Two men have been arrested in connection with the disappearance of Kristin Smart in 1996, authorities said on Tuesday. Paul Flores, 44, was arrested and charged with murder. No bail has been set.
Investigators have not yet discovered Smart’s body, but they remain hopeful, said San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson. “I think we’ll find Kristin,” he said. “We will continue to focus on the search for remains, regardless of any legal action.”
On May 24, 1996, Smart was 19 years old when he disappeared when he returned to a dormitory at California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo. Flores, who had been considered the main suspect, was also a student at the school.
Her father, 80-year-old Ruben Flores, was also arrested Tuesday and booked on suspicion of accessory and faces a $ 250,000 bail, Parkinson said.
Brochure through Carla Hoffman
“Today’s news of arrests related to the case carries sadness, but also a measure of release and hope for resolution,” Cal Poly President Jeff Armstrong said Tuesday. “While we know that the current evolution does not represent the end of the case, it is a significant step.”
Parkinson said Tuesday that the search warrants were sealed and that details of the evidence leading to the two arrests could not be revealed.
Earlier Tuesday, a representative of the Smart family described it as “an extremely emotional day.” After the press conference, a family spokesman issued a statement to CBS News.
“For more than twenty-four years, we have been waiting for this bittersweet day. It is impossible to put into words what this day means to our family; we pray that it will be the first step in bringing our daughter home,” he says. the statement. “While Kristin’s loving spirit will always live in our hearts, our life without hugs, laughter and smiles is a pain that never diminishes.
“The knowledge that a father and son, despite our desperate requests for help, could have kept this horrible secret for almost 25 years, denying us the chance to let our daughter rest, is a relentless and unforgivable pain.” , is said in the statement.
Last year, a student who was with Smart before her disappearance said the couple separated because Smart wanted to stay out and she wanted to go home. “Until today, it was like, why, why did you let her go alone?” Margarita Campos told CBS News “48 hours. “
Parkinson said that throughout the Smart investigation, more than 141 search warrants were issued and more than 200 tests were discovered.
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office
CBS Los Angeles reported that in February 2020 and again in April 2020, detectives stormed Paul Flores ’home in San Pedro, about 25 miles south of Los Angeles. The station also said Flores was arrested in February 2021 on an unrelated gun charge and was released on bail at the time.
In mid-March, authorities notified a search warrant at Paul’s father’s home in San Luis Obispo County, using dead dogs and ground penetration radars, according to CBS LA.
Paul Flores is expected to be tried on Thursday.