JAMES MURPHY: What is your present residence address? From the start, investigators. Ms. Smarts family said they had faith in the justice system, comforted in the knowledge that Kristin has been held in the hearts of so many and that she has not been forgotten.. Investigators in Kristin Smart case serve search warrant at the home of the prime suspect's father Smart was last seen near her California Polytechnic State University (CalPoly) dorm, but she. And the body's not there now. Im not going to exclude a member of the media (for doing their job).. Ann-Marie Christian: Her parents reminded me of my parents. Nineteen-year-old Kristin Smart disappeared Memorial Day weekend of 1996. 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. Cole testified about why investigators believe a crime was committed at Ruben's property on White Court in Arroyo Grande. She was gone. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. Testimony resumes at the Kristin Smart hearing after a week off. 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? 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. Mesick declined to comment Tuesday, citing the gag order. Also on the stand Tuesday were another cadaver dog handler, an expert in fiber evidence and a district attorney's office investigator. Mary Lassiter says the earring she found in the driveway matched the necklace Kristin Smart is seen wearing on this billboard. By the time Cal Poly police began investigating, Kristin had been gone for four days. Onuma was evicted from a Kaneohe, Hawaii residence after his connection to the Kristen Modafferi . It wasn't until Kristin's roommate returned to their dorm room, that Margarita realized Kristin never came home. Related Stories Kristen Modafferi: Onuma and the Briefcase. Ruben Flores was released on $50,000 bail to his ex-wife. Murphy has filed a new civil suit against Ruben Flores for the intentional infliction of emotional distress. every piece of evidence points directly at Paul Flores. Peterson. Jonathan Vigliotti: Was this case, given the evidence that was lost early on, doomed from the very beginning? He was not welcome.. 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.. Why? Clockwise from left, Kristin, Denise, Stan, Matt and Lindsey. Chris Lambert: Everything else, he took the Fifth Amendment. Another frustration for the Smarts: at the time Kristin disappeared, investigators weren't aware that Paul Flores's parents were separated and living apart. In a civil lawsuit, the Smarts' attorney claims that Kristin's remains were buried at one time on Paul Flores' father's property. 3. But the Flores's have fought back, suing the Smarts for intentional infliction of emotional distress. IE 11 is not supported. 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. Like so many freshmen, Kristin struggled. Chris Lambert: I remember seeing it on the news it was something scary and they were talking about it pretty regularly. Lindsey Smart Stewart: I think they're, like, carrying boulders on their back. James Murphy: They're interested in seeing Paul Flores get convicted and Ruben Flores get held accountable. Anyone can read what you share. 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. Smart was talking with and socializing with several different males at the party. The sheriff's office seized the trailer and Det. Kristen has never been found. The day after my sister disappeared, Paul Flores had a black eye and scratches on him. Margarita soon decided she'd had enough. PAUL FLORES: On the advice of my attorney . Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. Her dorm entrance is right over here. I need you to listen to everything they say so we can punch holes in it. The search for Smart did not begin until a week after her disappearance, as campus police refused to take a missing persons report from a dorm mate; the hunt only began in earnest after the student called the police and the Smart family. Peterson may or may not have been at the party Smart disappeared after. And for the first time clues about what may have happened to Kristin Smart. A college student at North Carolina State University, ABC 7 writes that Modafferi had received a scholarship to work and live in a different city for the summer. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. / CBS News, (This story previously aired on May 8, 2021. He says Smart seemed uncomfortable but was too nice to ask the boy to leave. 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." James Murphy: Somebody found an earring that they say was Kristin Smart's jewelry in the driveway. That witness initially came forward to Chris Lambert, who passed the information to the sheriff's office and Murphy. LOS ANGELES A California college student missing for nearly 25 years was once buried in the backyard of the home owned by the murder suspect's father, authorities said in a court document. But Parkinson acknowledges it hasn't been easy. Chris Lambert's podcast caught the attention of millions of listeners and sparked new interest in the decades-old unsolved case of Kristin Smart. She was last seen in the Lands End area of San Francisco, close to where Laci and Connor washed up. Chris Lambert: A young couple moves into it with their kid. James Murphy: That suggests that something bad happened in Paul Flores's dorm room. James Murphy: If it was, in fact, a piece of jewelry that matched Kristin's jewelry, it would have been blockbuster evidence. It had been the focus of widespread speculation for more than two decades especially her planter boxes. Um, wherever we can punch holes. On October 18, 2022, Paul Flores was found guilty of first-degree murder. You just don't talk, and you get away with it. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. And I was, like, "uh OK, fine.". Smart's body was recently moved from the home of Ruben Flores, a prosecutor said. 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. These charges mark a major milestone, Dow says in a statement. 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. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. In high school he was known as a loner. 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. KSBY will have more on what takes place in court on KSBY.com and KSBY News at 5 and 6 p.m. Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. Most students had taken off but Kristin had stayed on campus. And here's your key." Other men cited by the defense either reportedly dated or pursued Smart. 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. Chris Lambert: It's hard to take too much credit But I was one piece of the puzzle that helped to make this all come together when it did. 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. In a statement, the Smart family described a long wait for this bittersweet day.. Jonathan Vigliotti | CBS News correspondent: You wanted to go home, and you were trying to find a way to break it to your friend. But Margarita says, the police did not seem concerned. They didn't bring a forensics team. 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. But 22 years later, when he couldn't find any recent stories about the case, he decided to do something. And six months later, when Flores was deposed by James Murphy for the Smart's civil suit, he kept quiet. I didnt understand why. 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). 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. Chris Lambert: There was a man climbing her trellis and trying to get inside her balcony, very intoxicated and refusing to leave. Cole reportedly testified that Ruben asked why Susan Flores, who is Pauls mother, and her boyfriend were also being swabbed when he was the only one who committed a felony. The authorities removed items from Paul Floress home in Los Angeles in February 2020. September 15, 2017. 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. It encouraged the previously reluctant to come forward. This obviously gave law enforcement new leads to follow and connect with what they already were holding close.. 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. Flores, who had been seen with Smart earlier in the evening he attempted to flirt with her and apparently fell on her at one point, according to witnesses joined the group and allegedly accompanied Smart home. 7,781 days.. That is all it took. Denise Pearce | Longtime family friend: Things were gonna get better and, you know, and and they did. Other witnesses included students who were at the party. Van Rooyen saying that his release could result in great bodily harm to the public. Kristin's mother, Denise Smart, spent Memorial Day weekend at a swim meet with her two younger kids. She was declared legally dead in 2002. D.A. In June 1997, 18-year-old Kristen Modafferi arrived in San Francisco to take a photography class at UC Berkeley. What Chris did was take a local story and turn it into an international story. 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. James Murphy: There's no way to get evidence back once you've lost it. In the meantime, Paul Flores moved to Southern California, where he bounced from job to job. November 01, 2017. 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. Susan's house was finally searched in March 1997 nine months after Kristin disappeared but nothing was found. 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. They took in soil, I assume, for some kind of analysis. On June 23, 1997, Kristen left the coffee shop where she worked, Spinelli's Coffee in San Francisco's Crocker Galleria. Murphy immediately filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Flores in civil court. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The evidentiary hearing is underway and witnesses are testifying in front of Superior Court Judge Craig van Rooyen about Flores interactions with Smart. That young woman was Kristin Smart, and she hasn't been seen since. Paul Flores, right, in court with his attorney Richard Hutton in 1996. He has not been charged in those incidents. 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. The search for Ms. Smart, who was nicknamed Roxy, took many forms. Paul Flores and his father both pleaded not guilty to all charges at their arraignment. Produced by Lisa Freed. Paul Flores may have wanted a fresh start in Southern California, but Chris Lambert says, he could not seem to break old habits. JAMES MURPHY: In May of 96 were you a student at Cal Poly? ", 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.". This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Cole said investigators checked out the skateboard ramp location but did not find a body. The hearing began August 2 and is expected to last into at least next week. D.A. 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 Just five months before Kristin disappeared, San Luis Obispo Police received a call from a student living off campus. Chris Lambert says, two days after that, when Flores was interviewed by campus police, they asked how he got his black eye as well as scratches on his hands and knees. But I've seen it. Cole in 2019. But to fully understand Chris Lambert's contribution, you have to go back to the beginning. Then, in 2011, Ian Parkinson was elected sheriff. In March, the Oakland Police Department released a statement saying that it had worked with the FBI and found no evidence indicating Durst was involved. PODCAST EPISODE 2 | WOMAN #2: You wouldn't want to be alone in a room with him. Kristen Modafferi, Kristin Smart & Kent Jacobs. How are we not all talking about this every day until shes found?, Editors picks But was there evidence possibly placing Kristin Smart at his mother's home? Like the Smart's civil case, theirs also has been on hold. But every Sunday when she called her parents, they encouraged her to stick it out. That mother, Mary Lassiter, described it to Chris Lambert. Smarts family issues a statement following the news about Flores going to trial: Yesterday was a very good day and we want to take this opportunity to thank all of Kristins supporters in San Luis Obispo and beyond. 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. Cole testified that Hudson told him about Paul's statement and that she'd also seen Paul with his white pickup truck at the skateboard ramp in Huasna. Paul Flores isnt granted bail, with Judge Craig B. Authorities also uncovered fibers consistent with the color clothing Smart was last seen wearing. She was never seen again. The mother is washing her car in the driveway at one point. Jonathan Vigliotti: Is there any doubt in your mind that Paul Flores is responsible for the disappearance of Kristin Smart? Flores, 44, was arrested Tuesday at his home, nearly 25 years after Smart left a party near the Cal Poly campus and vanished on the way back to her campus dormitory. Alicia Tejada is the field producer and Addison Briley is the associate producer. After Paul and Rubens arrests, Sheriff Ian Parkinson revealed that Lamberts podcast helped move the investigation forward. The last person to see her alive,. The excavation below his deck showed damning evidence that a body had been buried in that location and then recently moved, prosecutor Christopher Peuvrelle said. And the complaint has some explosive claims about what led investigators to focus under Ruben's deck in the first place. They seized digital devices during the search and, in April 2020, executed another search on Paul Flores property in San Pedro. 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. 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. Whatever happened in those early hours, one thing is indisputable: Kristin Smart has never been seen again. I did have guilt about that. Chris Lambert: Kristin's father would come down and hike every trail he could find on the Central Coast. Det. In 2011, the Smarts hoped those boulders would become a little lighter when Ian Parkinson became the . Her younger sister Lindsey says their mother urged Kristin to go there. Chris Lambert: That's the upsetting part about it, isn't it? That turned out to be college. D.A. Chris Lambert: I personally think that wherever Kristin went, Paul was there with her. But while campus police weren't doing much, Kristin's parents were doing whatever they could to find their daughter. Her books are available on Amazon. 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. Also taking the witness stand on Wednesday was Edward Chadwell. Jonathan Vigliotti: They thought she was off possibly having fun. I told her I didn't I didn't want to go. JAMES MURPHY: What is the name of your father? So now you've got three different stories about how he got that black eye. It is every parent's worst nightmare. Chris Lambert: So, if you believe Paul's story, he goes into his dorm room here. When they were deposed by James Murphy, they also insisted their son was not involved. Missing-person posters and billboards offering rewards appeared along roads and in other public places. In the late 1990s, the. 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. And Murphy and Sinclair believe they can prove it. Lindsey Smart Stewart: Right. He also said that law enforcement leaked information to "Your Own Backyard" podcaster Chris Lambert. Denise Pearce: The phone call never comes. He says they are Ruben's ex-wife Susan and her boyfriend. Paul Flores was identified as a person of interest early in the case. And these girls are inviting us out. Griffin Cherry was her close friend: They believe they can prove Paul Flores is responsible for the disappearance of Kristin Smart. 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.