When authorities later confronted him with the two stories, Flores admitted lying and offered a new explanation. DAN DOW [press conference]: We have evidence that we do believe there are other people that are not yet identified that have had some kind of a criminal act perpetrated on them by Mr. Flores. A trailer was reportedly parked at Ruben's residence at odd hours and Paul's mother, Susan Flores, and her boyfriend were there. 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. Chris Lambert: They're hopeful, but they've also been let down so many times before.
PDF KRISTEN MODAFFERI - Federal Bureau of Investigation Margarita Campos: Kristin was like, "come on, let's go, let's go."
Judge denies multiple unusual requests in Kristin Smart hearing We just, "do you know anything about it". But Paul Flores was never charged with any of these incidents. I did have guilt about that. Four months later, while attempting to reconcile, Susan rented out her house in Arroyo Grande. He also said there was suspicious staining in the soil indicative of human remains. When Kristin Smart disappeared, Paul Flores's parents Susan and Ruben were separated and living apart. Like so many freshmen, Kristin struggled. In the meantime, Paul Flores moved to Southern California, where he bounced from job to job. Also taking the witness stand on Wednesday was Edward Chadwell. D.A. 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. . 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. Through the years, the Smarts have kept pressure on the Flores family. And when they did . Witnesses said Smart was intoxicated, and Flores had said he would walk her home after an off-campus party. Two days after Kristin Smart vanished, Paul Flores went to the Arroyo Grande Police Department because of an outstanding DUI warrant. Margarita soon decided she'd had enough. JAMES MURPHY: Has your son ever told you that he did not kill Kristin Smart? It is every parent's worst nightmare. Those were kind of unspoken things. November 01, 2017.
The Kristen Modafferi Mystery: 20 years later, private investigators Kristin Smart was a 19-year-old freshman at Cal Poly, California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, when she disappeared after a walk home from an off-campus party early in the. I don't think she went back to her dorm at all. In October 2022,. Paul Flores and his father both pleaded not guilty to all charges at their arraignment. Kristen was in her first year at Cal Poly when she vanished in 1996. The two girls walked to an area off campus where there were fraternities, sororities and residential housing for students. suddenly major pieces of evidence came forward. Chris Lambert, who worked as a CBS News consultant, pieced together what he learned from people who were there that night. He says Smart seemed uncomfortable but was too nice to ask the boy to leave. It is also what the Smarts have been waiting for for more than a quarter of a century. The sheriff's office still wasn't convinced they had enough evidence against Flores. Ms. Smarts acquaintances were interviewed. Ann-Marie Christian: She was who she was because of her parents, for sure. JAMES MURPHY: Does your son have any information as to where Kristin Smart's body is located? Chris Lambert: And he says he got a black eye playing basketball with his friends. On June 23, 1997, Kristen left the coffee shop where she worked, Spinelli's Coffee in San Francisco's Crocker Galleria. Joe Johnston/The Tribune (of San Luis Obispo), via Associated Press. PODCAST EPISODE 2 | WOMAN #2: You wouldn't want to be alone in a room with him. Back in May 1996, Kristin Smart was finishing her freshman year at California Polytechnic State University better known as Cal Poly. But remarkably, the same thing happened with three more dogs.
Three other women missing: Did Lac's husband kill before? In 2011, the Smarts hoped those boulders would become a little lighter when Ian Parkinson became the . Jonathan Vigliotti: Is this a case that takes a miracle to solve? Produced by Lisa Freed. When they showed up, it was Paul Flores. Clockwise from left, Kristin, Denise, Stan, Matt and Lindsey. Her parents, Denise and Stan were both educators who encouraged their kids' passions. Jonathan Vigliotti: Is there any doubt in your mind that Paul Flores is responsible for the disappearance of Kristin Smart? A jury acquitted Ruben Flores of the charge of being an accessory after the fact. I knocked on her door, and I thought she was just sleeping, or she went out and about, you know? 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. Griffin Cherry was her close friend: By the time they inspected Flores's room, Kristin had been gone for 16 days. First published on November 28, 2020 / 11:10 PM. PODCAST EPISODE 4: And he had like a butter knife and he like held it to my neck. 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. You can go."
Dennis Mahon's Podcast The mother is washing her car in the driveway at one point. It also expounds on several other alleged rapes as well as unwanted sexual advances. He also said that law enforcement leaked information to "Your Own Backyard" podcaster Chris Lambert. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. On Monday, he questioned why investigators needed to keep searching for evidence after making arrests. So now you've got three different stories about how he got that black eye. How could she have gone out of town? To declare to the public if you stay quiet, you will get away with this. Like the rest of the family, Kristin was an athlete. to find the next challenge. PODCAST EPISODE 2 | WOMAN #1: I wasn't surprised, but there's also that shock value of kind of "oh my god, I knew it! Witness Jennifer Hudson takes the stand, where she tells the court that, in 1996, when she was 17 years old, Flores laughingly told her he had taken care of Smart. After a lengthy hearing, San Luis Obispo County Judge Craig B. But the investigation is ongoing. In a statement, the Smart family described a long wait for this bittersweet day.. It's just a motivator for me. Denise Pearce says that was a crushing blow for the Smart family. JAMES MURPHY: What is the name of your father? During Tuesday's hearing, San Luis Obispo County. 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." RUBEN FLORES: [long pause] We never asked that question. Cole said investigators checked out the skateboard ramp location but did not find a body. So, I said, "you better turn some lights on right now and let me out or I'm going to scream." Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Book Author Jenn is a lawyer-turned-author and true crime writer. I told her I didn't I didn't want to go. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. It was first reported by The Tribune, and a reporter posted snippets of documents on Twitter. He has denied any involvement. Plans & Pricing . Mary Lassiter says the earring she found in the driveway matched the necklace Kristin Smart is seen wearing on this billboard. But cadaver dogs told a different story. Chris Lambert: So, if you believe Paul's story, he goes into his dorm room here. Prior to the arrests, in February 2020, Flores home, his parents home, and his sisters home were searched by police. He said a backhoe had excavated a trench to dump soil that was removed to lay a nearby foundation. He later argued that the biological evidence found under the deck was not conclusively human blood. He says "no.". It did produce some information that I believe was valuable, he said. She was declared legally dead in 2002. but I knew that I could try to do a small part. His father Ruben Flores charged with being an accessory after the factwas found not guilty. And it was only 250 miles from Stockton, California, where she grew up with Lindsey and their brother Matt. and I was like, "Noooo.". Kristen Modafferi. Judge van Rooyen objects to this assertion, though: Just because (Lamberts) been served does not necessarily mean he should be excluded, he says. We feel like the stars aligned when the podcast aired, she told Rolling Stone. In a civil lawsuit, the Smarts' attorney claims that Kristin's remains were buried at one time on Paul Flores' father's property.
What happened to Kristen Modafferi? One man's 20-year search for Despite the fact that law enforcement had collected substantial evidence that Kristin Smart may have had reason not to return to her dorm room after leaving (fellow party-goers) Cheryl (Manzer) Anderson and Paul Flores and despite the fact that they had collected substantial evidence that there were multiple potential suspects who stalked, harassed or otherwise had conflicts with Kristin Smart, law enforcement made an early choice to change their focus to murder and to Paul Flores as the only suspect, Sanger wrote in a defense motion. Chris Lambert: The only thing he would confirm on tape is that his name is Paul Flores. 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. He wouldn't answer a single thing. For more than two decades, her family, friends, and supporters searched for answers and for justice. As of 2021, Kristen Modafferi's case remains unsolved. Some of those women who did not want their real names used told Lambert about their encounters with him. Just very involved with their children. 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. JAMES MURPHY: Your husband have information as to where Kristin Smart's body is located? James Murphy: There has been no other suspect. In October 2022, Paul Flores, the man long suspected in her disappearance, was found guilty of murder.
The Strange Disappearance of Kristen Modafferi - Medium Even more difficult to understand was why they waited two months to search the family home where Paul Flores was living with his father, Ruben. But was there evidence possibly placing Kristin Smart at his mother's home? The sheriff's office seized the trailer and Det. Back in San Luis Obispo, the Smarts, feeling ignored by the sheriff's office, continued a relentless campaign to get them to do more to find their daughter. About 45 minutes after Kristen got off of work on the day she vanished, she was seen on the 2nd f. Chris Lambert: They did a significant amount of digging underneath the house. Margarita Campos: I was, like, "Kristin, I'm going to go back home. Today, we make the first move toward bringing justice to Kristin, her family, and the people of San Luis Obispo County.. Chris Lambert: He told those friends he just woke up with the black eye. That's when the campus police finally handed the investigation over to The San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Office but they did not find Kristin. And Murphy and Sinclair believe they can prove it. Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. Chris Lambert: He actually hit his eye on his steering wheel in the middle of the night while changing his stereo. 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. Little is known since the proceedings are kept secret, but no charges were ever filed. His father was found not guilty of helping to hide her body. He'd go anywhere. Peuvrelle, who said Ruben Flores has helped cover up the crime for nearly a quarter-century, would continue to do so if freed. "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.. And so, she pulled me into this sort of like, "oh come on, let's socialize.
Detective in Kristin Smart case testifies human blood - KSBY Disappearance of Kristen Modafferi - Wikipedia Also on the stand Tuesday were another cadaver dog handler, an expert in fiber evidence and a district attorney's office investigator. My job was to hunt them. Chris Lambert: It was never marked as evidence apparently. D.A. Margarita Campos: She was absolutely sober when I left her. In high school he was known as a loner. The Kristin Smart disappearance: After 26 years, Paul Flores is convicted of murder 20 photos. Murphy and his wife, Garin Sinclair, agreed to take the case pro bono promising to go after Paul Flores and put pressure on the sheriff's office. Dozens of community members on Saturday evening gathered for a vigil at Santa Rosa Park in San Luis Obispo to light candles in the memory of Kristin Smart, the Cal 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. The defense questions Hudson about her drug use, but she says she was not doing drugs at the time. Attorney Harold Mesick said Monday that the evidence against the father was so minimal as to shock the conscience.. Anyone can read what you share. Ruben's attorney, Harold Mesick, dismissed the evidence against his client as "so minimal as to shock the conscience.". A hundred percent that was happening. When they reached the turnoff to Cheryl's dorm, she says Flores tried to hug and kiss her. Denise Pearce | Longtime family friend: Things were gonna get better and, you know, and and they did. Her books are available on Amazon. But further investigation of the Flores's two trucks seemed impossible. And might have connected Kristin to Susan Flores's house, says James Murphy. 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. Cole went to his White Court home to collect it on May 19, 2021. Ian Parkinson: Yes. The Kristin Smart Scholarship has been established by her family to help other college bound women pursue their dreams. The lawsuit claims they were moving Kristin's remains. Nineteen-year-old Cal Poly student Kristin Smart went missing after a campus party 25 years ago, and, this summer, her case is finally getting its day in court. They're known for being a really safe school.". Maybe we cant. But Parkinson acknowledges it hasn't been easy. Nearly a week after their arrests, father and son both pleaded not guilty in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court. She writes about missing persons, unsolved murders, and human rights. He has not been charged in those incidents. His father, Ruben, is charged as an accessory. Defense lawyers have criticized the evidence used to arrest both men last week. How are we not all talking about this every day until shes found?, Editors picks So, they did not immediately get a warrant to search Susan Flores's home. You, youre the one that can tell me, a reference to Lamberts Your Own Backyard, the podcast about Smart and Flores that has brought new attention to the case. James Murphy: If it was, in fact, a piece of jewelry that matched Kristin's jewelry, it would have been blockbuster evidence. Paul Flores did not have a car on campus, so Murphy surmises he had to have had help. 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 reporter for The Tribune of San Luis Obispo. That young woman was Kristin Smart, and she hasn't been seen since. Chris Lambert: I think that might have been the biggest misstep that investigators have made to this day. Chris Lambert: They didn't bring cadaver dogs with them. True crime podcasting is not something that particularly captivated me, Lambert told Rolling Stonelast year. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. On October 18, 2022, Paul Flores was found guilty of first-degree murder. At the time, they did not know about a missing college student. She was pushing herself out of her comfort zone. Paul Flores is charged with the murder of Kristin Smart, who disappeared from Cal Poly in 1996. Paul Flores, lower left, remained in jail without bail while Ruben Flores, upper right, was able to post bail after a judge agreed to lower the bail amount from $250,000 to $50,000, San Luis Obispo County Superior Court/Zoom, How a tragic boating crash is connected to the family of Alex Murdaugh, Five deaths with a connection to Alex Murdaugh's family investigated, Chilling details revealed in JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan deaths, Mother at center of international manhunt speaks out to "48 Hours". "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. 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. It would be three more years before the property was searched again. But the Flores's have fought back, suing the Smarts for intentional infliction of emotional distress. Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. They were soon joined by another partygoer, Paul Flores. Our family has always known that this was going to be a long, difficult, and emotional journey. In 1997 when Paul Flores was deposed for the civil suit, the only thing he would confirm on tape was his name. 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. Ruben Flores was released on $50,000 bail to his ex-wife. He promised the Smarts that solving Kristin's case would be a priority. And I was, like, "uh OK, fine.". James Murphy: Every day. It was on Memorial Day weekend 1996 that their 19-year-old daughter Kristin Smart disappeared. Chris Lambert: I brought them a number of witnesses that they were very interested in.
What happened to Kristen Modafferi? - AdvertisingRow.com In April 2021, investigators finally put the pieces of the puzzle together and decided they had enough to charge the then-44-year-old Paul Flores with Kristin's murder, and his then-80-year-old father with being an accessory after the fact. to California to search for Kristen Modafferi. Chris Lambert: I don't think she ever imagined that Kristin would end up dead by the end of the night. His is the latest in a line of true-crime podcasts to play a role in an arrest, a court appeal or even an exoneration. Van Rooyen rules that Flores will be tried for murder in the 1996 disappearance of Smart. Jonathan Vigliotti: They thought she was off possibly having fun. JAMES MURPHY: Would you state your full name for the record please. Her younger sister Lindsey says their mother urged Kristin to go there. She had taken a job at a coffee shop to pay for a photography course at U.C. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. But Paul Flores remained behind bars help without bail. Denise Pearce: The phone call never comes. Nineteen-year-old Kristin Smart disappeared Memorial Day weekend of 1996. Flores was also in possession of Tramadol and Flexeril, known as date rape drugs. DAN DOW [press conference]: The allegation against Ruben is that he helped to conceal Kristen's body after the murder was committed. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. After over 25 years, there is no evidence that Paul Flores committed the crimes for which there is no evidence.. 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. 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. Denise Pearce: To be almost there. Jonathan Vigliotti: You look at Kristin Smart every day. DAN DOW [press conference]: We don't have evidence sufficient to charge anyone else at this time. Like the Smart's civil case, theirs also has been on hold. By the time they called the Cal Poly campus police, Kristin had been missing for more than 48 hours. The document said investigators at the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department had biological evidence indicating Smart was once buried under Ruben Flores' deck behind his home in nearby Arroyo Grande. The trial got underway with opening statements on July 18 in Monterey County Superior Court in Salinas.
Kristin Smart: California jury finds man guilty in the 1996 murder of But now, 25 years later, a man sits in a San Luis Obispo County Jail cell, charged with her murder. They took in soil, I assume, for some kind of analysis. But Murphy says there were other incidents that should have raised alarm bells about him with law enforcement from the very beginning. In fact, Cheryl Anderson, who trusted Flores to walk Kristin back to her dorm alone, told police that her friends called him "Chester the molester," because he was known for groping girls. Like what may have been discovered in March 2021 when investigators searched Ruben Flores' house using cadaver dogs and ground penetrating radar. But Mary Lassiter says the earring matched the necklace Kristin is seen wearing on the billboard. By herself, which is pretty amazing. He had a smirk when he said it, like it was a joke, she says. Sheriff Ian Parkinson was able to confirm that forensic physical evidence that authorities believe is linked to Kristin was located at, at least two homes. In the months after Kristin's disappearance, one truck was traded in and the other was reported stolen. For more than two decades, her family, friends, and supporters searched for answers and for justice. He'd go through tunnels, under bridges, looking for his daughter and expecting best case scenario. And I was like, "nah, I have to study." Paul Flores, a fellow freshman at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, was the last person seen with Smart on May 25, 1996. Cole said a search of it revealed "suspicious activity.". Mesick declined to comment Tuesday, citing the gag order. 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. Ms. Smart, 19, was a freshman at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo when she disappeared in 1996. On Tuesday, Cole testified that Ruben clarified that he meant he was the only one of the three who had been arrested. But every Sunday when she called her parents, they encouraged her to stick it out. Ruben Flores, was arrested at his home on the same day and was charged with being an accessory after the fact. Mesick argued there were many innocent explanations why soil had previously been dug up in the yard. What Chris did was take a local story and turn it into an international story. Authorities made clear that they plan to use Flores' alleged predatory behavior against him. The Smart's attorney James Murphy, and his wife and office manager Garin Sinclair, have had Kristin's billboard in their front yard since late 1997. Billie Eilish Explains Her Complicated Relationship With Social Media: 'I Don't Look at It Anymore', Theres no evidence of a sex crime in the charged crime (the murder case) itself, van Rooyen says. or even her keys. 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. 3. Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. 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. On April 19, father and son each pleaded not guilty, according to The Associated Press. "48 Hours" looks back to their arrests and how the saga began. The search for Ms. Smart, who was nicknamed Roxy, took many forms. She withdrew money from the bank, a surveillance camera capturing what are . Ms. Smart, who was from Stockton, Calif., was a freshman at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. An earring that appeared to match the necklace Kristin is wearing on the billboard.
Dennis Mahon's Podcast Chadwell answered no. The authorities began to describe Paul Flores as a prime suspect in the case. 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. But a massive search did not happen until she'd been gone for more than a month. Jonathan Vigliotti: There was a lot of evidence that could have been gathered, that wasn't. You wouldn't let any of your friends be drunk around him. Margarita Campos: I was expecting her to knock on my door and be, like, "Oh, Margarita, you missed a rager. Whatever happened in those early hours, one thing is indisputable: Kristin Smart has never been seen again. But I've seen it. All Rights reserved. Kristen Modaferri Observer file Family and friends of a Charlotte woman who has been missing for nearly two decades are awaiting results after a possible break in the case came Thursday.. The 18- year old coed from North Carolina was taking a summer photography class at the University of Califorina Berkeley when she vanished June 23rd, 1997. The police searched her dorm room in Muir Hall, finding her wallet and reminders to turn in assignments. Denise Smart, Kristins mother, has also praised the show. Chris Lambert and it worked. Denise Pearce: Kristin hasn't come home And we're not sure where she is We don't know anything. Then, in 2011, Ian Parkinson was elected sheriff. The next month, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office took over from the Cal Poly police as the lead investigators. 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. According to a county probation bail report obtained by the San Luis Obispo Tribune, "biological evidence" was found under Ruben's deck. 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. Missing-person posters and billboards offering rewards appeared along roads and in other public places. The documents also include several people the defense believes investigators should have looked into in addition to Flores, including convicted murderer and fellow then-student Scott Peterson, who was previously ruled out. It was updated on October 22, 2022.). Chris Lambert: I wish I knew why. 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. PODCAST EPISODE 3: Something shiny catches her eye next to the front driver side tire. That mother, Mary Lassiter, described it to Chris Lambert. We want to especially thank the District Attorneys Office for their relentless efforts. Devastating. Cole also testified that on March 9, 2020, a witness reported some suspicious activity at the property. 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. And he leaves her to walk up this walkway. They got to the parking lot of an apartment complex. Cole in 2019. Four months after that futile search, Paul Flores was brought before a grand jury. Ken Blum is the editor.