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In the late 1990s, the. Margarita Campos: To this day, like, I was like, why why did I just let her go by herself? By the time Cal Poly police began investigating, Kristin had been gone for four days. Chris Lambert: He told those friends he just woke up with the black eye. James Murphy and Garin Sinclair look at the billboard that has been in their front yard for more than two decades. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. Cole went to his White Court home to collect it on May 19, 2021. Van Rooyen rules that Flores will be tried for murder in the 1996 disappearance of Smart. By the time they called the Cal Poly campus police, Kristin had been missing for more than 48 hours. But 22 years later, when he couldn't find any recent stories about the case, he decided to do something. 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. Mary Lassiter says the earring she found in the driveway matched the necklace Kristin Smart is seen wearing on this billboard. On Aug. 2, local media reported that Denise Smart, Ms. Smarts mother, spoke at a preliminary hearing, where the judge was deciding whether prosecutors had established probable cause to proceed to trial. LOS ANGELES A California college student missing for nearly 25 years was once buried in the backyard of the home owned by the murder suspect's father, authorities said in a court document. School was over, so campus police found an empty room that had been sanitized by the university's cleaning crew. The Kristin Smart Scholarship has been established by her family to help other college bound women pursue their dreams. 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. Paul Flores is charged with the murder of Kristin Smart, who disappeared from Cal Poly in 1996. D.A. Det. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. How 'Your Own Backyard' podcast led to arrests in Kristin Smart murder Chris Lambert's podcast caught the attention of millions of listeners and sparked new interest in the decades-old unsolved case of Kristin Smart. Ann-Marie Christian: She was who she was because of her parents, for sure. Chris Lambert spoke with some women who knew Flores back then. It had been the focus of widespread speculation for more than two decades especially her planter boxes. Eighteen-year-old Kristen Modafferi was a college honor student from North Carolina spending her summer in San Francisco. Ian Parkinson: I committed to them that I was going to go back to the beginning and re-examine every piece of evidence that we had. He later told investigators that he walked her as far as his dorm, where they parted ways. Chris Lambert: That's the upsetting part about it, isn't it? So, when they were invited to a party that Friday night, Kristin was excited to go. James Murphy: And it says wrongful death and then I put murder. Defense attorney Robert Sanger, in turn, tries to poke holes in Flemmings recollections. The sheriff's office seized the trailer and Det. The next morning, Margarita waited to hear from Kristin. James Murphy: They're interested in seeing Paul Flores get convicted and Ruben Flores get held accountable. Jonathan Vigliotti: And that weighs on you. Lourdes Aguiar is the senior producer. . Jonathan Vigliotti | CBS News correspondent: You wanted to go home, and you were trying to find a way to break it to your friend. Paul Flores was identified as a person of interest early in the case. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. But every Sunday when she called her parents, they encouraged her to stick it out. Ruben Flores was released on $50,000 bail to his ex-wife. James Murphy: That suggests that something bad happened in Paul Flores's dorm room. Just five months before Kristin disappeared, San Luis Obispo Police received a call from a student living off campus. Shocking allegations in newly unsealed docs in Kristin Smart case Four months after that futile search, Paul Flores was brought before a grand jury. On Monday, he questioned why investigators needed to keep searching for evidence after making arrests. PAUL FLORES: On the advice of my attorney . He said a backhoe had excavated a trench to dump soil that was removed to lay a nearby foundation. Kristin Smart's body once buried in suspect's backyard - NBC News PODCAST | EPISODE 1: At least once a day I asked myself what are you doing? I was afraid Id end up missing or buried someplace, she says. PAUL FLORES: On the advice of my attorney, I refuse to answer that question based on the fifth amendment of the United States Constitution. 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. 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. Mesick declined to comment Tuesday, citing the gag order. It did produce some information that I believe was valuable, he said. Denise Pearce says that was a crushing blow for the Smart family. In the meantime, Paul Flores moved to Southern California, where he bounced from job to job. It also expounds on several other alleged rapes as well as unwanted sexual advances. Witnesses said Smart was intoxicated, and Flores had said he would walk her home after an off-campus party. In March 2021, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office served a search warrant at the Arroyo Grande home of Ruben Flores. Smart's body was recently moved from the home of Ruben Flores, a prosecutor said. Lindsey Smart Stewart: "You should go to Cal Poly. James Murphy: They brought in the first dog and they'd had the dog go through the dorms. We want to hear it. Nikki Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for the court, said the documents were not supposed to be public. D.A. San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Office personnel dig in an area in the backyard of the home of Ruben Flores, in Arroyo Grande, Calif., March 16, 2021. Kristin Smart case: Shy podcaster led cops to arrest in California cold "48 Hours" looks back to their arrests and how the saga began. James Murphy: So why would Susan Flores, her boyfriend, and Ruben Flores be up all night long working under that deck. JAMES MURPHY: What is the name of your father? Police investigated whether Durst, 71, who lived in San Francisco at the time Modafferi went missing, was connected to her disappearance. Oct. 18, 2022 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. The authorities began to describe Paul Flores as a prime suspect in the case. Paul Flores and defense attorney Robert Sanger in court on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021. 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. [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. And they told Lambert they weren't surprised when they heard about Flores's connection to Kristin's disappearance. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Judge van Rooyen announced in April that the trial would be moved to Monterey County, about 140 miles north of San Luis Obispo, after the defense team requested the change of venue because of extensive publicity around the case. Kristen Modafferi. They're known for being a really safe school.". Murphy alleges four nights later, strange activity was seen at Ruben's house. 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." JAMES MURPHY: Would you state your full name for the record please. Two days after her daughter went missing, Denise Smart got a call from Cal Poly's campus police. Lindsey Smart Stewart: She had traveled the world before she even made it to college. Chris Lambert: And that's when they're told that earring has been misplaced. D.A. Chris Lambert: So, if you believe Paul's story, he goes into his dorm room here. 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. San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office, via Associated Press. Scott Peterson set to testify in Kristin Smart slay case - New York Post When authorities later confronted him with the two stories, Flores admitted lying and offered a new explanation. Just very involved with their children. 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. Ian Parkinson: Yes. 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. 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. Alex Murdaugh Found Guilty of Murdering Wife and Son Murphy immediately filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Flores in civil court. And these girls are inviting us out. Chris Lambert: And he says he got a black eye playing basketball with his friends. But it was a local story and the thing that stood out to me is that nobody was talking about it anymore. That warrant allowed them to dig up the backyard, but deputies chose not to excavate. She was gone. 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. On April 19, father and son each pleaded not guilty, according to The Associated Press. https://www.nytimes.com/article/kristin-smart-case-timeline.html. Chris Lambert: As they describe it, Paul Flores just sort of appears out of nowhere. Some of those women who did not want their real names used told Lambert about their encounters with him. Murphy has filed a new civil suit against Ruben Flores for the intentional infliction of emotional distress. DAN DOW [press conference]: We don't have evidence sufficient to charge anyone else at this time. Denise Smart, Kristins mother, has also praised the show. And he leaves her to walk up this walkway. Denise Pearce: The phone call never comes. They were after Paul Flores for an outstanding DUI warrant. so eventually he unlocked you know, the apartment door, and I left. Her younger sister Lindsey says their mother urged Kristin to go there. But Murphy says there were other incidents that should have raised alarm bells about him with law enforcement from the very beginning. And I was like, "nah, I have to study." His father was found not guilty of helping to hide her body. JAMES MURPHY: Does your son have any information as to where Kristin Smart's body is located? Jonathan Vigliotti: And that phone call never comes. 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. James Murphy: The podcast is out. The judge in the case has issued a gag order preventing lawyers, investigators, witnesses and others from speaking about the case or releasing documents. But Lindsey says her sister was happiest when she was traveling. On Monday, June 23rd, 1997, she arrived for work at the Crocker Galleria mall. Lindsey Smart Stewart: I think they're, like, carrying boulders on their back. It's, like, she has nothing on her. James Murphy: To see them in custody was a feeling of great joy for me. 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. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Jonathan Vigliotti [with Lambert outside of the the dorms]: Paul and Kristin then make their way here. And six months later, when Flores was deposed by James Murphy for the Smart's civil suit, he kept quiet. Testimony resumes at the Kristin Smart hearing after a week off. 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. The Tribune said it got the public documents from the courthouse in the city 160 miles northwest of Los Angeles. 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. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. The Kristin Smart disappearance: After 26 years, Paul Flores is convicted of murder. You wouldn't let any of your friends be drunk around him. Three other women missing: Did Lac's husband kill before? 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. to California to search for Kristen Modafferi. After a lengthy hearing, San Luis Obispo County Judge Craig B. Peterson. And the body's not there now. And I was screaming. Axel Koester/Sygma via Getty Images The. So, they did not immediately get a warrant to search Susan Flores's home. 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. But while campus police weren't doing much, Kristin's parents were doing whatever they could to find their daughter. Cole also testified that the Flores family was wiretapped for 30 days starting on January 5, 2020. James Murphy: Somebody found an earring that they say was Kristin Smart's jewelry in the driveway. 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. Chris Lambert: Everything else, he took the Fifth Amendment. The Mysterious Disappearance Of Kristen Modafferi - Grunge.com Another frustration for the Smarts: at the time Kristin disappeared, investigators weren't aware that Paul Flores's parents were separated and living apart. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. That turned out to be college. Even though he'd never investigated anything before, Lambert quit his job to create a podcast about the case. In addition, the documents include a phone tap from January 2020 in which Pauls mother, Susan, tells her son: The other thing I need you to do is to start listening to the podcast. On May 25, 1996, friends dropped her off at an off-campus party. PODCAST EPISODE 2 | WOMAN #2: You wouldn't want to be alone in a room with him. All Rights reserved. The Disappearance of Kristin Smart: What Happened and What's Next Her books are available on Amazon. Ken Blum is the editor. He'd go anywhere. Margarita Campos: I mean, she was gone. But the Flores's have fought back, suing the Smarts for intentional infliction of emotional distress. PODCAST EPISODE 2 [LAMBERT READING REPORT] Smart does not have any close friends at Cal Poly. They were soon joined by another partygoer, Paul Flores. He was not welcome.. Defense lawyers have criticized the evidence used to arrest both men last week. He says "no.". Ann-Marie Christian: Her parents reminded me of my parents. But further investigation of the Flores's two trucks seemed impossible. So, she slowed down and walked with them. Cole testified about why investigators believe a crime was committed at Ruben's property on White Court in Arroyo Grande. 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. It was on Memorial Day weekend 1996 that their 19-year-old daughter Kristin Smart disappeared. Like his black eye, seen faintly in a mug shot taken by the Arroyo Grande Police just by chance two days after Kristin vanished. I didnt understand why. Jonathan Vigliotti: Was this case, given the evidence that was lost early on, doomed from the very beginning? He had a smirk when he said it, like it was a joke, she says. 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