![]() ![]() ![]() It said Flores got help moving the body from two unnamed accomplices who will later be added as defendants in the case. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for intentionally causing emotional distress by helping his son cover up the crime. The father and son were arrested last week after investigators said they found “biological evidence” indicating Smart had been buried under Ruben Flores’ deck behind his home in nearby Arroyo Grande and was recently moved, according to a court document. Ruben Flores, 80, pleaded not guilty to accessory after murder on Monday, and his son, Paul Flores, 44, pleaded not guilty to murder. The lawsuit filed in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court said Smart’s body was buried in Ruben Flores’s backyard and he moved the body “under cover of darkness” to another location a few days after investigators searched his property in February 2020. The parents of missing California college student Kristin Smart on Thursday sued the father of the man charged with killing their daughter nearly 25 years ago. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. While his arrest may be small comfort to the Smart family, it’s one step on the path towards justice for the 19-year-old who disappeared 25 years ago.This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Since the Sheriff has taken the unprecedented step of saying he believes there is proof beyond doubt, it’s likely Flores’ goose is cooked. Now investigators will review the apparent mountain of evidence that has surfaced in the intervening 25 years. But now they also know for sure that she isn’t living some double life in a far off tropical paradise they know for sure what happened. Now that they know what happened to their love one, grieving can begin in earnest, it’s no longer protracted and uncertain. From relief from having answers to heartbreak at knowing what those answers are, the conclusion to a long-open case can be both welcome and horrible. ![]() San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson announced Paul Flores was arrested for murder and he felt confident to prove Flores’ guilt ‘beyond a reasonable doubt.’” What Happens Next?įirst, the family and friends of Smart will have to deal with the wash of emotions that will be hitting them. Paul Flores and Ruben Flores were arrested and booked into jail. On Tuesday, the investigation was blown wide open. One car was towed away, but deputies did not reveal at the time if they had found anything during their search. This time, cadaver dogs and ground penetrating radar were used to search the property. Kristin Smart 19, a freshman at California Polytechnic State University had gone to a party on Friday, May 24, 1996 - and has not been seen since. Paul was arrested on suspicion of Smart’s murder, and Ruben was arrested on suspicion of having helped his son dispose of her remains.įox News reports, “In March, investigators returned to the Arroyo Grande home of Paul Flores’s father, Ruben. Last month, a search warrant was again issued for the home of Flores’ father, and yesterday both Paul and his father Ruben Flores were arrested. In April of last year, another warrant was executed for Flores’ home and evidence was uncovered, “related to the murder of Smart.” Paul and Ruben Flores Arrested In 2019 investigators began monitoring Flores’ phone conversations and in February of 2020, search warrants were executed at the homes of Paul, his father, mother, and sister. It wasn’t until 2016 when more evidence was uncovered and 2019 when previously unknown witnesses were interviewed that the case began gathering some substantial information. At the end of the interview, Flores reportedly said, “if you are so smart, tell me where the body is?” Taunting investigators with their helplessness. Unfortunately, it worked Flores didn’t crack. This is often displayed by someone trying to withhold information. When told that he was the last person to see her alive, Flores withdrew his arms into his shirt and almost assumed a fetal position – what psychologists call ‘guarding’ behavior. An interview with Flores at the time showed him acting oddly and at one point even taunting investigators. However, with a lack of evidence, there was little that frustrated investigators could do. After a desperate search which turned up basically nothing, Flores was named a person of interest on June 25th, 1996.
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