He said the family's 'faith in the justice system has been renewed,' and thanked the jury and podcast maker Chris Lambert. ', The breakthrough - Flores men are arrested. The Barker Ranch investigations were how Dostie got in touch with Dr. Arpad Vass, a world-renowned research scientist and forensic anthropologist specializing in human decomposition. But the jury decided it was. So if Vass finds human-specific chemicals in the soil sample, that means there are human remains in the area. That stunt resulted in a murderer going free. They went on trial in July 2022 in Monterey County,. Archeologists put cadaver dogs to similar tests that Noah performed in Croatia. Closing statements in the case against Ruben Flores begin and end. Paul Flores allegedly lied about how he got a black eye, not having any contact with Smart at the party, Smart not having trouble walking and not forcing a kiss on anyone the night Smart disappeared. I don't know if that's going to happen, Taylor said. 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. The next month, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office took over from the Cal Poly police as the lead investigators. In 1996, Cal-Poly student Kristin Smart vanished while walking home from an off-campus party. fromStockton, California, was in her freshmen year at college when she disappeared after a party on May 25, 1996. It resulted in the deposition of Paul and Ruben Flores and the 2007 dig of Susan Flores's Arroyo Grande home. She said that she and the other girls in the dorm grew uneasy when none of them heard from Smart as they decided to make their first call to police on Sunday, May 26. Flores was previously accused of moving Smart's remains from the burial site 'in the event of an additional search of the property.'. Court is set to resume Wednesday, when the judge will determine if Paul Flores should be put on trial for murder and if his father should go on trial for helping his son dispose of Smarts body. He brought Dostie and Buster to another island of Tarawa, where only he knew there were no graves. The last time Kristin was seen: College party, May 1996. 'It'd be nice to just preserve this idea that everything was fine and she was angelic, but the reality is she engaged in at-risk behavior and you have to interpret how that affects the events that may have transpired,' he said. Dostie commanded Buster to go find, and the canine did as trained. Ruben is charged as an accessory, accused of helping Paul hide Kristin's body. Paul Flores was charged with murder, and Ruben Flores with being an accessory after the fact, accused of helping to bury her remains. His father Ruben Flores was taken into custody in the city of Arroyo Grande, accused of being an accessory, according to ABC 10. . Since the trial started, Lambert said that the defense team have unsuccessfully requested to go through his emails, text messages, and gain access to his podcast notes. Jennifer Smith, Chief Reporter He had a black eye when he was questioned, but he told police it had come from a basketball injury. During a 1997 deposition for that lawsuit, Paul Flores repeatedly cited the Fifth Amendment when declining to comment. Together with Paso Robles Magazine, mailing 30,000 monthly copies to our community, we are the best-read, most-trusted news source for our community. Later, Flores invoked his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination before a grand jury and during a civil deposition. Ruben was fired from the Orange County Sheriffs Department for corruption. They arrested Paul Flores on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm in February 2021 when his home was searched. Ruben Flores lives at a home at 710 White Court, Arroyo Grande, California. Paul Flores, her classmate who walked her home from the party, was the last person she was seen with. 'You took an oath that you would follow the rule of law,' Paul's attorney pleaded with them in closing arguments. The West side of the home is the same side, where the Lassiters heard the watch beeping and where the six feet by three feet cement planters are. 'We like to watch shows, and you think, "I bet I know what happened." May 25, 1996: Kristin Smart attends an off-campus party with multiple friends, including Paul Flores, at Cal Poly. and That search yielded no new evidence in the criminal investigation. He told the court that there are no witnesses who can corroborate Flores' story of what happened in his dorm room on May 25, 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/. Paul will be sentenced on December 9. That changed Tuesday when San Luis Obispo County sheriff's detectives arrested Flores, 44, on suspicion of murder. He later told investigators that he walked her as far as his dorm, where they parted ways. Next month, the judge is scheduled to discuss potentially enabling online access to documents filed in Flores's trial, according to The Tribune. 2. Love our system of justice.'. Ty Roush The searches of the residence of Paul Flores and Ruben Flores are related in the sense they are both part of an ongoing, relentless search for evidence by SLO County Sheriff Ian Parkinson. For years, Dostie has done work on the Barker Ranch and even spoke to Manson throughout his investigations there. Kristin Smart's body has still never been found. He then noted the $500,000 this case has cost the Flores family. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Ian Parkinson became the San Luis Obispo County sheriff. 'Some of that information came to light through the podcast that was produced and eventually led to our interviewing that witness.'. Over the years, judges have allowed the lawsuit to move forward. Ruben is found not guilty of helping his son hide Smart's body. Now, Murphy believes there is enough evidence to show Ruben, who has pleaded not guilty, was an accessory to the murder of Kristin Smart and is suing Ruben on behalf of the Smart family for emotional damages. Recalling moments from 1996, Smart's heartbroken mother Denise said she contacted police shortly after Kristin failed to call home on Sunday, May 26. Both Paul Flores and his father Ruben Flores were arrested in connection to Smart's murder. 'After 26 years, with today's split verdicts, we learned that our quest for justice for Kristin will continue,' Stan Smart told a press conference - during which a reporter fainted. DA may possibly offer either defendant a plea bargain before or during trial ,meanwhile hoping one of them will crack under pressure of a trial .In my opinion if none of the above occurs, and there is a conviction at trial it would be a conviction based on emotions with what evidence that has been made public so far .A trial could be an alternate plan of DAs office /county to avoid being sued for malicious prosecution against the suspects if proceedings were halted at this point based on the fact suspects attorney stated in court that he is billing his clients over $500k. 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. Paul Flores was found guilty of first degree murder on October 18. 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'. 221 East Branch Street Ruben Flores stares down the Google Street View car, Susan Flores house, when it was rented by Mary and Joe Lassiter, December 1996 (Photo by Joe Lassiter), Mary Lassiters son stands in front of their rental house, December 1996 (Photo by Joe Lassiter), Joe Lassiter stands near garbage cans in the spot where his driveway meets the backyard, December 1996, Mary Lassiter stands in front of a planter box in her backyard, with her mother, Sharon, and stepfather, Richard, December 1996, Mary Lassiter holds up an earring similar to the one she found in her driveway in October of 1996, Kristin Smarts necklace in her senior photo, shown alongside an earring similar to the one Mary Lassiter found in her driveway in October of 1996, The paper that attorney Melvin Delamotte repeatedly pointed to during the deposition of his client, Paul Flores, on November 14, 1997, The Outback Steakhouse in Irvine, where Paul Flores worked from 1997-1998 (now closed). 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. Other witnesses included students who were at the party. 2019: Your Own Backyard podcast airs on Spotify with host Chris Lambert. In his closing, defense attorney Sanger blamed Your Own Backyard podcast, the media and billboards for promoting Paul Flores guilt without sufficient evidence. From there, Murphy said there is "compelling evidence" that Kristin's remains were removed from Ruben's property and scattered in the Huasna area. 'He's charged with murder, not rape or attempted rape,' he said. It was just, does anyone know what happened? Anyone can read what you share. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Flores was then the only person left helping Smart stagger back from the party at around 2am. 2, 2014, Paul Dosties cadaver dog Buster made his first hit for human decomposition around the perimeter of 529 East Branch Street in Arroyo Grandethe home of Susan, Paul Floress mother. The East side of the home was not properly searched because of this. 17:29 BST 19 Oct 2022 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. Both Paul and Ruben Flores' verdicts are reached. Schafer was assigned to the Smart case. Ms. Smarts acquaintances were interviewed. Paso Robles Magazine During the call, the mother tells her son he needed to tell her where they can 'punch holes' in the 'Your Own Backyard' podcast because 'only you can.'. They called him 'Chester the molester' and 'Psycho Paul', they said. Paul Flores (44) and Ruben Flores (80) were taken into custody on April 13, 2021. There was also a search warrant that was served at Pauls sisters home in Washington. All three handlers testified that they knew Kristin disappeared but did not know any further details on the case. Anderson said Smart appeared 'very intoxicated' and her speech was slurred. FAX: (805) 489-0663, If you have any information, please call Murphy Law Corporation at, James R. Murphy, Jr. And John D. Barron, A Law Corporation. In a deposition with Attorney James Murphy, neighbors of Susan Flores said they noticed Paul and Ruben doing work in Susan's backyard not long after Kristin's disappearance. 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. The next morning when Holman left for work, the SUV and the trailer were still at Ruben Flores home, Holman testified. After excavation, Noahs team realized they found the largest missing grave recovered since WWII. Investigators only searched underneath the deck of his home in 2021. The podcast Your Own Backyard saw the host interview those close to the cold case, leading to a breakthrough with Paul Flores, now 45, charged with Smart's murder. Paul was then named a person of interest in Kristins disappearance. Vasss technology works similarly to cadaver dogs. 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. He said he went through the case files with a fine-tooth comb. 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. Cant wait until this is over and likely the flores will sue the County and how much will they be compensated for a DAs office and investigators that lied and falsified evidence. Buster alerted under 12 inches of at least three burials in the site pictured. Ruben Flores is the father of Paul Flores, who "remains the prime suspect" in Smart's disappearance in 1996, the Sheriff's Office said in a news release. Dostie came back saying there were no remains there. Not long after Dostie and Buster were heading home, Smallwood called saying he got permission from the owner at another neighboring property, Lot 27. Missing-person posters and billboards offering rewards appeared along roads and in other public places. Dosties sister, who lives in Atascadero, mailed her brother a copy of The California Register and mentioned he should consider looking into the case. Based on that, we are not going to submit more evidence, said Robert Sanger, one of Paul Flores attorneys. Over the years, the separate homes of Pauls parents, Susan and Ruben Flores, were, Furthermore, the searches at the homes of Ruben, Susan, Paul, and his sister had led to enough evidence to warrant a second search of Pauls home. 'But just the 'let's lynch 'em, let's burn 'em, let's hang 'em, let's kill 'em,' I don't know where that came from in this country. No other information regarding the evidence has been made public, with the police citing the fact that it is an ongoing investigation. Does anyone know where Kristin is? Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, On Thursday, Ruben Flores was hit with his own lawsuit. She was under their deck. She attended a party one night in May 1996, and was never seen again. However, a jury did not find the evidence credible enough to convict Ruben Flores. KSBY News reached out to Ruben Flores's attorney for comment and has not yet heard back. You cant dispute it.. For my friend @Dsjmnz thank you for the request :)I APOLOGIZE in advance for the really low volume on Flores' deposition. The authorities began to describe Paul Flores as a prime suspect in the case. Judge Jennifer O'Keefe thanked the jury for their service, after reading out the verdict. San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office, via Associated Press. Previous. Ruben Flores was acquitted by a separate jury. The only proper verdict, in this case, is not guilty.'. Dostie trained Buster in 100-year-old cemeteries in Nevada and used techniques from bomb detection dogs. It is also where dogs alerted to the same spot a metal trash can sat that Ruben insisted on picking up while the Lassiters lived there. Flores . Ruben Flores is 'relieved' after being acquitted of helping son Paul Flores bury Kristin Smart's body under decking in his backyard - but slams his son's murder conviction: 'It was about. After analyzing Busters reaction, Dostie said it was clear there was human decomposition there. Prosecutors filed a first-degree murder charge against Paul Flores and an accessory after murder charge against his father, Ruben Flores, for helping him conceal Smart's body, which has never. A sheriff at the local San Luis Obispo Police Department then told Denise he had no jurisdiction over the college campus. 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.". It's believed that the new-found impetus was driven by the fresh interviews police conducted, which first came to light via the Your Own Backyard podcast. But now there is. Paul Flores was the last person to have seen Kristin Smart on May 25, 1996. At the trial, several other women testified that Paul Flores spiked their drinks then sexually assaulted them in the years after Kristin's disappearance. and He was later praised by San Luis Obispo Sheriff Ian Parkinson for his help bringing attention to the case. As a result, Buster became State Certified in Cadaver and Avalanche Rescue. This study sent seven . I couldn't increase the volume.Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYhttSiWdhYYPjs3v5PA0Jg/joinE-Mail: Twistedtruecindy@ gmail dot com Former student Ross Ketchum recalled speaking to 19-year-old Smart about surfing and school at the Memorial Day weekend party, held at 135 Crandall Way. Flores had been behind bars at the San Luis Obispo County Jail since the morning of April 13 when he and . The question that still remains iswhere are Kristin Smarts remains? Facebook 0 Twitter LinkedIn 0 Reddit Tumblr Pinterest 0 0 Likes. 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. He was sued by Kristin's family as part of a civil wrongful death lawsuit, but wasn't charged until April 2021. Alexandra Wallace November 11, 2019. He used the OJ Simpson trial as an example. It also led to the 2007 dig of Susan Floress East Branch Street home. 'Know that your spirit lives on in each and every one of us, every day. If Paul is convicted of murder and Ruben convicted of accessory after the fact as charged, the Smart Family attorney James Murphy will then ask a judge to lift the stay on the wrongful death lawsuit and move forward with both civil cases. After nearly three months of testimony, delays, closing statements begin in Monterey County Superior Court in Salinas, California. Your Own Backyard is a podcast series hosted by Chris Lambert, a freelance journalist and podcaster from California. and Kristin's cheerful call home was a weekly ritual, she said. The search for Ms. Smart, who was nicknamed Roxy, took many forms. Phone: (805) 489-8929 He posted bail and left the jail with his wife, Susan Flores, KSBY-TV reports. By 2020, it had amassed thousands of listeners and, police suspect, spooked the Flores family. 'A lot of this had an influence on testimony,' Sanger said. They suggested that the pair moved the body years later. That lawsuit resulted in the 1997 deposition in which Paul pleads the 5th Amendment to all questions except for his name. and It is believed by Dostie and Dr. Vass that migration of bio-markers in the soil was being impeded by the block wall and/or concrete footer supporting the wall. 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). 19, 2000. 'And I wish the community who still feels that way would disabuse themselves of those feelings.' Paul Flores (44) and Ruben Flores (80) were taken into custody on April 13, 2021. After two weeks, the sample results came in with a weak positive result. Kristin's remains have never been found. Among the over 200 pagesofdocuments are appeals byFlores's attorney to exclude DNA-related evidence from the trial, including a stainedmattress cover from Flores's dorm room; its validity as proof that Smart had been in theroom is disputed by the two sides, the filings show. Now, partly thanks to the podcast and its hostChris Lambert, Smart's family have finally received some measure of the closure they have been seeking after their daughter's death. This time around, the authorities. @KSBY pic.twitter.com/ElsXUdUNcN. Send pics, videos and tips to CCN. 'We kind of thought it was unusual.'. GPR detects anomalies in the groundin other words, it shows spots in the soil that have been disturbed. If Kristin Smart is dead, where did her body end up? During the search, officials said they found evidence related to the murder of Smart. Via Associated Press Paul Flores ( 80 ) were taken into custody on 13. Students who were at the San Luis Obispo police Department then told Denise he had no jurisdiction over the campus... Back saying there were no graves statements begin in Monterey County Superior Court in Salinas,,. Spooked the Flores family the jury and during a 1997 deposition in which Paul pleads the 5th Amendment to questions... Holman testified sheriff ian Parkinson for his name into custody on April 13 when he and Obispo Jail... Was in her freshmen year at college when she disappeared after a party one in! ' Paul 's attorney for comment and has not yet heard back the OJ trial... 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