Share this @internewscast.com

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The “prime suspect” was arrested Tuesday in the 25-year-old disappearance of a California college student and the San Luis Obispo sheriff planned to announce “major developments” in the case.

Paul Flores, 44, who was the last person seen with Kristin Smart before she vanished in 1996, was taken into custody in the Los Angeles area. His father, Ruben Flores, 80, was arrested as an accessory at his Arroyo Grande home, where sheriff’s investigators conducted another search.

Defense attorney Robert Sanger confirmed Paul Flores was arrested in the Smart case, though no details were immediately available on the charges he faces. Sanger declined further comment.

A missing poster for freshman college student Kristin Smart is seen. Smart was declared legally dead in 2002, despite the fac



A missing poster for freshman college student Kristin Smart is seen. Smart was declared legally dead in 2002, despite the fact that her body has never been recovered. 

Ruben Flores was booked on suspicion of accessory after a felony, according to San Luis Obispo County jail records.

Smart, 19, of Stockton, vanished in May 1996 while returning to a dorm at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo after a party. She was seen with Flores, who was a student at the time.

Sheriff Ian Parkinson scheduled a news conference at 2 p.m. at the Cal Poly campus to discuss “major developments in the investigation” into Smart’s disappearance.

A spokesman for the Smart family said “this is an extremely emotional day” and they would issue a statement later in the afternoon.

The news comes about a month after the sheriff named Flores as the “prime suspect” in the case and investigators searched his father’s home and property using ground-penetrating radar and cadaver dogs.

Investigators served another search warrant Tuesday at the home of Ruben Flores about 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of the university on California’s Central Coast, KSBY-TV reported. They appeared to be disassembling a deck outside the home and the sound of power saws and drills could be heard whining in the background.

Search warrants were served last year on Paul Flores’ home in the San Pedro area of Los Angeles and at other locations in California and Washington state. Investigators conducted digs on the campus in 2016.

Paul Flores has remained mum through the years, invoking his Fifth Amendment right to not answer questions before a grand jury and in a deposition for a lawsuit that was brought against him.

He was arrested in February on a weapons charge and released on bond.

Source: huffpost

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Police Report: Man Allegedly Texted Father About Intentions to Harm Roommates and Set House Ablaze

Background: The home in Tacoma, Washington, where the fire broke out (KING/YouTube).…

Tragic Incident: Man Accused of Ending Grandmother’s Life to Ease Her Worries

Inset: Brian J. Davenport appears in court on Jan. 20 (KTUU). Background:…

DOJ Asserts Releasing Jack Smith’s Full Report Could Unfairly Prejudice Trump, Urges Mar-a-Lago Judge for Discretion

Left: Then-special counsel Jack Smith speaks to the media about an indictment…

Man Sentenced for Setting Roommates on Fire with Gasoline and Lighter

Inset: Marcos Uriel Lara Perez (Byram Police Department). The Mississippi home Perez…

Tragic Custody Battle Turns Deadly: Woman Allegedly Orchestrates Double Murder in Front of Children

Inset: Ruben Chavez and Evelyn Virgen (GoFundMe). Background: The area in San…

DOJ Stumbles Over Key Prosecutor’s Name Amid Legal Battle with Letitia James Subpoena

Left: Attorney General Pam Bondi appears before a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight…

Father Overwhelmed by Financial Struggles Tragically Ends Infant’s Life

Inset: Alfred Williams (Tarrant County Corrections Center). Background: The apartment complex where…

Intoxicated Driver Fatally Collides with Mother of Five, Speeding Nearly 100 mph in a 25 mph Zone Without Braking, Authorities Report

Left inset: William Lee (Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office). Right inset: Elaine Corbitt…

Gainesville Shocker: Woman Arrested After Tense Gun Incident with Neighbor

By Staff Writer GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In a tense neighborhood dispute, Celestia…

Tragic Confrontation: Estranged Husband Fatally Shoots Wife’s Companion During Escape Attempt, Authorities Report

Share A chilling incident unfolded in South Carolina, landing a man in…

Voter Fraud and Identity Theft Scandal: Smart & Safe Florida Petition Circulator Arrested in Alachua County

In a significant development from Tallahassee, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has…

Tepe Murders: Surgeon Accused of Killing Pleads Not Guilty, Maintains Composure During Arraignment

In a high-profile legal drama unfolding in Franklin County, Ohio, 39-year-old Illinois…