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It's, like, she has nothing on her. I was like Oh my God. Around 2 a.m., party-goer Tim Davis told Smart that she could not spend the night passed out on the party houses front lawn because it was too cold. I wasnt freaked out.. In high school he was known as a loner. I've got her. Flores only made one phone call the weekend Smart disappeared, according to prosecutors. Jonathan Vigliotti [with Lambert outside of the the dorms]: Paul and Kristin then make their way here. As they soon learned, she had ended up at a party at an off-campus house. There's no question about it. Flores told campus police that he never talked to Smart at the house party, but multiple witnesses who were at the party saw the two talking together next to a tiki bar inside the house. Four months earlier, Kristin Smart, a freshman at California Polytechnic State University better known as Cal Poly had gone to a party on Friday, May 24 the start of the Memorial Day weekend. She regretfully denounced them as cruel rumors at the time. PODCAST EPISODE 2 | WOMAN #2: You wouldn't want to be alone in a room with him. That mother, Mary Lassiter, described it to Chris Lambert. When they showed up, it was Paul Flores. I remember thinking: If my moms not home Im going to die right here.. The Kristin Smart Scholarship has been established by her family to help other college bound women pursue their dreams. Paul Flores spotted July 29,2017, in Food4Less grocery store located in Arroyo Grande, CA. 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. James Murphy: That suggests that something bad happened in Paul Flores's dorm room. We both were kids at the same school and so I felt comfortable. Jonathan Vigliotti: They thought she was off possibly having fun. In a civil lawsuit, the Smarts' attorney claims that Kristin's remains were buried at one time on Paul Flores' father's property. SUSAN FLORES: [Long pause, grabs water bottle] Of course not. When he arrived she stayed at home while Janes father hightailed it to Arroyo Grande Community Hospital. Chris Lambert: Kristin's father would come down and hike every trail he could find on the Central Coast. He threw [my cousin] to the ground and got on top of her and putting his hands down her top even after he got his wallet. But to fully understand Chris Lambert's contribution, you have to go back to the beginning. Chris Lambert: I remember seeing it on the news it was something scary and they were talking about it pretty regularly. [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. They left me there and knock on my moms door really hard and then ran off, Jane, who is telling her story for first time, said. Jonathan Vigliotti | CBS News correspondent: You wanted to go home, and you were trying to find a way to break it to your friend. They got to the parking lot of an apartment complex. Instead, Flores and his family were sued in 2002 by the Smarts in civil court for intentionally inflicted emotional distress upon the parents of Kristin Smart by taking the body of Kristin Smart and secreting and/or destroying the body in a hidden place in the County of San Luis Obispo. The Flores family countersued for emotional distress. Both suits were shelved by a judge until Smarts remains are found. After all these years, Sheriff Parkinson says that Paul Flores continues to be their number one suspect. They took off running, Jane said. I also brought them witnesses that they had no interest in whatsoever. For more than two decades, her family, friends, and supporters searched for answers and for justice. As of this date, Paul is single. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Margarita Campos: To this day, like, I was like, why why did I just let her go by herself? She left them only after he promised to take Kristin back to her dorm. He never expected it would be a hit, but his podcast caught the attention of millions of listeners and sparked new interest in this decades-old unsolved case. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. I had zero interest in her, according to prosecutors. Lindsey Smart Stewart: She had traveled the world before she even made it to college. In October 1996, Mary and her family moved in. Margarita Campos: Kristin was like, "come on, let's go, let's go." In his complaint, Murphy alleges, along with Ruben, there were two other unnamed individuals. I drank this drink and I dont know what it was but let me tell you something the next thing you know I was passed out, Jane said. They might have found evidence in those vehicles. Jonathan Vigliotti: You look at Kristin Smart every day. He promised the Smarts that solving Kristin's case would be a priority. Chris Lambert: And that's when they're told that earring has been misplaced. A judge on March 30 ruled that the trial would be moved out of San Luis . On April 13, 2021, almost 25 years after Kristin Smart went missing, longtime suspect Paul Flores, 44, was arrested at his home in San Pedro, California, and charged with murder. "48 Hours" agreed. His podcast, "Your Own Backyard," has become a big hit attracting millions of listeners eager to hear every detail surrounding this unsolved case. Flores spit that he would rape her, she said. That could have been me.. 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. The backyard was all concrete except for a couple of areas where planter boxes had been created by cutting out the concrete and filling them with soil. Ruben Flores and his estranged wife Susan have always denied any role in Kristin Smart's disappearance. Deputies seized a mattress cover from the bed with a blood stain. Over the years, Susan Flores's backyard has been the focus of widespread speculation because of stories like the ones Mary Lassiter told Chris Lambert. The lawsuit claims they were moving Kristin's remains. He was seeing someone on the side who he called his friend, she said. And my roommate actually kicked down the door to make him stop. Smart was last seen with Flores's son Paul. Critics called. PAUL FLORES: On the advice of my attorney . Paul Flores and his father both pleaded not guilty to all charges at their arraignment. But you have to understand, she was a really independent free spirit. But one of those friends told police Flores already had the black eye when he arrived. He wouldn't answer a single thing. In October 2022, Paul Flores, the man long suspected in her disappearance, was found guilty of murder. 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. Murphy alleges four nights later, strange activity was seen at Ruben's house. The next thing I know is the cops telling me We cant do anything because [Paul] and his friend are saying she was drunk and it was consensual., But Jane said she fought to get them to reconsider. Any tidbit of information or recollection could make the difference in the recovery of our beloved Kristin., disappearance of another woman under almost identical circumstances: Kristin Smart. At the time Kristin Smart disappeared, investigators did not immediately search the home. He lived in the dorm building across from Smart's room. Mary Lassiter says the earring she found in the driveway matched the necklace Kristin Smart is seen wearing on this billboard. It had been the focus of widespread speculation for more than two decades especially her planter boxes. "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. We just, "do you know anything about it". Lindsey Smart Stewart: I think they're, like, carrying boulders on their back. San Luis Obispo County. More critical evidence was seized when investigators used ground-penetratingly radar that found a grave where Smarts body was once buried in the Flores familys backyard, according to prosecutors. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. She was looking forward to hearing from Kristin that Sunday. But Flores basketball friends told investigators that he already had the black eye when he showed up for the game. Paul Flores lives in San Pedro, CA; previous city include Arroyo Grande CA. 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. I said, Stop it. There was no reaction until the dog reached Paul Flores's room. Paul Flores was a constant presence during Sarahs time at Cal Poly, where she transferred in as a sophomore back in 1996, after Smarts disappearance shook the school and the community. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Flores said he suffered the black eye during a basketball game he played with friends in Arroyo Grande on Monday. Paul would try to get Kristins attention and she was too nice to tell him off. The Arroyo Grande cops, Jane said, favored Floress story that she willingly drank and had sex that night. That would be Susan Flores, the owner of the home where Flores is suspected to have buried Smart. I blacked out and didnt consent to anything.. JAMES MURPHY: What is the name of your father? 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. And according to that probation report, "dozens of women have recounted Paul Flores' sexual assaults and predatory behavior that document his 25 years as a serial rapist." Susan Flores and her boyfriend were never charged in the case. Denise Pearce | Longtime family friend: Things were gonna get better and, you know, and and they did. She has not been charged with any crimes in connection with the case. And yes, we did find physical evidence at, at least two homes. Its a fib. Flores attempted to kiss Anderson before she walked away around 2:30 a.m. She refused his advances because she was creeped out, Peuvrelle said. Chris Lambert: A young couple moves into it with their kid. And she was growing as an individual. All of Kristin's personal belongings including her purse, her money, her I.D. SHERIFF IAN PARKINSON [to reporters]: It's been a puzzle and it's a very slow process to find each of those little pieces some of that information came to light through the podcast many of you are familiar with. Used to live: San Luis Obispo CA, Arroyo Grande CA, Torrance CA. He hired a detective to work full time on the case, and over the past nine years deputies have carried out searches, conducted new interviews, and gathered additional evidence. He invoked the Fifth Amendment 27 times. Flores replies that he was just fibbing. I dont know of any lying Ive done. ", 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.". James Murphy: I'd love to do anything to end their suffering. He grabbed me down there and while Im yelling at him my girlfriend threw a piece of gum at his face and he pushes her down., At this point every male at the party joined in to jump Flores, who fled, she said, adding, Boom, he disappeared., That same year, Sarah said, Flores pursued her again at a friends birthday party. Related to: Ruben R Flores, Ermelinda M Thomas, Paul R Flores, Rachel H Flores, Ruben Flores. Last month, authorities searched Ruben Flores' home in Arroyo Grande. He apparently would tag along with a sloshed friend, crashing off-campus parties together wherever she was. AKA: Susan Flores, Sue P Flores. At the time, she was a 19-year-old freshman at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, who'd grown up in Stockton, Calif. On the night of her disappearance, she was spotted at a house party, which she left with three people. He promised the Smarts that solving Kristin's case would be a priority. The Smart family. PODCAST EPISODE 4: And he had like a butter knife and he like held it to my neck. Even when law enforcement let them down, they refused to give up. so eventually he unlocked you know, the apartment door, and I left. Also known as Melinda E Flores. Flores admitted he promised another student, CherylAnderson, that he would make sure Smart made it back to her dorm room in Muir Hall safely from the party. We are grateful to these brave women for having the courage to talk about their experiences and we ask anyone who may have information they think could be helpful to contact the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office. And I was, like, "uh OK, fine.". Chris Lambert: They did a significant amount of digging underneath the house. Whatever happened in those early hours, one thing is indisputable: Kristin Smart has never been seen again. Susan Flores, an Arroyo Grande resident whose son Paul is the prime suspect in Smart's disappearance, broke her silence after new searches in the haunting case last week. But Parkinson acknowledges it hasn't been easy. Lindsey Smart Stewart: Right. Chris Lambert, who worked as a CBS News consultant, pieced together what he learned from people who were there that night. Greg Fisher and Michelle Fanucci are the development producers. But 22 years later, when he couldn't find any recent stories about the case, he decided to do something. PODCAST EPISODE 1: I googled Kristin Smart's name every few years. 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! In the crowd, taking it all in, was that podcaster, Chris Lambert. Chris Lambert: They just have never given up and are never going to give up on their daughter. Ruben Flores defense attorney is slated to deliver his opening statements when the two trials resume on Thursday in a Monterey County courtroom. So, when they were invited to a party that Friday night, Kristin was excited to go. What happened in the privacy of his room that night? Peuvrelle asked the jury. He'd go through tunnels, under bridges, looking for his daughter and expecting best case scenario. JAMES MURPHY: Your husband have information as to where Kristin Smart's body is located? Neither the ex-boyfriend nor Sarah saw Flores again until they read The Daily Beast story on Kristin Smarts disappearance, where Floress mugshot appeared. To think that you're going to finally get some resolution, and then it doesn't happen the way it's supposed to. 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. First, he told detectives that Smart was having difficulty walking on her own. And he leaves her to walk up this walkway. The accusations didnt stop with classmates: Flores allegedly couldnt restrain himself around his own kin. Early on, a small group of volunteers also looked for Kristin. 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. Kristin Smart went missing from Cal Poly in 1996. I always said, He wouldnt do that., Sexually, Laura paints Paul Flores as very experienced and maintaining a very healthy appetite., It would get too aggressive and at times I had to say, Hey, calm down., Laura says that one time they were wrestling in bed and Flores got too aggressive and grabbed a butter knife and pushed it against my face., She says she kept pleading for him to settle down. And that's what I've been doing for a long, long time, along with a lot of other people. 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. Chris Lambert: At that point I don't think they had ever dealt with a missing person, a possibly murdered person. CBS News correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti tracked Flores down to try and get some answers. 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. Susan Flores's backyard has been the focus of widespread speculation. Jonathan Vigliotti: Is this a case that takes a miracle to solve? Chris Lambert: As they describe it, Paul Flores just sort of appears out of nowhere. Why? After seizing an old car, digging in the back yard and taking evidence San Luis Obispo County sheriff deputies concluded a two search of an Arroyo Grande home related to the 1996. She was saved by their male roommate, who barged in because of Lauras blood-curdling screams. 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. When Lambert later told Kristin's mother, Denise, about those early morning beeping sounds in Susan Flores's backyard, he said her reaction was "shock we just kind of stared at each other for a good long time I think it took a while to settle in, that this could potentially be huge." The dogs handler said one dog went screaming down the hallway, made a U-turn, and stopped right in front of (Flores) dorm room, the prosecutor said. The Kristin Smart disappearance: After 26 years, Paul Flores is convicted of murder. News it was something scary and they ermelinda flores arroyo grande searched for answers and for justice that Smart was last seen Flores. 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Up for the game judge until Smarts remains are found they showed up for game! They had no interest in whatsoever to prosecutors the bed with a blood stain 's go, let go!

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