She withdrew money from the bank, a surveillance camera capturing what are .
Scott Peterson set to testify in Kristin Smart slay case - New York Post But Paul Flores remained behind bars help without bail. Paul Flores was identified as a person of interest early in the case.
[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. Three more witnesses are expected to take the stand on Thursday, including two cadaver dog handlers.___. He has not been charged in those incidents. 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. She was looking forward to hearing from Kristin that Sunday. Chris Lambert: Kristin became incredibly intoxicated, whether she was drugged or whether she just had a lot to drink in a short amount of time She ends up passed out on the lawn next door. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. My job was to hunt them. Chris Lambert: Around the time Kristin disappeared, they cut out planter boxes in the backyard, so they cut out big chunks of concrete and filled it in with soil. She was pushing herself out of her comfort zone. What's going on? From the start, investigators. James Murphy: There's no way to get evidence back once you've lost it. It worked. But Mary Lassiter says the earring matched the necklace Kristin is seen wearing on the billboard. Little is known since the proceedings are kept secret, but no charges were ever filed. And she was growing as an individual. Van Rooyen saying that his release could result in great bodily harm to the public. Like so many freshmen, Kristin struggled. "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. 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. 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. They have not been able to proceed with the civil case while there was an ongoing criminal investigation, but that didn't stop them from following every lead and preparing for an eventual trial. He later told investigators that he walked her as far as his dorm, where they parted ways. But on April 13, 2021, after an investigation that spanned nearly a quarter of a century, the authorities announced that two California men Paul Flores, now 45, and his father, Ruben Flores, 81 had been arrested in connection with her disappearance. 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. Chris Lambert: It's hard to take too much credit But I was one piece of the puzzle that helped to make this all come together when it did. Meanwhile, the hearing is scheduled to conclude on Friday, when the judge will rule if prosecutors have probable cause to go to trial. James Murphy: They brought in the first dog and they'd had the dog go through the dorms.
Kristin Smart Case Update: Where Is the Investigation Today? - Heavy.com How are we not all talking about this every day until shes found?, Editors picks Axel Koester/Sygma via Getty Images The. James Murphy: The question for decades was "Well, where did the body go?". A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. He says "no.". 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. He wouldn't answer a single thing. By the time Cal Poly police began investigating, Kristin had been gone for four days. Greg Fisher and Michelle Fanucci are the development producers. The Tribune said it got the public documents from the courthouse in the city 160 miles northwest of Los Angeles. But as Chris Lambert learned, campus police did not act right away. 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. Denise Pearce: Kristin hasn't come home And we're not sure where she is We don't know anything. She writes about missing persons, unsolved murders, and human rights. On July 21, Kristin Smarts parents and her brother, Matt, testified about how they had searched for her after her disappearance. Unsealed court documents in the Kristin Smart murder case include allegations of a discovery of human blood and witnesses who claim to have seen suspicious . Chris Lambert: I wish I knew why. The Sheriffs Office investigators and forensic specialists assigned to Ms. Smarts case executed 18 search warrants, submitted 37 items that were collected in the early days of the case for DNA testing, recovered 140 new items of evidence and conducted 91 interviews from 2011 to 2020, the office said. PODCAST EPISODE 4: And he had like a butter knife and he like held it to my neck. 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. Paul Flores was charged with murder and Ruben Flores with being an accessory after the fact, accused of helping to bury her remains. But 22 years later, when he couldn't find any recent stories about the case, he decided to do something. Lambert also interviewed a woman who dated Flores until, she says, he became physically and verbally abusive. James Murphy: Somebody found an earring that they say was Kristin Smart's jewelry in the driveway. Det. 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. A lot of women felt uncomfortable around him, Flemming says. Cole went to his White Court home to collect it on May 19, 2021. Lambert began looking into what happened to Kristin, collecting articles and documents, chasing down leads and tracking down anyone with information. Chris Lambert, who worked as a CBS News consultant, pieced together what he learned from people who were there that night. They got to the parking lot of an apartment complex. Lindsey Smart Stewart: I think they're, like, carrying boulders on their back. Her younger sister Lindsey says their mother urged Kristin to go there. It's just a motivator for me. I told her I didn't I didn't want to go. 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. 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. Kristen Modafferi: Onuma and the Briefcase. In June 1997, 18-year-old Kristen Modafferi arrived in San Francisco to take a photography class at UC Berkeley. Chris Lambert spoke with some women who knew Flores back then. Specifically, that they had Paul's white Nissan pickup in their possession. Helicopters were used to canvas the area. But every Sunday when she called her parents, they encouraged her to stick it out. Five months after Kristin Smart disappeared, Paul Flores was brought before a grand jury but no charges were ever filed. 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. The 100 Best Albums of 2022. And they told Lambert they weren't surprised when they heard about Flores's connection to Kristin's disappearance. Chris Lambert: It's mostly frat guys from the Kappa Chi fraternity. Peuvrelle, who said Ruben Flores has helped cover up the crime for nearly a quarter-century, would continue to do so if freed. I didnt understand why. Also taking the witness stand on Wednesday was Edward Chadwell. Denise Pearce: The investigation was completely botched by the campus police. Judge van Rooyen objects to this assertion, though: Just because (Lamberts) been served does not necessarily mean he should be excluded, he says. 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. 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. His father, Ruben, will be tried as an accessory to the crime. He has denied any involvement. Joe Johnston/The Tribune (of San Luis Obispo), via Associated Press. I knocked on her door, and I thought she was just sleeping, or she went out and about, you know? She adds that Flores said he put Smart under a skateboard ramp in Arroyo Grande. She and all who have worked so hard toward this day deserve nothing less.. James Murphy: To see them in custody was a feeling of great joy for me. Cadaver dogs were sent into Paul Floress dorm room. Our family has always known that this was going to be a long, difficult, and emotional journey. They're known for being a really safe school.".
The Strange Disappearance of Kristen Modafferi - Medium It is every parent's worst nightmare. The police searched her dorm room in Muir Hall, finding her wallet and reminders to turn in assignments. Kristen Deborah Modafferi (born June 1, 1979; disappeared June 23, 1997) is an American woman who, at the age of 18, in the early summer of 1997, disappeared in mysterious circumstances after leaving her work at the Crocker Galleria Mall in San Francisco, California. The investigation seemed to be hampered from the start by a series of missteps by campus police beginning with their assumption that Kristin was off having fun and ignoring worried friends who said she was missing. Just five months before Kristin disappeared, San Luis Obispo Police received a call from a student living off campus. You can go." The defense wants to suppress some of these searches, though, claiming that they were done illegally or without warrants. PODCAST EPISODE 2 | WOMAN #2: You wouldn't want to be alone in a room with him. Also on the stand Tuesday were another cadaver dog handler, an expert in fiber evidence and a district attorney's office investigator. For more than two decades, her family, friends, and supporters searched for answers and for justice. A trailer was reportedly parked at Ruben's residence at odd hours and Paul's mother, Susan Flores, and her boyfriend were there. Jonathan Vigliotti: There was a lot of evidence that could have been gathered, that wasn't. Berkeley.
Jonathan Vigliotti: She had just 40 yards to go and yet she vanished.
Judge denies multiple unusual requests in Kristin Smart hearing Recently unsealed court documents show the extent to which law enforcement has looked into Flores over the years: 48 search warrants involving wiretaps and GPS tracking, and a search of Flores former Cal Poly dorm room. 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.
Kristin Smart's body once buried in suspect's backyard - NBC News Her books are available on Amazon. The lawsuit claims they were moving Kristin's remains. On June 23, 1997, Kristen left the coffee shop where she worked, Spinelli's Coffee in San Francisco's Crocker Galleria. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Ann-Marie Christian: became friends with Kristin in elementary school. 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. And that's what I've been doing for a long, long time, along with a lot of other people. In October 2022, Paul Flores, the man long suspected in her disappearance, was found guilty of murder. Ms. Smart, 19, was a freshman at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo when she disappeared in 1996. A very close-knit family. Testimony resumes at the Kristin Smart hearing after a week off. Ruben Flores, was arrested at his home on the same day and was charged with being an accessory after the fact. He'd go anywhere. 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. to find the next challenge. 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. The elder Flores is charged with accessory after the fact to the crime of murder for allegedly helping Paul conceal Smarts body. But now, 25 years later, a man sits in a San Luis Obispo County Jail cell, charged with her murder. 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. and I was like, "Noooo.". But Parkinson acknowledges it hasn't been easy. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. I don't know if Kristin knew anybody there. Chris Lambert: I think that might have been the biggest misstep that investigators have made to this day. Chris Lambert: He actually hit his eye on his steering wheel in the middle of the night while changing his stereo. Ruben Flores was released on $50,000 bail to his ex-wife. 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. In 1997 when Paul Flores was deposed for the civil suit, the only thing he would confirm on tape was his name. Twenty-five years after Smart went missing, a prime suspect is charged with murder. Margarita Campos: I was, like, "Kristin, I'm going to go back home. She was gone. Lindsey Smart Stewart: It just amazes me the amount of evidence that's available, yet nothing has happened. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. James Murphy: They're interested in seeing Paul Flores get convicted and Ruben Flores get held accountable.
Kristin Smart: 25 Years Later - KSBY They also did not focus on Paul Flores immediately, waiting six days to formally interview him. Van Rooyen rules that Flores will be tried for murder in the 1996 disappearance of Smart. 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. That witness initially came forward to Chris Lambert, who passed the information to the sheriff's office and Murphy. They might have found evidence in those vehicles. It had been the focus of widespread speculation for more than two decades especially her planter boxes. When they showed up, it was Paul Flores. KSBY will have more on what takes place in court on KSBY.com and KSBY News at 5 and 6 p.m. With them is a group of FBI evidence response team members and a search warrant. Instead, on Monday, May 27, Denise Pearce says the Smarts got a call from Cal Poly's campus police asking if Kristin was with them. What happens next? He was required to wear an electronic ankle bracelet. 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. When asked about how he got the injury Flores told three different stories. Lindsey Smart Stewart: Right. They were after Paul Flores for an outstanding DUI warrant. School was over, so campus police found an empty room that had been sanitized by the university's cleaning crew.
The search for Kristin Smart never ends for her family 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. 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. October 22, 2022 / 10:10 PM But Margarita says, the police did not seem concerned. 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. Chris Lambert: They're hopeful, but they've also been let down so many times before. I need you to listen to everything they say so we can punch holes in it. He's going to find her body, which is awful for a parent. Because of the statute of limitations, Dow says, Paul Flores can't be charged with rape. I don't think she went back to her dorm at all. James Murphy and Garin Sinclair look at the billboard that has been in their front yard for more than two decades. Defense attorney Robert Sanger, in turn, tries to poke holes in Flemmings recollections. 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.". When they were deposed by James Murphy, they also insisted their son was not involved. "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.. 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.
Possible break in Kristen Modafferi case after 18 years Chris Lambert: And he says he got a black eye playing basketball with his friends. James Murphy: He lied to the police about everything. 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.". 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.