So, are we saying the investigators and DAs office put forth false allegations to secure an arrest warrant and the put forth lies at trial. Ruben Flores is 37 years old and was born on 05/22/1984. Ruben Flores, 81, was acquitted of being an accessory to the first-degree 1996 murder his 45-year-old son, Paul Flores, was convicted of on Tuesday. 2020: Neighbors report seeing Paul Flores bring a tractor to his backyard, April 13, 2021: Paul Flores is arrested on suspicion of murder and Ruben Flores is arrested on suspicion of being an accessory to murder, July 18, 2022: Trials for Paul and Ruben Flores begin in Monterey, California, after being moved out of San Luis Obispo, October 17: Jury reaches verdict in case of Ruben Flores, October 18:Jury reaches verdict in case of Paul Flores. 'There is just so much animosity towards this man and his family. 2. The documents also detail arguments by prosecutor Christopher Peuvrellethat evidence from an excavation of Ruben Flores's propertywhere the prosecution allegesSmart's body was once buried must be allowed at trial, over the defendants' objections. Don Kelsen/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images. The West side of the home is also where Paul Dosties cadaver dog Buster alerted to human remainstwice. Jennifer Smith, Chief Reporter The Flores' defense teams have argued throughout the trial that they are the scapegoats of a police department and prosecution that are more eager to satisfy the public appetite for a conviction than they are to find the true killer. But Paul Flores, then 19, volunteered to help after appearing 'out of nowhere,' Anderson recalled. A missing-person report was filed with campus police onMay 28. Neighbors testified at the trial that Ruben Flores did yard work that year, after the podcast cast suspicion on his family. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. On Thursday, James Murphy, the Smart family's attorney, filed an intentional infliction of emotional distress lawsuit against Ruben Flores less than 24 hours after he was released on bail. With no new evidence in the case, Kristin was declared legally dead six years after she first went missing. Despite over two decades without an answer, her heartbroken mother and father never gave up hope. Prosecutors suggested that this was how he seized on Kristin, a popular blonde who he'd admired but could never win over. It was so strong, said Dostie. After all, as carefully profiled in NBC's 'Dateline . It was now about 11:00 p.m. This search was done after FBI agent Jack Schafer gave the SLO police department a warrant to dig up Susan Floress backyard. He was updating his followers on the closing statements via his Twitter account. Flores had been behind bars at the San Luis Obispo County Jail since the morning of April 13 when he and . Behrems and his dog Sierra also had the same findings. Peuvrelle asked the jury to find Paul Flores guilty of first-degree murder and summarized the evidence that had been presented during the trial that started on July 18. longtime person of interest in Smart's disappearance case, was named the prime suspect in the case. It's believed that the new-found impetus was driven by the fresh interviews police conducted, which first came to light via the Your Own Backyard podcast. 'It is a great personal sacrifice to serve as a juror. Ruben Flores Deposition Early this week the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department barricaded the road leading to the residence of Ruben Flores, the father of Paul Flores, the suspected killer of Kristin Smart. Susan Flores' house, when it was rented by Mary and Joe Lassiter, December 1996 (Photo by Joe Lassiter) . For 25 years, you have lived free in the community while Kristins family has lived a nightmare, she said. Buster alerted right on top of grave sights where two Marines were recovered the year before. Following the procedure, Dostie took a soil sample from the spot to send to Dr. Vass for further testing. Paul Flores was the last person to have seen Kristin Smart on May 25, 1996. 18:05 BST 19 Oct 2022, The father of Kristin Smart's convicted killer said there was 'no evidence' tying his son to her murder, suggesting the court 'works on feelings instead of facts.'. Since the trial started, Lambert said that the defense team have unsuccessfully requested to go through his emails, text messages, and gain access to his podcast notes. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, On Thursday, Ruben Flores was hit with his own lawsuit. Not the Flores boys. Paul Flores was found guilty of first degree murder on October 18. Image Credit: ABC10. Paul Dostie retired in 2009 from Mammoth Lakes Police Department, where he worked as a detective sergeant on the narcotics task force. Ruben Flores is the father of Paul Flores, who "remains the prime suspect" in Smart's disappearance in 1996, the Sheriff's Office said in a news release. Ms. Smarts family declared her legally dead in 2002, but the search, and the investigation, continued. He famously testified in the Casey Anthony case in Florida. Flores was then the only person left helping Smart stagger back from the party at around 2am. DA may possibly offer either defendant a plea bargain before or during trial ,meanwhile hoping one of them will crack under pressure of a trial .In my opinion if none of the above occurs, and there is a conviction at trial it would be a conviction based on emotions with what evidence that has been made public so far .A trial could be an alternate plan of DAs office /county to avoid being sued for malicious prosecution against the suspects if proceedings were halted at this point based on the fact suspects attorney stated in court that he is billing his clients over $500k. 'Paul Flores is guilty as sin. Four days after her disappearance, police filed a missing persons report. Resides in Southgate, MI. Please enable javascript before you are allowed to see this page. The man from Orcutt, California, started the podcast in 2019, and has since been credited with renewing worldwide interest in the unsolved case. Paul and Ruben Flores are being tried separately, but at the same time, with two different juries. Paul Flores deposition 1997 In June 2000, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office searched the Arroyo Grande backyard of Susan Flores, Paul's mother. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Once again, Buster gave a strong alert to a spot along the fence bordering Susans backyard. Ruben and Paul Flores, the father and son arrested in connection with the disappearance of Kristin Smart, are facing lawsuits on top of their felony charges. Everything he found led him to Paul Flores being the prime suspect and Kristins remains at Susan Floress home. Reuben Flores Deposition Part 1 Murphy Law Corporation 31 subscribers Subscribe 46 Share 5.8K views 2 years ago Deposition of Reuben Flores, father of prime suspect Paul Flores of the. However, cadaver dogs were used in the early days of the case in Paul Floress dorm room. Ruben Flores was released from jail after posting bail at about 11 p.m. Wednesday night. Three cadaver dogs lead investigators to the dorm of 19-year-old Paul Flores during a search. Curious to know more about this case? For example, a hole that was dug and then covered up again. Recalling moments from 1996, Smart's heartbroken mother Denise said she contacted police shortly after Kristin failed to call home on Sunday, May 26. By 2007 Dostie began training his new black labrador, Buster, in detecting human remains. I understand that people are upset that Kristin is missing, I understand they want a person to be responsible for that,' Mesick said. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The question that still remains iswhere are Kristin Smarts remains? During his deposition in November 1997, Paul had invoked the 5th Amendment in response to any questions regarding the case. 'We like to watch shows, and you think, "I bet I know what happened." Be part of the news. Smart's former roommate Crystal Teschendorf claimed police didn't take her seriously when she reported the 19-year-old missing twice before police finally filed a report. The California Polytechnic State University freshman was last seen around 2 a.m. on May 25 when she walked back to her to her dorm room after an off-campus party in San Luis Obispo. Cadaver dogs were sent into Paul Floress dorm room. In the criminal case, [Simpson] was found to be not guilty and yet the civil case was able to proceed," he said. Dostie commanded Buster to go find, and the canine did as trained. He will be sentenced on December 9, at 9am. During his deposition in November 1997, Paul had invoked the 5th Amendment in response to any questions regarding the case. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The trials began in July this year in Monterey, California. As of this date, I have not yet learned the results of the search at Ruben Flores home. It was fascinating to be able to combine all the different levels of technology, including the dog alerts. The paper that attorney Melvin Delamotte repeatedly pointed to during the deposition of his client, Paul Flores, on November 14, 1997. There will be a lot of people who will be unhappy if Paul Flores is not hung from the highest gallows.. The podcast first launched in 2019. Justice delayed does not have to be justice denied. Then in March, detectives served a search warrant for his father's home. After nearly three months of testimony, delays, closing statements begin in Monterey County Superior Court in Salinas, California. And honestly once it's done, I think we're all just going to be relieved that it's over, regardless of the outcome. The next morning when Holman left for work, the SUV and the trailer were still at Ruben Flores home, Holman testified. Closing statements conclude and jurors are dismissed for deliberations. 2, 2014, Paul Dosties cadaver dog Buster made his first hit for human decomposition around the perimeter of 529 East Branch Street in Arroyo Grandethe home of Susan, Paul Floress mother. There is always more than one side to a story, especially when it comes to an unsolved case. Additionally, he alerted within three feet of 44 burials. Here is his Dad,. After, there were new latticework and planter boxes that had been cut out of existing cement. His father is charged as an . In an interview withPaso Robles Press, Mark Noah, the founder of History Flight and director of the Tarawa project, said he put Buster and Dostie through some accuracy tests in Tarawa before doing an official search. But, unfortunately, Buster did not go with him so as not to wake the neighbors if he were to bark. They said that they later dug up her remains and moved them when law enforcements returned to search the house in 2020. Judge Jennifer O'Keefe thanked the jury for their service, after reading out the verdict. and last updated 9:36 PM, Apr 22, 2021. Paul was then named a person of interest in Kristins disappearance. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Sanger also told the jurors that they needed to question whether the expert witnesses who testified for the prosecution are actually experts. Paul then stopped answering questions, invoking his Fifth Amendment right. 'And I wish the community who still feels that way would disabuse themselves of those feelings.' He was also unable to search a garage building that was built on the East side of the home in 1997 because of wire mesh in the floor. With this new information, police gained permission to intercept Pauls electronic communications. Smart was declared dead in 2002. Court is set to resume Wednesday, when the judge will determine if Paul Flores should be put on trial for murder and if his father should go on trial for helping his son dispose of Smarts body. He says, I put my heart and soul into that case, and I thought we were going to get the body. Authorities also said that they linked two other attacks on women in Los Angeles to Paul Flores. Over the years, the separate homes of Pauls parents, Susan and Ruben Flores, were searched in addition to Pauls home later on. In 1997, civil attorney James Murphy, Kristin Smart's family attorney, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Paul Flores. Prosecutors in July 2021 added that Paul Flores 'has a specific fetish for forcing himself upon women especially when they are drugged or inebriated, which is exactly the state of Kristin Smart in the early morning of March 25, 1996. Paul Flores was then named by police as the "prime suspect" in March of this year, and cadaver dogs were seen scouring Ruben Flores' property the following day. The Smart family filed a $40 million wrongful death lawsuit against Paul Flores in 1997, but he was not immediately charged criminally in the case. Paul Flores is also facing a charge of felony in possession of a firearm in Los Angeles County. The publicity of the case is 'the elephant in the room,' Sanger said, adding that there were people 'inserting themselves' into the case along with extensive news coverage locally and nationally. In 1996, Cal-Poly student Kristin Smart vanished while walking home from an off-campus party. Paul Flores was identified as a person of interest early in the case. 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