Episode 136: The Disappearance of Kristin Smart

Four students leaving a party. A dark street. A short walk back to campus. But for one college freshman, the person trusted to walk her home seems to be the reason she was never seen again. For decades, the case lingered, the investigation changed hands, and it wasn’t until a renewed media scrutiny that arrests were made. Did authorities have their suspect from day 1? This week’s episode is The Disappearance of Kristin Smart Part 1.

Keep Kristin’s memory alive and donate to the Kristin Smart Scholarship at https://www.kristinsmart.org/ 

Any individuals with any information about Kristin’s case or any other incidents regarding Paul Flores including assaults or other acts, are encouraged by the District Attorney to contact San Luis Obispo County Crime Stoppers at 805-549-7867 or online at www.SLOTIPS.org.

SOURCES

Your Own Backyard Podcast: https://www.yourownbackyardpodcast.com/episodes

A Cold Case, A Haunting Mystery by Peter King for the Los Angeles Times: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-jun-18-me-kristin18-story.html

Where is Kristin Smart’s body? SLO County investigators think they have a good idea, The Tribune: https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/crime/article250670989.html#storylink=mainstage_card

Paul Flores killed Kristin Smart in dorm room during attempted rape, DA says. LAPD investigated local cases, The LA Times: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-04-14/paul-flores-charged-with-kristin-smarts-murder-prosecutors-say-he-may-have-assaulted-women-in-san-pedro

Kristin Smart once buried in suspect's backyard, Yahoo/AP: https://news.yahoo.com/document-kristin-smart-once-buried-224440670.html

Kristin Smart's body was once buried in backyard of home owned by murder suspect's father, ABC 7 News: https://abc7.com/kristin-smart-case-paul-flores-ruben-cal-poly-slo/10532638/

Kristin Smart case: Shy podcaster led cops to arrest in California cold case killing, NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/kristin-smart-case-shy-podcaster-helped-cops-solve-california-cold-n1264278 

Was the Beeping in a Backyard Coming from a Missing Woman's Digital Watch? CBS 48 Hours: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kristin-smart-missing-woman-investigation-digital-watch-48-hours/

Kristin Smart Case: A Timeline of Searches and Arrests, The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/14/us/kristin-smart-case-timeline.html

California Office of the Attorney General Missing Persons Page: https://oag.ca.gov/missing/person/kristin-smart

Is Kristin Smart Buried in This Backyard? Neighbors and a Wonder Dog Say Yes, The Daily Beast: https://www.thedailybeast.com/is-kristin-smart-buried-in-this-backyard-neighbors-and-a-wonder-dog-say-yes

Transcript of the FBI Search Warrant submitted by FBI Agent Jack Schafer to the San Luis Obispo Sheriff's department: http://www.diguptheyard.com/search-warrant.html

Coverage of the initial appeared by Megan Healy, reporter of KSBY News: https://twitter.com/MeganHealyTV/status/1384252465869058049

CalPoly, Fraternity & Sorority Life: https://greeklife.calpoly.edu/unrecognized-organizations

TROUBLING ‘ATTACKS’ Kristin Smart ‘murder’ suspect Paul Flores probed over ‘3 sex assaults’ as cops urge possible victims to come forward: https://www.the-sun.com/news/us-news/2703313/kristin-smart-paul-flores-history-sexual-assault-rape-claims/

Kristin Smart: 25 Years Later | Dateline NBC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm-PrmJpA5k

 Investigators wrap up search of Flores home after serving warrants in Kristin Smart case, KSBY News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLoeMgi7O_E

 Kristin Smart Cold Case Was Cracked by Podcaster, Police Say, Inside Edition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3-r0yDcCzc

 2 men arrested in 1996 disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart, CBS News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udMNR33zOh4

 What we know so far in the Kristin Smart case, ABC 10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbmU5HVgz3I

 SLO Co. Sheriff confirms key pieces of evidence in Kristin Smart case, KSBY News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiTj7mzCdMc

 San Luis Obispo County District Attorney provides more details on the Kristin Smart case, ABC 10: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7Vkp1B4LRE&t=1064s

 Kristin Smart's body was once buried in backyard of home owned by murder suspect's father, ABC7: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHB1mKE6i_E

 Susan Flores, mother of 'prime suspect' in Kristin Smart case, speaks out in first media interview, KSBY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1H3LVdlt0k

Full interview with Susan Flores: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC4R46787_s

Paul Flores deposition 1997, KSBY News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzDE65VaGEM

 Defendants in Kristin Smart case plead not guilty, News Channel 3-12: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kXuWIBw5KU

Kristin Smart was killed during attempted rape, prosecutor's say, The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/14/us/flores-kristin-smart.html

Two men are arrested in 1996 disappearance of Kristin Smart, The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/13/us/kristin-smart-disappearance-paul-flores.html

Could answers be coming in Kristin Smart's disappearance, Recordnet.com: https://www.recordnet.com/news/20200118/could-answers-be-coming-in-kristin-smarts-disappearance

'Items of interest' recovered in case of Kristin Smart, missing since 1996, The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/paul-flores-kristin-smart-update.html

Dig Up The Yard: http://www.diguptheyard.com/

20 years after Kristin Smart vanished, authorities unearth 'items of interest' in campus dig, The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2016/09/07/kristin-smart-vanished-in-1996-authorities-say-she-may-be-buried-on-her-college-campus/

Ruben Flores released from jail after posting bail, KSBY News: https://www.ksby.com/news/local-news/ruben-flores-released-from-jail-after-posting-bail

Kristin Smart case analysis, Dr. Todd Grande: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ybmr_R_yXoc 

Your Own Backyard - Newspaper Clippings During Search: https://www.facebook.com/yourownbackyardpodcast/posts/the-arroyo-grande-home-of-ruben-flores-is-being-searched-today-for-the-remains-o/843230066533646/

CHILLING CLUES Paul Flores ‘confessed’ to Kristin Smart murder & ‘behaved strangely’ in interrogation – but charge still took 25 years, The Sun: https://www.the-sun.com/news/2706062/paul-flores-confessed-kristin-smart-murder/

Radar Man, University of Denver Magazine: https://magazine-archive.du.edu/current-issue/radar-man/

Dennis Mahon’s Absolute Loyalty to the Smart Family is Remarkable by Any Standard of Measurement, California Register: https://californiaregister.com/kristin-smart/dennis-mahons-absolute-loyalty-to-the-smart-family-is-remarkable-on-many-levels/

Smart’s Attorney James Murphy Files Lawsuit Against Ruben Flores, The Atascadero News: https://atascaderonews.com/news/record/crime/smarts-attorney-james-murphy-files-lawsuit-against-ruben-flores/