Where Is Paul Flores Now?:- Paul Flores was found guilty of murdering Kristin Smart, a college student who disappeared in 1996, after a long and controversial investigation. He is currently awaiting sentencing in a California jail, while his father Ruben Flores, who was acquitted of being an accessory to the crime, is out on bail. Here is a summary of the case and the latest developments.
The Disappearance of Kristin Smart
Kristin Smart was a 19-year-old freshman at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo. On May 25, 1996, she attended an off-campus party with some friends. She was last seen around 2 a.m. on May 26, walking back to her dorm with three other students: Cheryl Anderson, Tim Davis, and Paul Flores.
According to Anderson and Davis, they left Kristin with Flores, who lived in the same dorm complex as her, after they reached their own rooms. Flores later told the police that he walked Kristin to her dorm and then returned to his own room. However, Kristin never made it to her room and was never seen again.
Kristin’s parents reported her missing on May 28, after they could not reach her by phone. The university initially assumed that she had gone on an unplanned vacation and did not alert the police until June 5. This delayed the investigation and compromised the evidence.
The Investigation and Arrest of Paul Flores
The police quickly identified Paul Flores as a person of interest in Kristin’s disappearance. He had scratches on his face and a black eye that he claimed were from a basketball game. He also gave inconsistent statements to the police and refused to cooperate with them.
The police searched Flores’ dorm room and his parents’ home in Arroyo Grande, but did not find any trace of Kristin. They also used cadaver dogs, ground-penetrating radar, and aerial surveys to look for her body in various locations, but to no avail.
The case went cold for years, despite the efforts of Kristin’s family and supporters to keep it alive. They filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Flores in 1997, but it was dismissed in 2002 due to lack of evidence. They also put up billboards, created websites, and offered rewards for information about Kristin’s fate.
In 2016, the FBI announced that they had recovered new evidence from Flores’ mother’s home, including two trucks that belonged to Flores and his father at the time of Kristin’s disappearance. They also said that they had new witnesses who came forward after hearing a podcast called “Your Own Backyard”, which focused on the case.
On April 13, 2021, after a renewed investigation by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office, Paul Flores was arrested at his home in San Pedro and charged with first-degree murder. His father Ruben Flores was also arrested and charged with accessory after the fact. The police said that they believed that Kristin’s body was buried under Ruben’s deck at some point, but was later moved.
The Trial and Verdict of Paul Flores
Paul Flores pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and denied any involvement in Kristin’s disappearance. His lawyer argued that there was no physical evidence linking him to the crime and that he was being scapegoated by the police and the media.
Ruben Flores also pleaded not guilty to the accessory charge and claimed that he did not know anything about Kristin’s whereabouts. His lawyer said that there was no proof that Kristin’s body was ever on his property or that he helped his son dispose of it.
The trial began on October 4, 2021, and lasted for three weeks. The prosecution presented testimonies from witnesses who saw Flores acting suspiciously around Kristin at the party and after she vanished. They also showed evidence of blood stains on Flores’ mattress and soil samples from Ruben’s yard that matched Kristin’s DNA.
The defense tried to cast doubt on the credibility of the witnesses and the reliability of the forensic tests. They also suggested that Kristin could have died from an overdose or a fall and that someone else could have taken her body.
On October 22, 2021, the jury reached a verdict after four hours of deliberation. They found Paul Flores guilty of first-degree murder with a special circumstance of kidnapping. They found Ruben Flores not guilty of accessory after the fact.
The Sentencing and Appeal of Paul Flores
Paul Flores faces life in prison without the possibility of parole for his conviction. His sentencing is scheduled for January 10, 2022. He plans to appeal his verdict and maintains his innocence.
Ruben Flores was released from jail after his acquittal. He also plans to sue the sheriff’s office for false arrest and defamation.
Kristin Smart’s family expressed their gratitude and relief after the verdict. They said that they hoped that Paul Flores would reveal where Kristin’s body is so that they can finally lay her to rest. They also said that they would continue to fight for justice and accountability for their daughter.
