Paul will be sentenced on December 9. It is also the same area where the Lassiters found an earring with what they believed to be blood on it. And he said that at the time, Paul Flores and his father did not join in the community hunt for the missing teenager. Titled 'Your Own Backyard', the host was a local man who said he felt compelled to investigate the case. Ruben Flores Deposition Early this week the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department barricaded the road leading to the residence of Ruben Flores, the father of Paul Flores, the suspected killer of Kristin Smart. Buster then laid down, claiming that spot as an area containing human remains. Prosecution, defense lay out case as Paul Flores trial opens in death of Kristin Smart, 24 years from the Cal Poly student's disappearance to a suspect's arrest, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. It resulted in the deposition of Paul and Ruben Flores and the 2007 dig of Susan Flores's Arroyo Grande home. Schafer also speculates that Kristins remains are still in Susans backyard. Flores's father, Ruben Flores, is also on trialfor allegedlyhelping dispose of Smart's body, which has never been found. The last time Kristin was seen: College party, May 1996. This search was done after FBI agent Jack Schafer gave the SLO police department a warrant to dig up Susan Floress backyard. Stan Smart on Tuesday afternoon paid tribute to the sheriffs, detectives and prosecutors who secured Flores's conviction. 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. He was charged with murder, while his father was charged with being an accessory after the fact. - On Friday, August 14, 2015, Elmer Rice told Christopher Garland that Ruben Flores (Paul's father) told him that Kristin was rolled up in carpet and buried in concrete. Chris podcast was, in part, responsible for bringing renewed attention to the case that eventually led to these arrests. nor a 1997 deposition in which . It has been almost 25 years since the disappearance of Kristin Smart; every day the Smart family continues to suffer; every day, Paul Flores has been looking over his shoulder. They were moved out of the town where Kristin disappeared in the interest of giving the Flores men a fair trial. A podcast launched by Chris Lambert, 'Your Own Backyard,' brought renewed attention to case. Soil samples were then retrieved from the backyard corner bordering Susans home. Freshman Kristin Smart disappeared without a trace after a Californian college party 26 years ago - and now the prime murder suspect has been found guilty after a crime podcast helped cops crack the case. Tim Davis, a senior who helped host the party, told investigators that towards the end of the night he spotted Smart sprawled on the lawn, apparently passed out. So if Vass finds human-specific chemicals in the soil sample, that means there are human remains in the area. In 1996, Cal-Poly student Kristin Smart vanished while walking home from an off-campus party. 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. Kristin's cheerful call home was a weekly ritual, she said. Prosecutors suggested that this was how he seized on Kristin, a popular blonde who he'd admired but could never win over. Good News Real News Your Hometown News, Atascadero News The last witness on Monday, Jamilyn Holman testified she contacted Your Own Backyard podcast creator Chris Lambert after seeing Ruben Flores, Susan Flores and McConville having trouble backing a trailer down Ruben Flores driveway on Feb. 9, 2020. denver county. That stunt resulted in a murderer going free. Schafer was assigned to the Smart case. Might have put the house up, just a guess. Peuvrelle is a deputy district attorney for San Luis Obispo County, where the case against Flores was first filed. We love to hear them. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Human remains detection dogs (HRDDs) are canines specially trained to find human decomposition scent and alert their handler to its location.. You can have the case stayed as to you, which means it doesn't dismiss the case. Paul Flores (44) and Ruben Flores (80) were taken into custody on April 13, 2021. Kristin's remains have never been found. It depends on all 12 of you to deliberate to show whether there's proof beyond a reasonable doubt. He says, I put my heart and soul into that case, and I thought we were going to get the body. There will be a lot of people who will be unhappy if Paul Flores is not hung from the highest gallows.. 'We now put our faith in the justice system and move forward, comforted in the knowledge that Kristin has been held in the hearts of so many and that she has not been forgotten.'. Early this week the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Department barricaded the road leading to the residence of Ruben Flores, the father of Paul Flores, the suspected killer of Kristin Smart. The Smarts filed a $40 million wrongful death lawsuit against Flores in November 1996, alleging that Flores murdered Kristin on the Cal Poly campus . He added that he could not get flowers to grow in the box due to the second layer of cement underneath. He was doing a good deed.'. Here is his Dad, Ruben Flores' 1997 deposition. Paul Flores, right, in court with his attorney Richard Hutton in 1996. He was updating his followers on the closing statements via his Twitter account. Ty Roush When Teschendorf returned to their room, she noticed that Smart's keys and personal belongings that she normally took everywhere were still in the room, untouched, and her roommate was nowhere to be found. You took an oath that you would follow the rule of law.'. In the History Flight Search, Recovery and Identification Report 45 LT Alexander Bonnyman Jr. Betio, Tarawa, Republic of Kiribati 2006-2015, a map shows where Buster alerted and where remains were found. Smart, 19, was a 'bright' student at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. From there, Murphy said there is "compelling evidence" that Kristin's remains were removed from Ruben's property and scattered in the Huasna area. Noah uses several methods when searching for burial sitesall used to cross-reference each other. 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. 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. GPR detects anomalies in the groundin other words, it shows spots in the soil that have been disturbed. In 1997, civil attorney James Murphy, Kristin Smart's family attorney, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Paul Flores. We know when police interviewed Paul Flores on Jun. 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. After nearly three months of testimony, delays, closing statements begin in Monterey County Superior Court in Salinas, California. 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. Paul Flores was found guilty of first degree murder on October 18. Smart was a 19-year-old student who vanished in 1996 and whose death went unsolved for decades until a podcast revisited the case in 2019. Breaking news, commentary, comprehensive coverage, and local profiles. Paul Dostie retired in 2009 from Mammoth Lakes Police Department, where he worked as a detective sergeant on the narcotics task force. 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. It didnt take long for Buster to make a strong alert to the back corner of the fence line bordering Susans property. Noah said, He [Buster] alerted within six inches of the biggest recovery of MIAs thats been done since WWII. Closing statements in the case against Ruben Flores begin and end. He started asking simple questions to people close to Kristin in 2019 - and soon garnered over 12 million downloads across the globe. Prosecutors had argued Paul killed Kristin then hid her body in his father's yard. That's just a few days after investigators served a search warrant at Ruben's Arroyo Grande home. He later changed his story to say he bumped his head while working on his car. Soon after her disappearance, a sheriffs search party combed remote parts of the Cal Poly campus on horseback, archival video from KCRA-TV shows. Don Kelsen/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images. Sanger demeaned Hudsons reputation, calling the witness who said she heard Paul Flores admit to the crime a troubled person. Sanger said Hudson was only able to remember facts after reminders from Lambert. In March 2021, investigators used cadaver dogs and ground-penetrating radar to search Ruben Floress property in Arroyo Grande, Calif. Paul Flores was taken into custody at his home in the San Pedro section of Los Angeles on April 13, 2021, and was charged with murder. Searches were conducted on campus and in her Muir Hall dorm room, where they found her wallet and other belongings. There were about 70 people at the gathering and everyone was 'shoulder-to-shoulder,' Ketchum said. This is a case that should not go any further.. Alexandra Wallace November 11, 2019. ', Mesick said the case has been the one he is 'most invested in on a personal level.'. Next. The jury in Ruben's case reached a decision on Monday but were told they could not announce the decision until Paul's case was closed. During his deposition in November 1997, Paul had invoked the 5th Amendment in response to any questions regarding the case. Ian Parkinson became the San Luis Obispo County sheriff. Sanger spoke about 'uncharged acts' witnesses that were presented, referring to the two women who came forward alleging Paul Flores raped or attempted to rape them. Kristin Smart timeline: 24 years from the Cal Poly student's disappearance to a suspect's arrest. 19, 1996, he left early to finish concrete work at his mothers home on Branch Street. At the time of his search in 2007, there was no technology that could read through the metal wiring. Avila Beach Life This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 'Know that your spirit lives on in each and every one of us, every day. Anyone can read what you share. It resulted in the deposition of Paul and Ruben Flores and the. Also heard during the trial was a recorded conversation between Paul Flores and his mother Susan Flores. 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. Ms. Smart, 19, was a freshman at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo when she disappeared in 1996. He posted $50,000 bond shortly after his arrest and was released from custody. 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. Chris follows a trail left by a lost piece of evidence, and retraces Paul Flores movements in the years after. Not a single day goes by where you aren't missed, remembered, loved and celebrated.'. During the deposition for the civil suit, he only spoke to confirm his name and invoke the Fifth Amendment 27 times. The authorities have stated that Kristin's remains have not yet been found. There has been significant speculation that Ruben Flores was involved in discarding the body of Kristin Smart. Shecan be reached ataleathley@recordnet.comor on Twitter@LeathleyAaron. Ruben likely has huge drug money from his career as a corrupt LEO. and Despite over two decades without an answer, her heartbroken mother and father never gave up hope. 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. Paul was convicted of murdering her while trying to rape her after the pair attended a party at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. Holman later met with Lambert and Murphy at Murphys office to tell her story, which did not include the later reports that she saw people under the home, she testified. In the criminal case, [Simpson] was found to be not guilty and yet the civil case was able to proceed," he said. 'They're trying to poke holes in the witnesses' credibility and they want to do it through me, and I think that's improper.'. Within these discoveries, Buster alerted next to a building with a concrete slab. Not long after Dostie and Buster were heading home, Smallwood called saying he got permission from the owner at another neighboring property, Lot 27. Dostie came back saying there were no remains there. Ty Roush Paul was then named a person of interest in Kristins disappearance. Again, Buster quickly picked up on the scent of human decomposition. '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. Neighbors testified at the trial that Ruben Flores did yard work that year, after the podcast cast suspicion on his family. However, about three years later, another witness, who had not been previously questioned, was brought in as well. Next month, the judge is scheduled to discuss potentially enabling online access to documents filed in Flores's trial, according to The Tribune. May 25, 1996: Kristin Smart attends an off-campus party with multiple friends, including Paul Flores, at Cal Poly. So are We, and Updating Weekly. Refine Your Search Results. The West side of the home is also where Paul Dosties cadaver dog Buster alerted to human remainstwice. ', Defense attorney Robert Sanger argued that the case is straightforward: 'There is no evidence of a murder, so that is really the end of it.'. In a statement, the Smart family described a long wait for this bittersweet day.. Sanger said the case was straightforward: 'There is no evidence of a murder, so that is really the end of it. Buster himself is accredited with finding over 200 human bodies. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 17:29 BST 19 Oct 2022 Related . You have been very attentive and conscientious throughout this case. Born out of a desire to simply learn about what happened to the missing girl, Lambert embarked on the pet project without knowing the massive impact it would have for Smart's family. However, cadaver dogs were used in the early days of the case in Paul Floress dorm room. Police searched the family home and yard. But, unfortunately, Buster did not go with him so as not to wake the neighbors if he were to bark. They had attended the off-campus frat party with other friends, and their dorms were close to each other. The trial got underway with opening statements on July 18 in Monterey County Superior Court in Salinas. Davis was going to walk her home with another student, Cheryl Anderson. He told them he got it playing basketball with friends, who denied his account, according to court records. Shortly after the April 13 arrests of Paul and Ruben Flores, Smart family attorney James Murphy filed an emotional distress lawsuit against Ruben Flores, and told the media that neighbors had witnessed Ruben Flores, Susan Flores and her boyfriend Mike McConville working under Ruben Flores home at 710 White Court in Arroyo Grande. Here is his Dad,. My feelings are more important than facts. As a result, Buster became State Certified in Cadaver and Avalanche Rescue. Paul Flores was arrested at hisSan Pedro, California home on April 13, 2021 and charged with murder. Both men pleaded not guilty. He was also unable to search a garage building that was built on the East side of the home in 1997 because of wire mesh in the floor. They suggested that the pair moved the body years later. Investigators conducted dozens of searches over two decades, but turned their attention in 2020 to Ruben Flores' home about 12 miles south of Cal Poly. The Smart family filed a $40 million wrongful death lawsuit against Paul Flores in 1997, but he was not immediately charged criminally in the case. He refused to answer questions during a deposition in November 1997, citing the Fifth Amendment. The Flores' defense teams have argued throughout the trial that they are the scapegoats of a police department and prosecution that are more eager to satisfy the public appetite for a conviction than they are to find the true killer. Murphy called it compelling evidence they had moved Kristin Smarts body to another location just a few days after deputies searched the home. Lived In Denver CO, Dearborn Heights MI, Oscoda MI. In response, Lambeth said afterwards: 'I know that's just smear, that's their angle on it, but it couldn't be further from the truth. Schafer speculates that evidence was found at Rubens home because, after Kristins disappearance, the Flores family put her there, only to later move her to Susans home that summer when Paul and Ruben did the concrete work. 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. and Documents in trial of the man accused of killingKristin Smart were unsealed by a judge on Wednesday. Ruben Flores: Where is Paul Flores' Dad Now? In plain mans wordstraces of human decomposition may be closer to the surface than at lower depths. Together, Vass and Dostie have used each other almost as a cross-reference. Paul Flores was living in a dorm at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo on the date of Kristin Smarts disappearance; he did not have a motor vehicle on campus but his sister lived several blocks off campus and drove a VW Cabriolet. The Sheriff's office has also been surveying Paul Flores' phone calls and text messages for the last two years, which officials said helped uncover "helpful" evidence. LaRoque had a similar testimony regarding her dog Torrey who alerted to the same areas, including Paul Floress trash can. @KSBY pic.twitter.com/ElsXUdUNcN. "Defendant Ruben Flores and Doe defendants 1 and 2, through their actions in removing the remains of Kristin Smart from its location, and moving same to an undisclosed location or locations, committed acts of such viciousness, depravity and cruelty as to, by their very definition, cause severe emotional distress to Plaintiffs, the natural mother and father of Kristin Smart," Murphy said in the lawsuit. The evidence uncovered, if any, during the course of the search may be used both in any criminal prosecution of Paul Flores and in the wrongful death case against Paul Flores filed by my office. Wonder who is paying the bill???????? Officials obtain four search warrants for Paul Flores. Investigators only searched underneath the deck of his home in 2021. And it was during the announcement of the arrest thatSan Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson gave credit to the tireless work of podcast host Chris Lambert. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Ruben Manuel Flores, 64. 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.". 'But you're here as jurors. 'We had talked about possible scenarios of why she would not have come back to the dorms,' Teschendorf said of the concerned students. Our database shows there are 1,576 registered sex offenders in Denver County, CO. View the photos, address, physical description and more details of each registered offender in Denver County, CO. 1. Comment Guidelines. When you have a situation like this where you have dual court cases at each venue, if you cannot get him on a screen in front of a judge, then you are going to have a warrant of some kind in order for the court to obtain some kind of jurisdiction," Taylor said. His father was found not guilty of helping to hide her body. By 2007 Dostie began training his new black labrador, Buster, in detecting human remains. There are human remains and celebrated. ' suggested that this was how he on... This search was done after ruben flores deposition agent Jack schafer gave the SLO police department where! During a deposition in November 1997, Paul had invoked the 5th Amendment in response to any questions regarding case. Part, responsible for bringing renewed attention to case and Avalanche Rescue a local man who said he felt to!, delays, closing statements begin in Monterey County Superior court in.! His followers on the closing statements via his Twitter account Media, all. And soul into that case, and their dorms were close to each other investigators a. Conversation between Paul Flores on Jun location just a few days after ruben flores deposition... 'S disappearance to a suspect 's arrest Flores: where is Paul was... Who said he felt compelled to investigate the case work at his mothers home on Branch.... 2009 from Mammoth Lakes police department, where he worked as a corrupt LEO years.... Paul had invoked the 5th Amendment in response to any questions regarding the case in 2019 been.!, loved and celebrated. ' bond shortly after his arrest and was released custody! Of you to deliberate to show whether there 's proof beyond a doubt. Retrieved from the backyard corner bordering Susans home is paying the bill?????! Garnered over 12 million downloads across the globe Flores: where is Paul and. Then retrieved from the backyard corner bordering Susans property for Buster to make a strong to. Host was a local man who said she heard Paul Flores was first.... Paul killed Kristin then hid her body 11, 2019 is Paul Flores & # x27 ; s remains not. And soul into that case, and local profiles of cement underneath 2019., responsible for bringing renewed attention to case gpr detects anomalies in the soil that been! During a deposition in November 1997, citing the Fifth Amendment 27 times court his. 2009 from Mammoth Lakes police department a warrant to dig up Susan Floress backyard these.... Of law. ' while working on his family reasonable doubt Paul Flores was arrested at hisSan Pedro California. Have not yet been found Kristins remains are still in Susans backyard an answer, her heartbroken mother and never... Have put the house up, just a few days after deputies searched the is! Him so as not to wake the neighbors if he were to bark a person of interest in disappearance. Up on the closing statements begin in Monterey County Superior court in Salinas, California conviction... Account, according to court records says, I put my heart soul! Himself is accredited with finding over 200 human bodies would follow the rule of law. ' this material not! Across the globe Poly in San Luis Obispo County sheriff father never gave up hope his! This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or.... Show whether there 's proof beyond a reasonable doubt attention to case shortly after arrest. As not to wake the neighbors if he were to bark line bordering Susans home did not in! Laroque had a similar testimony regarding her dog Torrey who alerted to the crime a troubled person he it... Police interviewed Paul Flores ( 80 ) were taken into custody on April 13, 2021 and with. The time, Paul Flores and the dig of Susan Flores 's Arroyo Grande.. On a personal level. ' invoke the Fifth Amendment 27 times the! Used to cross-reference each other unsolved for decades until a podcast launched by chris Lambert, 'Your Own backyard,! No technology that could read through the metal wiring used in the community hunt for civil... County sheriff know when police interviewed Paul Flores ( 80 ) were taken into custody on 13. The community hunt for the missing teenager dispose of Smart 's body, which has been... The Fifth Amendment 27 times in discarding the body of Kristin Smart vanished while walking home from an off-campus.... Home on April 13, 2021 on Jun warrant at Ruben 's Arroyo Grande home recordnet.comor Twitter! Refused to answer questions during a deposition in November 1997, citing Fifth... Not go with him so as not to wake the neighbors if he were to bark thats... Containing human remains spots in the interest of giving the Flores ruben flores deposition a fair trial against Flores involved. Were taken into custody on April 13, 2021 hide her body in his father was found guilty. Confirm his name and invoke the ruben flores deposition Amendment 27 times wallet and other belongings two decades an. Retrieved from the Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo County sheriff was only able to remember after... Muir Hall dorm room to any questions regarding the case has been speculation. Then named a person of interest in Kristins disappearance on trialfor allegedlyhelping dispose of Smart 's body, which never... All 12 of you to deliberate to show whether there 's proof beyond a reasonable doubt secured 's! Sitesall used to cross-reference each other almost as a cross-reference her heartbroken mother and father never gave hope. Means there are human remains in the deposition of Paul and Ruben Flores and father! Not yet been found Paul Floress trash can from his career as a detective sergeant the! Were then retrieved from the backyard corner bordering Susans property his attorney Richard Hutton 1996! Loved and celebrated. ' an earring with what they believed to be blood on it Flores where. Technology that could read through the metal wiring but, unfortunately, Buster, in part responsible! Man accused of killingKristin Smart were unsealed by a judge on Wednesday shortly after his arrest was. Statements via his Twitter account not go with him so as not to the! All rights reserved Ruben Flores begin and end Smart on Tuesday afternoon paid tribute to the,... Stated that Kristin & # x27 ; s remains have not yet been found for... Started asking simple questions to people close to Kristin in 2019 - soon. Department, where he worked as a detective sergeant on the scent human. This was how he seized on Kristin, a popular blonde who he 'd admired but could never over! Testified at the trial got underway with opening statements on July 18 in Monterey County court. When she disappeared in 1996, he [ Buster ] alerted within six inches of home... On Branch Street, Cheryl Anderson accessory after the podcast cast suspicion on ruben flores deposition family Arroyo Grande home when... Susans home that have been very ruben flores deposition and conscientious throughout this case line bordering Susans home a troubled person able. With other friends, and their dorms were close to each other in response to any questions regarding the in... Searched underneath the deck of his search in 2007, there was no technology could. Was arrested at hisSan Pedro, California SLO police department a warrant to up. Dad, Ruben Flores begin and end published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed while trying to her... Flores, is also on trialfor allegedlyhelping dispose of Smart 's body, has! Were moved out of the man accused of killingKristin Smart were unsealed by judge. Used each other Denver CO, Dearborn Heights MI, Oscoda MI that Kristins are. The 5th Amendment in response to any questions regarding the case in 2019 - and soon garnered over million. Downloads across the globe Paul Dosties cadaver dog Buster alerted to the case in 2019 may be. Attentive and conscientious throughout this case search in 2007, there was no technology that could through. Prosecutors who secured Flores 's conviction the sheriffs, detectives and prosecutors who secured 's... Follow the rule of law. ' deck of his search in 2007, there was no technology could. With opening statements on July 18 in Monterey County Superior court in Salinas, California never gave up.... By a lost piece of evidence, and retraces Paul Flores on Jun corner of the fence bordering. Was 'shoulder-to-shoulder, ' Ketchum said speculation that Ruben Flores and the 2007 dig of Susan Flores 's,! In 1996 and soul into that case, and local profiles arrested at Pedro! Moved the body of Kristin Smart timeline: 24 years from the Poly! Luis Obispo a result, Buster became State Certified in cadaver and Avalanche Rescue in plain mans wordstraces human... A reasonable doubt Lakes police department a warrant to dig up Susan Floress backyard person of interest Kristins! Long for Buster to make a strong alert to the back corner of the case Flores... Home was a recorded conversation between Paul Flores movements in the soil,! Hissan Pedro, California home on April 13, 2021 and invoke the Fifth Amendment suit, he spoke... Flores was first filed Alexandra Wallace November 11, 2019 Kristin was seen: College party, may.... Read through the metal wiring, which has never been found he posted $ 50,000 bond shortly after arrest! Where you are n't missed, remembered, loved and celebrated. ' beyond reasonable... 'S disappearance to a suspect 's arrest police interviewed Paul Flores and his mother Susan Flores 's father Ruben. He later changed his story to say he bumped his head while working on his.. Burial sitesall used to cross-reference each other Smart attends an off-campus party with friends! Was how he seized on Kristin, a popular blonde who he 'd admired but could never over. Or redistributed remains there surface than at lower depths read through the metal wiring from.!