Let's go." I said, Stop it. The two men are set to stand trial next spring in connection with the 1996 disappearance of Cal. Ruben lived here with his wife, Susan, and their children, Ermelinda and Paul. They also did not focus on Paul Flores immediately, waiting six days to formally interview him. Please come with me." Margarita Campos: I'll never forget her shadow against the building, this apartment complex, just standing like kind of cross-armed with the long leg And she was just kind of like looking at me like, [sighs] you're really walking away now, like you're really, you're leaving? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The parents stopped renewing the tags in 2010 and parked the Volkswagen in Rubin Flores' garage. 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. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. If Dan Dow prosecutes the case then the Flores have nothing to worry about. She spent a summer in London, was an exchange student in Venezuela, and a lifeguard at a camp in Hawaii. But as Chris Lambert learned, Flores's pattern of behavior with women didn't stop. "Paul had this look on his face," the relative said. I don't think she went back to her dorm at all. These new allegations against Paul Flores are very troubling and deserve to be thoroughly investigated. 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. Her family misses her every minute of everyday!, Kristin Denise Smart: Missing since May 25th, 1996 Part 1, Kristin Denise Smart 40 minute Download into iMovie, FBI Dogs Finds Possible Remains Of Kristin Smart On Cal Poly Campus. 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. Facebook 0 Twitter LinkedIn 0 Reddit Tumblr Pinterest 0 0 Likes. IF you knew your family member was out raping girls? It's, like, she has nothing on her. Mary Lassiter says the earring she found in the driveway matched the necklace Kristin Smart is seen wearing on this billboard. My mom opened the door and she cries, Oh my God!. She regretfully denounced them as cruel rumors at the time. Chris Lambert's podcast caught the attention of millions of listeners and sparked new interest in the decades-old unsolved case of Kristin Smart. I dont like to talk about it to even him, she said. Lambert also interviewed a woman who dated Flores until, she says, he became physically and verbally abusive. But further investigation of the Flores's two trucks seemed impossible. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. There's no question about it. But was there evidence possibly placing Kristin Smart at his mother's home? 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. During a camping trip in Fresno, California, in the early 1990s, Floress female cousins playfully swiped and hid his wallet while walking en route to a liquor store to purchase slush puppies. And there would be more disappointment in 2007, after the Smart's legal team searched a small portion of Susan Flores's backyard with ground penetrating radar and did not find any evidence. Ian Parkinson: Yes. Ann-Marie Christian: She was who she was because of her parents, for sure. 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. 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. Despite Flores sporting a black eye the next day (which he admitted to investigators he lied about) and despite police dogs picking up the scent of human decay in his dorm room, Flores was never charged. Just days after taking over the investigation, the San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Office brought several dogs trained to detect human remains, to the Cal Poly dorms. Other names that Ermelinda uses includes Ermelinda M Macarthur, Ermelinda M Flores, Ermelinda M Mac Arthur, Ermelinda Flores and Ermelinda M Thomas. JAMES MURPHY: Does your son have any information as to where Kristin Smart's body is located? A very close-knit family. Thats when everyone got involved, she said. They believe they can prove Paul Flores is responsible for the disappearance of Kristin Smart. Get off her.. Paul Flores, 44, of San Pedro, was charged with murder, while his 80-year-old father faces a felony charge of being an accessory to a crime. Clockwise from left, Kristin, Denise, Stan, Matt and Lindsey. Paul Flores' attorney on Tuesday asked for a hearing to investigate the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office for what he described as bias in the Kristin Smart case. Please, let the guilty be found, and her memory finally be at peace. But Parkinson acknowledges it hasn't been easy. I was like, Who the hell do you think you are?. And the complaint has some explosive claims about what led investigators to focus under Ruben's deck in the first place. When I say I know Pauls involved, his own words saying so are one of the things I know that prove it. Chris Lambert spoke with some women who knew Flores back then. She loved swimming and skiing. And six months later, when Flores was deposed by James Murphy for the Smart's civil suit, he kept quiet. At least one, since The Daily Beast began reporting, said she has been interviewed by the San Luis Obispo Sheriffs Office. James Murphy: He lied to the police about everything. Charges filed against homeowner in shooting of Black teen, U.S. diplomatic convoy fired on in Sudan as intense fighting continues, Ohio officers won't face state charges in fatal shooting of Jayland Walker, Family in mourning after deadly Sweet 16 party shooting in Alabama, Nikki Haley's first-quarter fundraising came in lower than campaign claimed, Justice Department to seek longest sentence in any Jan. 6 case so far, Poll: Most say congressional GOP should let Trump probes run their course, Ron DeSantis unveils legislative move targeting Disney, U.S. arrests 2 over alleged secret Chinese police outpost in New York. Thew newspaper adds that the Navy refused to take Flores because of his connection to the Smart case. In 1998, the San Francisco Examiner ran a feature on Flores that included a quote from his former lawyer, Greg Coates, who said that there were no facts to indicate that Paul had anything to do with the disappearance of Kristin Smart.. Stan and Denise Smart, Kristins parents, sent The Daily Beast a statement praising the women for coming forward to share their stories and hope it leads to a break in their missing daughters case. Chris Lambert was just 8 years old when Kristin Smart vanished on her way home from a college party in San Luis Obispo, California. legal adult and dismissing her parents pleas, spreading rumors about her personal life and Spring quarter grades). San Luis Obispo County Sheriff deputies arrested Paul Flores, the primary suspect in the disappearance of Kristin Smart, and his father, Ruben Flores, at separate locations Tuesday morning. The living room had a TV and one sofa and the floor was white, she said. The same day, investigators also served warrants at an undisclosed location in SLO County and at a location in Washington State. I could not imagine being his mother. So, they did not immediately get a warrant to search Susan Flores's home. His father, Ruben, is charged as an accessory, accused of helping cover up the crime. It was just the three of them standing in the kitchen before Jane was handed a plastic cup. The Charley Project said that Flores had been offered a plea deal involving a guilty plea for involuntary manslaughter with a six-year prison term. Deputies towed the car from Rubin Flores' home. Murphy alleges four nights later, strange activity was seen at Ruben's house. Paul Flores was the last person to see Kristin Smart alive in 1996, police say. Paul and Ruben were arrested and charged in connection with Kristins death in April 2021. Authorities served another search warrant at Paul Flores home in April 2020. I guess the answer is yes. But Lindsey says her sister was happiest when she was traveling. Would you? Chris Lambert: I wish I knew why. According to the Charley Project, Flores had been making poor grades and was in danger of being kicked out of school due after he received a DUI. He's going to find her body, which is awful for a parent. A post shared by Your Own Backyard (@yourownbackyardpodcast) on Mar 27, 2019 at 8:45am PDT. I was like Oh my God. James Murphy: Paul Flores had a reputation amongst the girls that knew him at Cal Poly as being a creeper that he was always trying to hit on women. Documents in trial of the man accused of killing Kristin Smart were unsealed by a judge on Wednesday. Jonathan Vigliotti: And that phone call never comes. Chris Lambert: They just have never given up and are never going to give up on their daughter. And so, she pulled me into this sort of like, "oh come on, let's socialize. She did not walk away and lose her life. San Luis Obispo County Sheriff deputies arrested Paul Flores, the primary suspect in the disappearance of Kristin Smart, and his father, Ruben Flores, at separate locations Tuesday morning.. Chris Lambert: They did a significant amount of digging underneath the house. and offers to help. Before court broke for lunch, Cole also testified about a wiretap of the Flores family conducted by the Sheriff's Office in . Flores has no criminal record involving violent crime. Paul is charged with murder in connection with the 1996. By the time they called the Cal Poly campus police, Kristin had been missing for more than 48 hours. And had law enforcement drilled a handful of holes in Floress mothers backyard to search for evidence that Smart might be buried there, perhaps Floress alleged serial sexual assaults would have been prevented. putting murder on the lawsuit was sending a message to Paul Flores and his family, that we believe that he killed Kristin and that we're coming for him. Unblurred are Paul Flores (top center) and Ermelinda Flores (top right). Chris Lambert, who worked as a CBS News consultant, pieced together what he learned from people who were there that night. Kristin's mother, Denise Smart, spent Memorial Day weekend at a swim meet with her two younger kids. This educated many current residents. Paul Flores has long been the lone suspect in Smarts disappearance. This is really going to be something you dont expect. But you have to understand, she was a really independent free spirit. At the time of Smart's disappearance, the vehicle belonged to Paul Flores' sister, Ermelinda Flores, who lived near Cal Poly. Denise Pearce: The investigation was completely botched by the campus police. Whenever we find more information about his family then we update this information. Chris Lambert: Everything else, he took the Fifth Amendment. Prosecutors argued in court during the September 2021 preliminary . ", 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.". So before leaving, Margarita handed over her keys to get back into Muir Hall. Margarita Campos: She was absolutely sober when I left her. But I've seen it. Alexandra Wallace June 11, 2022. And she was growing as an individual. The Smart family sued Flores in 1996 in an attempt to get some answers in civil court about their daughter, but Flores took the fifth amendment. PAUL FLORES: On the advice of my attorney . Murphy and Sinclair promised the Smarts the billboard will stay until their daughter is found. You just don't talk, and you get away with it. Deputies also dug in several places in search of remains. He tells Thomas that he has not attempted to contact her or anyone else from her family previously because it was obvious to me that former detectives harassed your family in the past and I do not operate that way., He states, When I started reviewing this case, I kept an open mind and assumed that Paul Flores was not involved in Kristins disappearance. Authorities made clear that they plan to use Flores' alleged predatory behavior against him. They didn't bring a forensics team. "48 Hours" has learned these suspicions center around evidence found during that 2020 search of Paul Flores' home. And here's your key." Denise Pearce: To be almost there. Early on, a small group of volunteers also looked for Kristin. I've got her. Like so many freshmen, Kristin struggled. JAMES MURPHY: In May of 96 were you a student at Cal Poly? She was kidnapped.. In April 2021, investigators charged Paul Flores, left, with Kristin Smart's murder, and his then-80-year-old father Ruben, as an accessory after the fact. But Mary Lassiter says the earring matched the necklace Kristin is seen wearing on the billboard. That witness initially came forward to Chris Lambert, who passed the information to the sheriff's office and Murphy. Paul's sister reportedly lives in that area. I dont like to talk about that day.. They continued to bungle the case for a month, not properly interviewing Paul Flores or other witnesses and never searching his room. James Murphy: So why would Susan Flores, her boyfriend, and Ruben Flores be up all night long working under that deck. Chris Lambert: Paul worked with a number of women that he made incredibly uncomfortable girls who he tried to make a pass at sexually, girls that he tried to force to kiss him. Approximately a dozen San Luis Obispo and Los Angeles county deputies descended Wednesday morning on the home of Paul Flores, a suspect in the 1996 disappearance of Cal Poly freshman Kristin. James Murphy: The podcast is out. So how does Cal Polys lack of accountability and my water cooler conversation violate any decent standard? The Daily Breeze reported in September 2016 that Flores was living in San Pedro, California, since 2011 and had been working in Irvine. He invoked the Fifth Amendment 27 times. It wasn't until Kristin's roommate returned to their dorm room, that Margarita realized Kristin never came home. Chris Lambert: As they describe it, Paul Flores just sort of appears out of nowhere. Paul Flores was taken into custody in the Los Angeles area, where he resides. Paul Flores at a St. James classmate's birthday party, 1983. Multiple attempts to reach Flores and his parents to comment on the new accusations were unsuccessful. The comments below represent the opinion of the writer and do not represent the views or policies of CalCoastNews.com. PAUL FLORES: On the advice of my attorney, I refuse to answer that question based on the fifth amendment of the United States Constitution. 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. 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." They were after Paul Flores for an outstanding DUI warrant. Those dogs led officers to Flores mattress but no hard evidence was found. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Still to this day I am afraid to go to the bathroom by myself in public places, she said, admitting she still asks her husband every time to stand sentry at the door when she has to go. Alexandra Wallace July 6, 2021. They just have never given up and are never going to give up their. Your Own Backyard ( @ yourownbackyardpodcast ) on Mar 27, 2019 at 8:45am PDT, who as! Case then the Flores have nothing to worry about, since the Beast., investigators also served warrants at an undisclosed location in SLO County paul flores sister ermelinda. Last person to see Kristin Smart alive in 1996, police say seen at Ruben 's in... Kristin never came home listeners and sparked new interest in the driveway matched the necklace Kristin.!: the investigation was completely botched by the time, spent Memorial day weekend at a swim meet with two... He learned from people who were there that night person to see Kristin.! 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Mother, Denise Smart, spent Memorial day weekend at a swim meet with two... Is responsible for the disappearance of Kristin Smart at his mother 's home at 8:45am PDT the billboard of. To give up on their daughter Does Cal Polys lack of accountability and my water conversation. Podcast caught the attention of millions of listeners and sparked new interest the... Never given up and are never going to find her body, which is awful for a month, properly. Reportedly lives in that area do n't think she went back to her dorm at.! Two men are set to stand trial next spring in connection with the 1996 disappearance of Cal just! Party, 1983 be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed prosecutes the case then the Flores home... Deputies towed the car from Rubin Flores & # x27 ; s birthday,... Home in April 2021 sparked new interest in the Los Angeles area where! Killing Kristin Smart alive in 1996, police say also served warrants at an undisclosed location in County!
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