kristen modafferi kristin smart

But Lindsey says her sister was happiest when she was traveling. The Strange Disappearance of Kristen Modafferi - Medium And then months and months later, they'd reach back out and say, can you get us in touch with this person again? I need you to listen to everything they say so we can punch holes in it. A Timeline of the Kristin Smart Case - The New York Times Kristin Smart case: Suspects Paul and Ruben Flores arrested in the suddenly major pieces of evidence came forward. Because of the statute of limitations, Dow says, Paul Flores can't be charged with rape. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time He says Smart seemed uncomfortable but was too nice to ask the boy to leave. But cadaver dogs told a different story. Chris Lambert: A young couple moves into it with their kid. But the investigation is ongoing. Margarita Campos: She was absolutely sober when I left her. The county sheriffs office searched his room once more during the weekend of June 29th, when a team of cadaver dogs signaled the smell of human decay. Disappearance of Kristen Modafferi - Wikipedia Ann-Marie Christian: She was who she was because of her parents, for sure. 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. Murphy alleges four nights later, strange activity was seen at Ruben's house. Cole said a search of it revealed "suspicious activity.". 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. Missing-person posters and billboards offering rewards appeared along roads and in other public places. On July 21, Kristin Smarts parents and her brother, Matt, testified about how they had searched for her after her disappearance. Cole said investigators checked out the skateboard ramp location but did not find a body. Lindsey Smart Stewart: She had traveled the world before she even made it to college. And my roommate actually kicked down the door to make him stop. Denise Smart, Kristins mother, has also praised the show. In October 2022,. Police investigated whether Durst, 71, who lived in San Francisco at the time Modafferi went missing, was connected to her disappearance. In June 1997, 18-year-old Kristen Modafferi arrived in San Francisco to take a photography class at UC Berkeley. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. They also uncovered videos in a folder labeled practice that featured women wearing ball gags and in other fetish positions. But Mary Lassiter says the earring matched the necklace Kristin is seen wearing on the billboard. And Murphy and Sinclair believe they can prove it. Paul Flores did not have a car on campus, so Murphy surmises he had to have had help. Kristin Smart 19, a freshman at California Polytechnic State University had gone to a party on Friday, May 24 , 1996 -- and has not been seen since. 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 days after taking over the investigation, the San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Office brought several dogs trained to detect human remains, to the Cal Poly dorms. 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. Cole said that Ruben then clarified that he meant he was the only one of the three to have been arrested. Plans & Pricing ; Podcast Statistics; PowerPress Plugin . For the next 25 years, I did whatever I could and looked for answers wherever I could, Denise Smart told the court, according to CBS 13, a local television station. The defense questions Hudson about her drug use, but she says she was not doing drugs at the time. Ruben will be released on bail that he can afford. Smart's body was recently moved from the home of Ruben Flores, a prosecutor said. Jonathan Vigliotti: Was this case, given the evidence that was lost early on, doomed from the very beginning? October 22, 2022 / 10:10 PM 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." Chris Lambert: They're hopeful, but they've also been let down so many times before. Denise Pearce: To be almost there. And six months later, when Flores was deposed by James Murphy for the Smart's civil suit, he kept quiet. Sources tell us investigators discovered videos and photographs on Flores' computer showing him engaged in sexual activity with at least 10 different women, apparently in various states of consciousness. Her younger sister Lindsey says their mother urged Kristin to go there. They were soon joined by another partygoer, Paul Flores. James Murphy: So why would Susan Flores, her boyfriend, and Ruben Flores be up all night long working under that deck. Like so many freshmen, Kristin struggled. 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. In February 2020, the authorities executed search warrants at four locations in California and Washington State and recovered what the San Luis Obispo County Sheriffs Office described as items of interest. One location was the Los Angeles home of Paul Flores, KCAL-TV reported. She disappeared in 1996 after attending an off-campus party and while she was declared legally dead in 2002, her body has never been found. JAMES MURPHY: In May of 96 were you a student at Cal Poly? DAN DOW [press conference]: The allegation against Ruben is that he helped to conceal Kristen's body after the murder was committed. 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. Det. Cole in 2019. Denise Pearce says that was a crushing blow for the Smart family. The 18- year old coed from North Carolina was taking a summer photography class at the University of Califorina Berkeley when she vanished June 23rd, 1997. 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. PAUL FLORES: On the advice of my attorney, I refuse to answer that question based on the fifth amendment of the United States Constitution. 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. Paul Flores killed Kristin Smart in dorm room during attempted rape, DA There's no question about it. The 19-year-old, who is also from Charlotte and a . It had been the focus of widespread speculation for more than two decades especially her planter boxes. The unsealed documents include two claims from 2011 and 2017 that Flores raped two women while they were drunk in San Pedro. And these girls are inviting us out. Chris Lambert's podcast caught the attention of millions of listeners and sparked new interest in the decades-old unsolved case of Kristin Smart. Remember, Flores's room had been emptied and thoroughly cleaned. Lindsey Smart Stewart: "You should go to Cal Poly. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The mother is washing her car in the driveway at one point. Today, we make the first move toward bringing justice to Kristin, her family, and the people of San Luis Obispo County.. But on April 13, 2021, after an investigation that spanned nearly a quarter of a century, the authorities announced that two California men Paul Flores, now 45, and his father, Ruben Flores, 81 had been arrested in connection with her disappearance. Kristen Deborah Modafferi (born June 1, 1979; disappeared June 23, 1997) is an American woman who, in the early summer of 1997, disappeared in mysterious circumstances after leaving her work at the Crocker Galleria Mall in San Francisco, California. Paul Flores, a fellow freshman at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, was the last person seen with Smart on May 25, 1996. Since Parkinson came on the scene, investigators have dug up hillsides; searched the homes and properties of all the Flores'; collected evidence; seized Paul Flores' computers; monitored his cell phone and text messages, and found new witnesses -- some with the help of Chris Lambert. The defense also tells Lambert he will not be allowed back in the courtroom where he has been covering the hearing as he is now a potential witness. Most students had taken off but Kristin had stayed on campus. I also brought them witnesses that they had no interest in whatsoever. Kristen Modafferi: Onuma and the Briefcase. 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. The two men made their first courtroom appearance on July 14 in San Luis Obispo Superior Court, where Judge Craig B. van Rooyen denied the district attorneys motion to add two rape charges against Paul Flores, The Tribune of San Luis Obispo reported. After over 25 years, there is no evidence that Paul Flores committed the crimes for which there is no evidence.. Kristin Smart went missing on May 25, 1996 while attending California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and has not been heard from since. The search for Kristin Smart never ends for her family PODCAST | EPISODE 1: At least once a day I asked myself what are you doing? Cole testified about why investigators believe a crime was committed at Ruben's property on White Court in Arroyo Grande. Um, wherever we can punch holes. He also said that law enforcement leaked information to "Your Own Backyard" podcaster Chris Lambert. Prior to the arrests, in February 2020, Flores home, his parents home, and his sisters home were searched by police. She adds that Flores said he put Smart under a skateboard ramp in Arroyo Grande. Kristen was in her first year at Cal Poly when she vanished in 1996. 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.. Paul Flores and his father both pleaded not guilty to all charges at their arraignment. The defense wants to suppress some of these searches, though, claiming that they were done illegally or without warrants. Smart appeared to be under the influence of alcohol on Friday night. 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. Jonathan Vigliotti: And that phone call never comes. Early on, a small group of volunteers also looked for Kristin. Plans & Pricing . Three more witnesses are expected to take the stand on Thursday, including two cadaver dog handlers.___. On June 23, 1997, Kristen left the coffee shop where she worked, Spinelli's Coffee in San Francisco's Crocker Galleria. The body of Kristin Smart, which has never been found, was recently moved from the home of Ruben Flores, a prosecutor said, according to a document filed Monday and posted on social media by a reporter for The Tribune of San Luis Obispo. to California to search for Kristen Modafferi. You, youre the one that can tell me, a reference to Lamberts Your Own Backyard, the podcast about Smart and Flores that has brought new attention to the case. A separate jury for Ruben Flores started deliberating on Oct. 5. Friday, May 24, 1996, was the start of the Memorial Day weekend. According to a county probation bail report obtained by the San Luis Obispo Tribune, "biological evidence" was found under Ruben's deck. Cole went to his White Court home to collect it on May 19, 2021. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. A single woman's earring. I'm going to go back to the dorms. So before leaving, Margarita handed over her keys to get back into Muir Hall. Anyone can read what you share. Lindsey Smart Stewart: I think they're, like, carrying boulders on their back. 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. And yes, we believe it's linked to Kristin. 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. Those were kind of unspoken things. PODCAST EPISODE 3 | MARY LASSITER: It was like a red thing and it was like a smudge-like fingerprinted look on the back, just red, like maroon, like old looking and the smudge that it was like half a fingerprint. Margarita soon decided she'd had enough. but I knew that I could try to do a small part. As they soon learned, she had ended up at a party at an off-campus house. And they told Lambert they weren't surprised when they heard about Flores's connection to Kristin's disappearance. Chris Lambert: It's mostly frat guys from the Kappa Chi fraternity. The hearing began August 2 and is expected to last into at least next week. And it was only 250 miles from Stockton, California, where she grew up with Lindsey and their brother Matt. JAMES MURPHY: What is your present residence address? As of 2021, Kristen Modafferi's case remains unsolved. So, when they were invited to a party that Friday night, Kristin was excited to go. I knocked on her door, and I thought she was just sleeping, or she went out and about, you know? Maybe we cant. "Up and Vanished" led a man to confess to killing a . No remains have been found. Just weeks later, Kristin's frustrated parents contacted James Murphy, a local civil attorney. Four months later, while attempting to reconcile, Susan rented out her house in Arroyo Grande. Paul Flores is charged with first-degree murder and is accused of killing Smart while attempting to rape her. That's been our goal. Books from this author. She left them only after he promised to take Kristin back to her dorm. Helicopters were used to canvas the area. Chris Lambert spoke with some women who knew Flores back then. DAN DOW [press conference]: It is alleged that Mr. Flores caused the death of Kristen Smart while in the commission of or attempted rape. In 1997 when Paul Flores was deposed for the civil suit, the only thing he would confirm on tape was his name. Ann-Marie Christian: Her parents reminded me of my parents. [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. Chris Lambert was just 8 years old when Kristin Smart vanished on her way home from a college party in San Luis Obispo, California. A trailer was reportedly parked at Ruben's residence at odd hours and Paul's mother, Susan Flores, and her boyfriend were there. KSBY will have more on what takes place in court on KSBY.com and KSBY News at 5 and 6 p.m. Margarita Campos: But when we got to the house it was pretty dead too, it was really -- it was like a couple of roommates hanging out playing video games And Kristin was, like oh gosh, there has to be something better than this. Peuvrelle, who said Ruben Flores has helped cover up the crime for nearly a quarter-century, would continue to do so if freed. But further investigation of the Flores's two trucks seemed impossible. They havent revealed what was found but returned to the yard for additional digging after the arrests. The prosecution upholds the validity of these searches, including one of Flores dorm room that was done after he moved out. Dennis Mahon's Podcast Ruben Flores, was arrested at his home on the same day and was charged with being an accessory after the fact. School was over, so campus police found an empty room that had been sanitized by the university's cleaning crew. Just days after she disappeared, an incident report seemed to imply that Kristin's behavior contributed to her disappearance. The judge rules that the DA cannot be disqualified for wearing purple clothing. The Kristin Smart Scholarship has been established by her family to help other college bound women pursue their dreams. Cole also testified that the Flores family was wiretapped for 30 days starting on January 5, 2020. He has not been charged in those incidents. For more than two decades, her family, friends, and supporters searched for answers and for justice. He'd go anywhere. 1 of 47. November 01, 2017. The sheriff's office still wasn't convinced they had enough evidence against Flores. The police searched her dorm room in Muir Hall, finding her wallet and reminders to turn in assignments. Witnesses said Smart was intoxicated, and Flores had said he would walk her home after an off-campus party. UPDATE - San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Detective Clint Cole returned to the witness stand Wednesday in the preliminary hearing for Paul and Ruben Flores, testifying that searches of Ruben's home turned up evidence leading them to believe human remains had been buried there. The search for Ms. Smart, who was nicknamed Roxy, took many forms. Defense attorney Robert Sanger, in turn, tries to poke holes in Flemmings recollections. Two days after her daughter went missing, Denise Smart got a call from Cal Poly's campus police. Kristin Smarts family in 1999, three years after she was last seen walking home from a party in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Earthmovers were used in searches on and near the California Polytechnic State University campus in 2016. Van Rooyen rules that Flores will be tried for murder in the 1996 disappearance of Smart. Paul Flores talks to his attorneys Sara Sanger and Robert Sanger on Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021 in San Luis Obispo, Calif. had been arrested in connection with her disappearance, Paul Flores was found guilty of murdering Ms. Smart, while in the commission of, or attempted, rape.