Kristin Smart murder trial wraps fifth week of evidence, testimony
SALINAS — The fifth week of the Kristin Smart murder trial wrapped on Friday with a short day of witness testimony and evidence that included the experience of defendant Paul Flores' ex-girlfriend.
Paul Flores and his father, Ruben Flores, are on trial in connection to Smart's disappearance over Memorial Day weekend in 1996.
Paul and Smart were classmates at Cal Poly, and her family has long maintained that Flores was involved in her disappearance since they learned he was, likely, the last person to see her alive.
Flores has long maintained his innocence, notably telling investigators that on the night he walked Smart back to her dorm after an off-campus party, they went their separate ways, and that was the last he saw of her, too.
During opening statements in July, San Luis Obispo Deputy District Attorney Chris Peuvrelle told jurors, "the evidence will show that Kristin was murdered by Paul Flores."
Flores' attorney, Robert Sanger, told jurors, "Whatever you think about Paul Flores' behavior in recent years, that does not supply actual facts of what happened back in the time."
Sanger told the court, "there is no evidence of any of those things" in regards to the Flores' involvement in Smart's disappearance. Harold Mesick, Ruben's attorney, echoed this sentiment throughout the last five weeks.
Paul and Ruben's cases are being heard together but tried separately, which means two juries file into a Monterey County courtroom every day to listen to the evidence presented by the prosecution.
The decision to hear this case outside of San Luis Obispo County came a few weeks before the trial started. The move was to ensure the Flores' received a fair trial. A San Luis Obispo County judge ruled that a fair trial may not be possible within county limits due to intense public interest and media coverage in the case.
This week, jurors heard from dog handlers who specialize in human remains detection, the lead investigator on the case, and two women who spoke about Paul's life outside of Cal Poly.
The last witness of the week was Angie Carrizel, who dated Paul Flores for two years in the early 2000s. She retold the court about a visit to Ruben's home while she was in a relationship with Paul that left her feeling like Ruben did not like her.
On a tour of his home, Carrizel said she was directed away from avocado trees in Ruben's backyard.
Carrizel: "He was rude, and it didn't seem like he liked me."
The experience is evidence that supports the prosecution's theory, outlined in opening statements for jurors, that Ruben helped his son hide Smart's body in his backyard at some point after she disappeared.
Carrizel's testimony would support the prosecution's theory that Smart was buried in Ruben's backyard and the Flores family was worried she would be found.
While Carrizel sat on the witness stand, CBS Contributor Elizabeth Wilson noted she did not look at Paul and Ruben Flores, who sit on one side of the courtroom at a shared table alongside their attorneys.
The trial will resume on Monday and is scheduled to go until October.
Elizabeth Wilson is a CBS contributor to this post and is a general assignment reporter for the Mustang Daily News.
