'Dateline: Justice For Kristin Smart,' a San Luis Obispo student, disappeared while returning to her dorm room on May 26, 1996. Moreover, authorities focused their investigation on Paul Flores, the last person to see Kristin alive, almost 27 years later.
Paul Flores, who is he?
Paul Flores was a freshman at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, during the time of Kristin Smart's disappearance. Although some acquaintances admitted that he was a loner and usually kept to himself, there was nothing unusual about him that might have shown him to be violent. Hence, most considered him to be a typical first-year student, and the spotlight only heightened when Kristin went missing.
Kristin went to an off-campus frat party on May 25, 1998. Unfortunately, the friend Kristin was with decided to return to her dorm early, leaving the 19-year-old to walk back alone. The group of friends soon decided to accompany Kristin back to her dorm, and Paul promised to take the 19-year-old back to safety.
Kristen, a 19-year-old student, was reported missing days after she went missing. According to reports, the university believed she was on an unplanned vacation, as a result of which she was reported missing days after the incident.
Law enforcement officials considered Paul to be the last person to see Kristin alive. However, they also looked into convicted murderer Scott Peterson during the time he disappeared. During one of these searches, the police discovered an earring similar to one worn by Kristin.
Paul Flores: Where is he now?
Kristin Smart was declared legally dead on May 25, 2002, and her parents sued Paul for wrongful death in 2005, claiming that the case had gone undetected for over two decades, and authorities searched Paul's home in San Pedro, California, in April 2020, discovering a large amount of the date rape drug. Videos depicting the suspect apparently raping other young women
Paul Flores was arrested in February 2021 on the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm, which gave authorities ample opportunity to examine his father, Ruben Flores' house. That was when the police discovered that the soil underneath Ruben's deck had been disturbed recently, and a thorough forensic examination proved that Kristin's body had been buried there for quite some time.
Paul was convicted of murder and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison on March 10, 2023. He is currently serving 25 years to life in prison in Delano, California.
