Lambert also interviewed a woman who dated Flores until, she says, he became physically and verbally abusive. These charges mark a major milestone, Dow says in a statement. Jonathan Vigliotti: You look at Kristin Smart every day. DAN DOW [press conference]: It is alleged that Mr. Flores caused the death of Kristen Smart while in the commission of or attempted rape. Cole said this was done so Lambert would include the information in his podcast during the time of the wiretap. He had a smirk when he said it, like it was a joke, she says. Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. [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. Susan Flores and her boyfriend were never charged in the case. 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. But Parkinson acknowledges it hasn't been easy. Kristen was in her first year at Cal Poly when she vanished in 1996. Flores was first interviewed by Cal Poly police investigators near the end of May 1996, according to The San Luis Obispo Tribune, and the Cal Poly police didnt search his room until June 10th. All Rights reserved. In his mug shot, a black eye can faintly been seen. The Kristen Modafferi Mystery: 20 years later, private investigators Lindsey Smart Stewart: Right. They did an interview with the Cal Poly Mustang Daily and explained that they didn't think there was any evidence that a crime had taken place. Possible break in Kristen Modafferi case after 18 years Van Rooyen saying that his release could result in great bodily harm to the public. The defense argued that other skateboarders who were at the San Luis Obispo location said they never saw Paul there, and Hudson's boyfriend denied ever seeing Paul in Huasna or anywhere else. Ruben's attorney, Harold Mesick, dismissed the evidence against his client as "so minimal as to shock the conscience.". Axel Koester/Sygma via Getty Images The. 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. 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. You wouldn't let any of your friends be drunk around him. Even worse they never sealed his dorm room. He promised the Smarts that solving Kristin's case would be a priority. 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. But the judge indicated he would set a reasonable bail amount Wednesday for the father, who has health problems is currently in the San Luis Obispo jail on $250,000 bail. She was last seen in the Lands End area of San Francisco, close to where Laci and Connor washed up. Specifically, that they had Paul's white Nissan pickup in their possession. "Up and Vanished" led a man to confess to killing a . Don Kelsen/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images. 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. He wouldn't answer a single thing. The Kristin Smart Scholarship has been established by her family to help other college bound women pursue their dreams. Jonathan Vigliotti: And that weighs on you. Chris Lambert: They did a significant amount of digging underneath the house. Smarts remains have never been found, but authorities recently said they believe they know where she was buried, though they havent disclosed the location. Chris Lambert: I think that might have been the biggest misstep that investigators have made to this day. Her younger sister Lindsey says their mother urged Kristin to go there. Dennis Mahon's Podcast The judge rules that the DA cannot be disqualified for wearing purple clothing. The two men made their first courtroom appearance on July 14 in San Luis Obispo Superior Court, where Judge Craig B. van Rooyen denied the district attorneys motion to add two rape charges against Paul Flores, The Tribune of San Luis Obispo reported. Cole also talked about his interview with Jennifer Hudson in November 2019. Like what may have been discovered in March 2021 when investigators searched Ruben Flores' house using cadaver dogs and ground penetrating radar. It's just a motivator for me. That witness initially came forward to Chris Lambert, who passed the information to the sheriff's office and Murphy. SUSAN FLORES: [Long pause, grabs water bottle] Of course not. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. PODCAST EPISODE 2 | WOMAN #2: You wouldn't want to be alone in a room with him. After a lengthy hearing, San Luis Obispo County Judge Craig B. 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. Just five months before Kristin disappeared, San Luis Obispo Police received a call from a student living off campus. Peterson. 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. What happens next? Murphy and Sinclair promised the Smarts the billboard will stay until their daughter is found. 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. James Murphy: If it was, in fact, a piece of jewelry that matched Kristin's jewelry, it would have been blockbuster evidence. 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. Judge denies multiple unusual requests in Kristin Smart hearing Paul Flores and his father both pleaded not guilty to all charges at their arraignment. JAMES MURPHY: Do you have any information as to where Kristin Smart's body is located? Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. 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? RUBEN FLORES: [long pause] We never asked that question. James Murphy and Garin Sinclair look at the billboard that has been in their front yard for more than two decades. to California to search for Kristen Modafferi. James Murphy: To see them in custody was a feeling of great joy for me. The next morning, Margarita waited to hear from Kristin. Related Stories They also uncovered videos in a folder labeled practice that featured women wearing ball gags and in other fetish positions. On April 19, father and son each pleaded not guilty, according to The Associated Press. Ms. Smart, 19, was a freshman at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo when she disappeared in 1996. And there are more horrifying allegations about what may have happened to Kristin after she was last seen with Paul Flores. They havent revealed what was found but returned to the yard for additional digging after the arrests. Kristen Modafferi. Five months after Kristin Smart disappeared, Paul Flores was brought before a grand jury but no charges were ever filed. The Smarts say they tried to file a missing person's report with the local police but were told it was too early, and the FBI told them Cal Poly police were in charge. Plans & Pricing . 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. Once, he says, Flores was lurking in the lobby of Smarts dorm at 1 a.m.; another time, he says he saw the man in Smarts dorm room. Margarita Campos: I mean, she was gone. And yes, we did find physical evidence at, at least two homes. 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. In February 2020, the authorities executed search warrants at four locations in California and Washington State and recovered what the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office described as items of interest. One location was the Los Angeles home of Paul Flores, KCAL-TV reported. D.A. SHERIFF IAN PARKINSON [at press conference]: Forensic physical evidence was located. I need you to listen to everything they say so we can punch holes in it. Just very involved with their children. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. After apparently becoming intoxicated, Smart headed back to her dorm with fellow partiers Tim Davis and Cheryl Anderson. Three other women missing: Did Lac's husband kill before? She writes about missing persons, unsolved murders, and human rights. James Murphy: The question for decades was "Well, where did the body go?". 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. They seized digital devices during the search and, in April 2020, executed another search on Paul Flores property in San Pedro. 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. Nineteen-year-old Kristin Smart disappeared Memorial Day weekend of 1996. And DNA evidence could not be found linking any other evidence to Kristin. But it's Susan Flores's concrete backyard that initially received a lot of attention. 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. Peuvrelle, who said Ruben Flores has helped cover up the crime for nearly a quarter-century, would continue to do so if freed. Chris Lambert: Around the time Kristin disappeared, they cut out planter boxes in the backyard, so they cut out big chunks of concrete and filled it in with soil. You can go." Chris Lambert: I didn't know the scale. Maybe we cant. 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. I don't think she went back to her dorm at all. Real Name: Kristen Deborah Modafferi Nicknames: No known nicknames Location: San Francisco, California Date: June 23, 1997 Bio Occupation: Student Date of Birth: June 1, 1979 Height: 5' 8" Weight: 140 lbs. On Oct. 18, Paul Flores was found guilty of murdering Ms. Smart. 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. (Pool photo by Dave Minsky/Santa Maria Times). Chris Lambert: I personally think that wherever Kristin went, Paul was there with her. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. Cole testified about why investigators believe a crime was committed at Ruben's property on White Court in Arroyo Grande. I knocked on her door, and I thought she was just sleeping, or she went out and about, you know? 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. His father, Ruben, will be tried as an accessory to the crime. PODCAST EPISODE 4: At 8 a.m. on June 19th, 2000, a team of sheriff's investigators knocks on the front door of Susan Flores's East Branch Street home. Kristin Denise Smart (born February 20, 1977 [1] [6] -declared legally dead May 25, 2002) was an American woman who was found to have been murdered by Paul Flores at the end of her freshman year on the campus of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly). It would be three more years before the property was searched again. He has not been charged in those incidents. Disappearance of Kristen Modafferi - Wikipedia 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. "48 Hours" looks back to their arrests and how the saga began. She was never seen again and her body has not been located. Mary Lassiter says the earring she found in the driveway matched the necklace Kristin Smart is seen wearing on this billboard. Paul Flores isnt granted bail, with Judge Craig B. But further investigation of the Flores's two trucks seemed impossible. Proof of the L.A. charges cant act as a substitute for the SLO case.. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. And I was like, "nah, I have to study." Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Craig van Rooyen rules that having the podcaster testify and release his records would have a chilling effect on the medias ability to do their job. But Paul Flores remained behind bars help without bail. 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. suddenly major pieces of evidence came forward. For more than two decades, her family, friends, and supporters searched for answers and for justice. The defense claims the prosecution is wearing said color as a result of a Facebook request on the site Justice for Kristin Smart' to wear purple during a Memorial Day celebration. 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. By herself, which is pretty amazing. On October 18, 2022, Paul Flores was found guilty of first-degree murder. Jonathan Vigliotti: And that phone call never comes. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. At the time, they did not know about a missing college student. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says. "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.. 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. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Nineteen-year-old Cal Poly student Kristin Smart went missing after a campus party 25. San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office, via Associated Press. Ann-Marie Christian: became friends with Kristin in elementary school. Police investigated whether Durst, 71, who lived in San Francisco at the time Modafferi went missing, was connected to her disappearance. It wasn't until Kristin's roommate returned to their dorm room, that Margarita realized Kristin never came home. That young woman was Kristin Smart, and she hasn't been seen since. And might have connected Kristin to Susan Flores's house, says James Murphy. September 15, 2017. Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. The investigation seemed to be hampered from the start by a series of missteps by campus police beginning with their assumption that Kristin was off having fun and ignoring worried friends who said she was missing. James Murphy: They're interested in seeing Paul Flores get convicted and Ruben Flores get held accountable. Kristen Modafferi was an 18-year-old college student who was about to start a summer photography course at UC Berkeley when she disappeared after leaving work at a San Francisco coffee shop. and offers to help. Friday, May 24, 1996, was the start of the Memorial Day weekend. Kristen has facial dimples. The Mysterious Disappearance Of Kristen Modafferi - Grunge.com The Tribune said it got the public documents from the courthouse in the city 160 miles northwest of Los Angeles. During Tuesday's hearing, San Luis Obispo County. Ann-Marie Christian: Her parents reminded me of my parents. Smart was declared dead in 2002. A jury acquitted Ruben Flores of the charge of being an accessory after the fact. They also did not focus on Paul Flores immediately, waiting six days to formally interview him. In the months after Kristin's disappearance, one truck was traded in and the other was reported stolen. Paul Flores may have wanted a fresh start in Southern California, but Chris Lambert says, he could not seem to break old habits. 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. Margarita Campos: I was expecting her to knock on my door and be, like, "Oh, Margarita, you missed a rager. November 01, 2017. So had Margarita Campos, who lived in the next room in Muir Hall. Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. It was first reported by The Tribune, and a reporter posted snippets of documents on Twitter. 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. But remarkably, the same thing happened with three more dogs. There was no reaction until the dog reached Paul Flores's room. Margarita Campos: She was absolutely sober when I left her. Chris Lambert: They're hopeful, but they've also been let down so many times before. Jonathan Vigliotti: They thought she was off possibly having fun. An important tip came in after a February 2020 search of Paul, Susan and Ruben's properties. The mother is washing her car in the driveway at one point. Kristin Smart case: Suspects Paul and Ruben Flores arrested in the Defense Attorney Sanger calls the move a stunning lack of objectivity.. After Paul and Rubens arrests, Sheriff Ian Parkinson revealed that Lamberts podcast helped move the investigation forward. Because of the statute of limitations, Dow says, Paul Flores can't be charged with rape. And so, she pulled me into this sort of like, "oh come on, let's socialize. DAN DOW [press conference]: The allegation against Ruben is that he helped to conceal Kristen's body after the murder was committed. They were after Paul Flores for an outstanding DUI warrant. He'd go anywhere. Ruben Flores, 80, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of accessory after the murder for hiding Smart's body after his son allegedly killed her. So, they did not immediately get a warrant to search Susan Flores's home. Human Remains Possibly Found In Home Of Missing Woman Kristen Modafferi Why? Ian Parkinson: Yes. And they told Lambert they weren't surprised when they heard about Flores's connection to Kristin's disappearance. 'Keep her memory alive': Organizer encourages community to spread The evidentiary hearing is underway and witnesses are testifying in front of Superior Court Judge Craig van Rooyen about Flores interactions with Smart. I didn't know how many people were gonna listen. James Murphy: So why would Susan Flores, her boyfriend, and Ruben Flores be up all night long working under that deck. From the start, investigators. He was required to wear an electronic ankle bracelet. He said a backhoe had excavated a trench to dump soil that was removed to lay a nearby foundation. Lindsey Smart Stewart: She had traveled the world before she even made it to college. Jonathan Vigliotti [with Lambert outside of the the dorms]: Paul and Kristin then make their way here. Axel Koester/Sygma via Getty Images. PODCAST EPISODE 4: So, I walk him up to his sister's apartment, and all of a sudden, he just like picked me up, carried me inside, turned around and shut the apartment door, and locked it. 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. He also said that law enforcement leaked information to "Your Own Backyard" podcaster Chris Lambert. Kristin Smart case: Shy podcaster led cops to arrest in California cold In 2011, the Smarts hoped those boulders would become a little lighter when Ian Parkinson became the . JAMES MURPHY: In May of 96 were you a student at Cal Poly? On Monday, he questioned why investigators needed to keep searching for evidence after making arrests. "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. The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time Case The unsealed documents include two claims from 2011 and 2017 that Flores raped two women while they were drunk in San Pedro. Jonathan Vigliotti: There was a lot of focus on how Kristin was drinking what sounded a lot like victim shaming. What happened to Kristen Modafferi? - AdvertisingRow.com The search for Ms. Smart, who was nicknamed Roxy, took many forms. PDF KRISTEN MODAFFERI - Federal Bureau of Investigation But one of those friends told police Flores already had the black eye when he arrived. They had become close friends despite their differences. And when they did . Cole said that Ruben then clarified that he meant he was the only one of the three to have been arrested. Denise Pearce: The investigation was completely botched by the campus police. The Disappearance of Kristin Smart: What Happened and What's Next 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".
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