. 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. Axel Koester/Sygma via Getty Images. 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. James Murphy: And it says wrongful death and then I put murder. 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. Smart was talking with and socializing with several different males at the party. He has denied any involvement. Murphy and Sinclair promised the Smarts the billboard will stay until their daughter is found. For more than two decades, her family, friends, and supporters searched for answers and for justice. The documents also include several people the defense believes investigators should have looked into in addition to Flores, including convicted murderer and fellow then-student Scott Peterson, who was previously ruled out. Paul Flores was charged with murder and Ruben Flores with being an accessory after the fact, accused of helping to bury her remains. Ian Parkinson: Yes. I didn't know how many people were gonna listen. Real Name: Kristen Deborah Modafferi Nicknames: No known nicknames Location: San Francisco, California Date: June 23, 1997 Bio Occupation: Student Date of Birth: June 1, 1979 Height: 5' 8" Weight: 140 lbs. Will There Be A Pyewacket 2, Jana Duggar Wedding Pictures, Clinica Campesina Pecos, How To Find Ilo Ip Address Using Powershell, Alex Marie Shoes Nordstrom, Articles K
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