After being arrested and charged for their involvement in Kristin Smart’s disappearance and death, Paul and Ruben Flores appeared in court for their arraignment today, April 15. District Attorney Dan Dow charged Paul with first-degree murder and Ruben with accessory…
Prime suspect in Kristin Smart case charged with first-degree murder
Paul Flores, the prime suspect in the disappearance and death of Kristin Smart, has been charged with first-degree murder. At an April 14 press conference, San Luis Obispo District Attorney (DA) Dan Dow said they would be charging Paul with…
Paul Flores arrested for murder of Kristin Smart nearly 25 years after her disappearance
Update April 14: Paul Flores and Ruben Flores have not formally been charged for murder and accessory after the fact, respectively. They were arrested on suspicion of these charges and booked into jail, and will later be formally charged by the District…
Two suspects arrested in Kristin Smart case
Editor’s note: This article was updated at 12:58 p.m. to include that Paul Flores was arrested on suspicion of murder. Paul Flores, the prime suspect in the 1996 disappearance of Kristin Smart, was arrested and charged with murder this morning…
Kristin Smart case: Sheriff’s office investigates family home of Paul Flores
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office served another search warrant in the Kristin Smart case Monday morning, March 15. The warrant is for the home of Paul Flores’s father, Ruben Flores, in Arroyo Grande, California. Investigators declared Paul as…
Sexual assault crimes soared in 2019. Some say Cal Poly Police aren’t equipped to respond.
Content warning: This article discusses multiple forms of trauma, including gender and power-based violence. Survivors of such violence can access virtual confidential services through Cal Poly Safer’s website. The name of the sexual assault survivor in this story has been…
City Council to review Black Lives Matter protest that ended in teargas
After examining the San Luis Obispo Police Department’s (SLOPD) decision to use tear gas at a June 1 Black Lives Matter protest, the City Council will review ten areas in which SLOPD can improve its police response.
Sole suspect in Kristin Smart disappearance arrested for weapons charge
Paul Flores, the sole person of interest in the 25-year disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart, was arrested in his Rancho Palos Verdes home Wednesday on a suspected weapons charge, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Flores was…
Hemp Shak finds community support after burglary
The San Luis Obispo community has rallied around the Hemp Shak after a break-in two weeks ago, including support from surrounding businesses in posting rewards flyers and donating percentages of their proceeds to assist in getting the Hemp Shak back…
Chris Lambert releases new episode of Kristen Smart podcast “Your Own Backyard”
Chris Lambert released episode eight of his podcast “Your Own Backyard” which details the disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristen Smart in May of 1996.
SLO Police Department lays out plan for police chief recruitment
With Sept. 30 marking Police Chief Deanna Cantrell’s last day in the San Luis Obispo Police Department, the city has begun the national recruitment process for a new chief. This recruitment is “critically important” for SLO, said City Manager Derek…