And according to that probation report, "dozens of women have recounted Paul Flores' sexual assaults and predatory behavior that document his 25 years as a serial rapist." She left them only after he promised to take Kristin back to her dorm. Helicopters were used to canvas the area. But remarkably, the same thing happened with three more dogs. The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time Griffin Cherry was her close friend: He had a smirk when he said it, like it was a joke, she says. Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife and son, Biden had cancerous skin lesion removed last month, doctor says, White supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes kicked out of CPAC, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Biden team readies new advisory panel ahead of expected reelection bid, At least 10 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, House Democrats unhappy with White House handling of D.C.'s new criminal code. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. They might have found evidence in those vehicles. He'd go anywhere. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time I did have guilt about that. The authorities began to describe Paul Flores as a prime suspect in the case. After almost 25 years of suspicion, on April 13, 2021, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson announced the arrest ofPaul Flores in the disappearance of Kristin Smart. Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. 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. Book Author Jenn is a lawyer-turned-author and true crime writer. My job was to hunt them. Chris Lambert: So, if you believe Paul's story, he goes into his dorm room here. Dennis Mahon's Podcast - Blubrry Podcasting And the body's not there now. Witnesses said Smart was intoxicated, and Flores had said he would walk her home after an off-campus party. Paul Flores is charged with first-degree murder and is accused of killing Smart while attempting to rape her. They didn't bring a forensics team. Alicia Tejada is the field producer and Addison Briley is the associate producer. The next morning, Margarita waited to hear from Kristin. 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.. In a statement, the Smart family described a long wait for this bittersweet day.. And might have connected Kristin to Susan Flores's house, says James Murphy. 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. 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! 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. Nineteen-year-old Kristin Smart disappeared Memorial Day weekend of 1996. You just don't talk, and you get away with it. On May 25, 1996, friends dropped her off at an off-campus party. Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Craig van Rooyen rules that having the podcaster testify and release his records would have a chilling effect on the medias ability to do their job. Paul Flores convicted of killing Kristin Smart after 26 years of He also said that law enforcement leaked information to "Your Own Backyard" podcaster Chris Lambert. Cole reportedly testified that Ruben asked why Susan Flores, who is Pauls mother, and her boyfriend were also being swabbed when he was the only one who committed a felony. Margarita Campos: She was absolutely sober when I left her. 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. Kristin Smart Case Update: Where Is the Investigation Today? - Heavy.com What happened to Kristen Modafferi? One man's 20-year search for Chris Lambert: And he says he got a black eye playing basketball with his friends. Paul Flores isnt granted bail, with Judge Craig B. They had become close friends despite their differences. They're known for being a really safe school.". Lindsey Smart Stewart: Right. The Smart family. Denise Pearce: The investigation was completely botched by the campus police. James Murphy: He lied to the police about everything. 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. I've got her. At the time, they did not know about a missing college student. Joe Johnston/The Tribune (of San Luis Obispo), via Associated Press. Kristen Modafferi: Onuma and the Briefcase. But the investigation is ongoing. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. The then eighteen-year-old . JAMES MURPHY: Do you have any information as to where Kristin Smart's body is located? On April 19, father and son each pleaded not guilty, according to The Associated Press. Kristen Deborah Modafferi (born June 1, 1979; disappeared June 23, 1997) is an American woman who, in the early summer of 1997, disappeared in mysterious circumstances after leaving her work at the Crocker Galleria Mall in San Francisco, California. Ruben Flores was acquitted by a separate jury. People are watching Ruben Flores and Susan Flores and Paul Flores. Jonathan Vigliotti: Is this a case that takes a miracle to solve? I don't think she went back to her dorm at all. 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. Like so many freshmen, Kristin struggled. The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time Also taking the witness stand on Wednesday was Edward Chadwell. Attorney Harold Mesick said Monday that the evidence against the father was so minimal as to shock the conscience.. Jonathan Vigliotti: Was this case, given the evidence that was lost early on, doomed from the very beginning? Jonathan Vigliotti: How significant was that? to search on and near the Cal Poly campus. Mesick declined to comment Tuesday, citing the gag order. But Mary Lassiter says the earring matched the necklace Kristin is seen wearing on the billboard. They told her Kristin had not been seen all weekend and asked if Kristin was with them. 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.". And it was only 250 miles from Stockton, California, where she grew up with Lindsey and their brother Matt. On Monday, June 23rd, 1997, she arrived for work at the Crocker Galleria mall. Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. By then, the semester was over and the room had been cleaned out. A lot of women felt uncomfortable around him, Flemming says. She had taken a job at a coffee shop to pay for a photography course at U.C. Flores and his parents have always maintained that he had nothing to do with Smarts disappearance. 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. After Paul and Rubens arrests, Sheriff Ian Parkinson revealed that Lamberts podcast helped move the investigation forward. Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. 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. Remember, Flores's room had been emptied and thoroughly cleaned. 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. No charges were filed, but Lambert discovered Flores's troubles started at a young age. It is every parent's worst nightmare. And she's like, "please come with me. 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.". James Murphy: I'm not at liberty to describe how it was documented. Shocking allegations in newly unsealed docs in Kristin Smart case He promised the Smarts that solving Kristin's case would be a priority. Judge van Rooyen objects to this assertion, though: Just because (Lamberts) been served does not necessarily mean he should be excluded, he says. Denise Pearce | Longtime family friend: Things were gonna get better and, you know, and and they did. And Murphy and Sinclair believe they can prove it. JAMES MURPHY: In May of 96 were you a student at Cal Poly? Kristen Modaferri Observer file Family and friends of a Charlotte woman who has been missing for nearly two decades are awaiting results after a possible break in the case came Thursday.. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. No remains have been found. In his complaint, Murphy alleges, along with Ruben, there were two other unnamed individuals. She was never seen. He gets his arm around her torso and her arm around his neck, and he's helping her walk. Margarita Campos: But when we got to the house it was pretty dead too, it was really -- it was like a couple of roommates hanging out playing video games And Kristin was, like oh gosh, there has to be something better than this. He discussed some of the evidence that was collected during searches of the property, including anomalies in the backyard and a 4-foot deep hole under the deck containing fibers and human blood. But Lindsey says her sister was happiest when she was traveling. Cole said a search of it revealed "suspicious activity.". He later argued that the biological evidence found under the deck was not conclusively human blood. Kristen Modafferi | Unsolved Mysteries Wiki | Fandom But as Chris Lambert learned, campus police did not act right away. Lambert began looking into what happened to Kristin, collecting articles and documents, chasing down leads and tracking down anyone with information. Jonathan Vigliotti: They thought she was off possibly having fun. Testimony is expected to continue Wednesday. During Tuesday's hearing, San Luis Obispo County. A very close-knit family. 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 feared for her life, so did not tell anyone at the time or for years after. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. Onuma was evicted from a Kaneohe, Hawaii residence after his connection to the Kristen Modafferi . Chris Lambert: I brought them a number of witnesses that they were very interested in. 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. How could she have gone out of town? The Kristen Modafferi Mystery: 20 years later, private investigators Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Jonathan Vigliotti: And that phone call never comes. Kristen was in her first year at Cal Poly when she vanished in 1996. James Murphy: And it says wrongful death and then I put murder. Ruben Flores and his estranged wife Susan have always denied any role in Kristin Smart's disappearance. The defense also tells Lambert he will not be allowed back in the courtroom where he has been covering the hearing as he is now a potential witness. In the months after Kristin's disappearance, one truck was traded in and the other was reported stolen. SUSAN FLORES: [Long pause, grabs water bottle] Of course not. It worked. 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. James Murphy: The question for decades was "Well, where did the body go?". 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. 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. Like the rest of the family, Kristin was an athlete. Det. Through the years, the Smarts have kept pressure on the Flores family. How 'Your Own Backyard' podcast led to arrests in Kristin Smart murder Classes were difficult, she was trying to fit in, and she missed her family. Paul Flores, 44, has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge. Chris Lambert says they're cautiously optimistic. A missing-person report was filed with the campus police on May 28. As they soon learned, she had ended up at a party at an off-campus house. Meanwhile, the hearing is scheduled to conclude on Friday, when the judge will rule if prosecutors have probable cause to go to trial. Two days after Kristin Smart vanished, Paul Flores went to the Arroyo Grande Police Department because of an outstanding DUI warrant. SHERIFF IAN PARKINSON [at press conference]: Forensic physical evidence was located. He says they are Ruben's ex-wife Susan and her boyfriend. It's just a motivator for me. In his mug shot, a black eye can faintly been seen. PODCAST EPISODE 3: Something shiny catches her eye next to the front driver side tire. In March 2021, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office served a search warrant at the Arroyo Grande home of Ruben Flores. Jonathan Vigliotti: What toll over time did this have on your parents? Smart's body was recently moved from the home of Ruben Flores, a prosecutor said. On July 21, Kristin Smarts parents and her brother, Matt, testified about how they had searched for her after her disappearance. He later told investigators that he walked her as far as his dorm, where they parted ways. So, they did not immediately get a warrant to search Susan Flores's home. In 2011, the Smarts hoped those boulders would become a little lighter when Ian Parkinson became the . The prosecution upholds the validity of these searches, including one of Flores dorm room that was done after he moved out. Prosecutor Chris Peuvrelle asked him if he found the remains of any monkeys or ferrets or any human bodies on the property. Disappearance of Kristen Modafferi - Wikipedia Chris Lambert: Everything else, he took the Fifth Amendment. Defense Attorney Sanger calls the move a stunning lack of objectivity.. Flores, 44, was arrested Tuesday at his home, nearly 25 years after Smart left a party near the Cal Poly campus and vanished on the way back to her campus dormitory. Anyone can read what you share. Mary Lassiter says the earring she found in the driveway matched the necklace Kristin Smart is seen wearing on this billboard. But Paul Flores remained behind bars help without bail. Other men cited by the defense either reportedly dated or pursued Smart. 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. They didn't look at the Flores family's vehicles. 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. But I've seen it. Paul Flores talks to his attorneys Sara Sanger and Robert Sanger on Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021 in San Luis Obispo, Calif. had been arrested in connection with her disappearance, Paul Flores was found guilty of murdering Ms. Smart, while in the commission of, or attempted, rape. Chris Lambert: I remember seeing it on the news it was something scary and they were talking about it pretty regularly. Kristin Smart 19, a freshman at California Polytechnic State University had gone to a party on Friday, May 24 , 1996 -- and has not been seen since. Im not going to exclude a member of the media (for doing their job).. PODCAST EPISODE 4: And he had like a butter knife and he like held it to my neck. They seized digital devices during the search and, in April 2020, executed another search on Paul Flores property in San Pedro. 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. The lawsuit claims they were moving Kristin's remains. 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. Jonathan Vigliotti: She had just 40 yards to go and yet she vanished. PODCAST | EPISODE 1: At least once a day I asked myself what are you doing? An earring that appeared to match the necklace Kristin is wearing on the billboard. DAN DOW [press conference]: The allegation against Ruben is that he helped to conceal Kristen's body after the murder was committed. In one of Paul's police interviews he mentioned that he wanted to be let out of the interview because he needed to help clean up concrete at his mom's house So, what was being done in Susan Flores's backyard in the weeks after Kristin went missing? Just days after she disappeared, an incident report seemed to imply that Kristin's behavior contributed to her disappearance. You can go." (Pool photo by Dave Minsky/Santa Maria Times). The day after my sister disappeared, Paul Flores had a black eye and scratches on him. Even though he'd never investigated anything before, Lambert quit his job to create a podcast about the case. The hearing began August 2 and is expected to last into at least next week. Nearly a week after their arrests, father and son both pleaded not guilty in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court. 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. He has not been charged in those incidents. . or even her keys. Cole also testified that the Flores family was wiretapped for 30 days starting on January 5, 2020. and offers to help. They believe they can prove Paul Flores is responsible for the disappearance of Kristin Smart. Nic Coury / AP. Chris Lambert: I personally think that wherever Kristin went, Paul was there with her. 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. And six months later, when Flores was deposed by James Murphy for the Smart's civil suit, he kept quiet. But as Chris Lambert learned, Flores's pattern of behavior with women didn't stop. 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. 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. She was looking forward to hearing from Kristin that Sunday. Paul Flores may have wanted a fresh start in Southern California, but Chris Lambert says, he could not seem to break old habits. Margarita Campos: Kristin was like, "come on, let's go, let's go." PODCAST EPISODE 1: Kristin broke down begging her mother to let her drop out and go somewhere else. His father, Ruben, is charged as an accessory. He was required to wear an electronic ankle bracelet. Four months later, while attempting to reconcile, Susan rented out her house in Arroyo Grande. By the time Cal Poly police began investigating, Kristin had been gone for four days. Margarita Campos: I mean, she was gone. suddenly major pieces of evidence came forward. At the time of the April 13 arrests, the sheriff said he believed that had enough evidence to win convictions. Chris Lambert: As they describe it, Paul Flores just sort of appears out of nowhere. That's when Denise Smart learned her daughter had not been seen all weekend, and all her belongings were still in her dorm room. When authorities later confronted him with the two stories, Flores admitted lying and offered a new explanation. For more than two decades, her family, friends, and supporters searched for answers and for justice. KSBY will have more on what takes place in court on KSBY.com and KSBY News at 5 and 6 p.m. To think that you're going to finally get some resolution, and then it doesn't happen the way it's supposed to. The Strange Disappearance of Kristen Modafferi - Medium Paul Flores did not have a car on campus, so Murphy surmises he had to have had help. DAN DOW [press conference]: We don't have evidence sufficient to charge anyone else at this time. All Rights reserved. RUBEN FLORES: [long pause] We never asked that question. He says "no.". 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. His father, Ruben, will be tried as an accessory to the crime. Our family has always known that this was going to be a long, difficult, and emotional journey. We want to especially thank the District Attorneys Office for their relentless efforts. Most students had taken off but Kristin had stayed on campus. 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. She was declared legally dead in 2002. Chris Lambert: I didn't know the scale. Cole said investigators checked out the skateboard ramp location but did not find a body. The Tribune said it got the public documents from the courthouse in the city 160 miles northwest of Los Angeles. In the crowd, taking it all in, was that podcaster, Chris Lambert. Then, in 2011, Ian Parkinson was elected sheriff. Those were kind of unspoken things. Chris Lambert: The only thing he would confirm on tape is that his name is Paul Flores. Five months after Kristin Smart disappeared, Paul Flores was brought before a grand jury but no charges were ever filed. We want to hear it. but I knew that I could try to do a small part. And yes, we did find physical evidence at, at least two homes. Anyone would have been terrified if they heard it.. He has denied any involvement. Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. It did produce some information that I believe was valuable, he said. 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. Mesick argued there were many innocent explanations why soil had previously been dug up in the yard. Berkeley. 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. The two are charged in connection with the death of Cal Poly freshman Kristin Smart. His father Ruben Flores charged with being an accessory after the factwas found not guilty. The unsealed documents include two claims from 2011 and 2017 that Flores raped two women while they were drunk in San Pedro. Scott Peterson set to testify in Kristin Smart slay case - New York Post They havent revealed what was found but returned to the yard for additional digging after the arrests. Kristen was in her first year at Cal Poly when she vanished in 1996. every piece of evidence points directly at Paul Flores. 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. 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. 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. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 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. Greg Fisher and Michelle Fanucci are the development producers. 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. 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. Kristin Smart case: Suspects Paul and Ruben Flores arrested in the 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. He'd go through tunnels, under bridges, looking for his daughter and expecting best case scenario. Ruben will be released on bail that he can afford. 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. For more than two decades, her family, friends, and supporters searched for answers and for justice. Paul Flores pleads not guilty to the murder and attempted rape of Smart. James Murphy: To see them in custody was a feeling of great joy for me. In the late 1990s, the. And these girls are inviting us out. It was turned over to a detective with the San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Office, but Garin Sinclair says, the Smarts never knew it existed until the Lassiters were deposed in January 1997. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 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. She writes about missing persons, unsolved murders, and human rights.