Nearly 25 years after Cal Poly student Kristin Smart disappeared from the college campus, prime suspect Paul Flores was arrested on suspicion of murder Tuesday, and his father was arrested on suspicion of being an accessory to murder, according to sheriff's officials.Â
Paul Flores, 43, was arrested in San Pedro and booked into San Luis Obispo County Jail, with no bail listed. He was the last person seen with Smart as he walked with her on the Cal Poly campus in the early morning of May 25, 1996. Her body has never been found, including during a search Tuesday. She was declared legally dead in 2002.
Ruben Flores, 80, also was booked into County Jail on Tuesday, with his bail set at $250,000.Â
Photos: SLO Sheriff Ian Parkinson announce charges again Paul, Ruben Flores
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson announced the arrest of Paul and Ruben Flores at the Cal Poly campus where Kristin Smart was last seen in 1996.
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San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson announces the arrest of Paul and Ruben Flores on April 13, 2021, at the Cal Poly campus where Kristin Smart was last seen on May 25, 1996.Â
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson announced the arrest of Paul and Ruben Flores at the Cal Poly campus where Kristin Smart was last seen in 1996.
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San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson announced the arrest of Paul and Ruben Flores at the Cal Poly campus where Kristin Smart was last seen in 1996.
Photos of the Paul Flores arrest was displayed at the press conference in Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo.
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Photos of the Paul Flores arrest was displayed at the press conference in Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo.
San Luis Obispo residents gather at Cal Poly to witness a press conference of the Kristin Smart case.
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San Luis Obispo residents gather at Cal Poly to witness a press conference of the Kristin Smart case.
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff department unviel photos of Kristin Smart and the arrest of Paul and Ruben Flores at Cal Poly Tuesday afternoon.
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San Luis Obispo County Sheriff department unviel photos of Kristin Smart and the arrest of Paul and Ruben Flores at Cal Poly Tuesday afternoon.
Members of the media from Los Angeles to Sacramento attend the press conference at Cal Poly SLO Tuesday afternoon.
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Members of the media from Los Angeles to Sacramento attend the press conference at Cal Poly SLO Tuesday afternoon.
Chris Lambert creator of the Your Own Backyard Kristin Smart podcast speaks with the public at the press conference at Cal Poly Tuesday afternoon.
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Chris Lambert creator of the Your Own Backyard Kristin Smart podcast speaks with the public at the press conference at Cal Poly Tuesday afternoon.
San Luis Obispo Cal Poly students react to the news from County Sheriffs of the arrest of Paul and Ruben Flores Tuesday
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Cal Poly students react to San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson's announcement regarding the arrest of Paul and Ruben Flores on April 13, 2021.Â
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff personnel continue to search the home of Ruben Flores in Arroyo Grande Tuesday.
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San Luis Obispo County sheriff's personnel continue to search the home of Ruben Flores in Arroyo Grande on Tuesday.
Local community members wait for developments in front of Ruben Flores's house in Arroyo Grande and San Luis Obispo Sheriff personnel search the backyard.
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Local community members wait for developments in front of Ruben Flores's house in Arroyo Grande and San Luis Obispo Sheriff personnel search the backyard.
Balloons wrap around the billboard of Kristin Smart in Arroyo Grande after the arrest of Paul and Ruben Flores Tuesday.
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Balloons wrap around the Kristin Smart billboard in Arroyo Grande after the arrest of Paul and Ruben Flores in April 2021. A judge on March 30 ruled that the trial would be moved out of San Luis Obispo County due to the extensive news coverage and high visibility surrounding Smart's disappearance that included the presence of billboards such as the one shown.Â
Photos: Search warrant in Kristin Smart investigation served at AG home of Ruben Flores
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San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's officials group near the back porch of Ruben Flores' home in the 700 block of White Court in Arroyo Grande, where a search warrant was served Monday in connection to the 1996 disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart.Â
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A San Luis Obispo County Sheriff' Office RV is stationed near the Ruben Flores residence on White Court in Arroyo Grande, where investigators served a search warrant on Monday in connection to the Kristin Smart case.Â
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A San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office forensic vehicle sits across the street from the Ruben Flores residence on White Court, where investigators served a search warrant on Monday.Â
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An RV and portable toilets were brought to the 700 block of White Court in Arroyo Grande during a search warrant executed in connection to the Kristin Smart case, an operation that is expected to last the entire day and possibly into Tuesday, according to San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office spokesman Tony Cipolla.
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A San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's investigator searches through items discovered in the Ruben Flores home in the 700 block of White Court on Monday during a search warrant operation.
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Ground-penetrating radar was brought to the Ruben Flores residence in the 700 block of White Court in Arroyo Grande during a search warrant operation on Monday. Flores is the father of Paul Flores, the prime suspect in the 1996 disappearance of Kristin Smart.Â
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Ground penetrating radar equipment was brought to the Ruben Flores residence in the 700 block of White Court in Arroyo Grande Monday during a search warrant operation by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office. Flores is the father of Paul Flores, who is a person of interest in the 1996 disappearance of Kristin Smart.Â
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Chris Lambert, left, is interviewed by a TV news reporter on Monday in front of the Ruben Flores residence on White Court. Lambert is the publisher of "Your Own Backyard," a critically acclaimed podcast that has renewed public interest in the Kristin Smart investigation.Â
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A San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's SUV stands guard along Ridgeview Way, near the intersection of White Court, where investigators on Monday served a search warrant in connection to the disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart.Â
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San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office investigators served a search warrant in the 700 block of White Court on Monday in connection to the 1996 disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart.Â
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San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office detectives served a search warrant, along with a cadaver dog and ground penetrating radar, at the Ruben Flores residence located in the 700 block of White Court in Arroyo Grande, on Monday, in connection to the 1996 disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart. Flores is the father of Paul Flores, who is considered a person of interest in the case.Â
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San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's officials served a search warrant at the Ruben Flores residence located in the 700 block of White Court in Arroyo Grande on Monday in connection to the 1996 disappearance with Kristin Smart.
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Investigators brought ground penetrating radar and a cadaver dog to the Ruben Flores residence located in the 700 block of White Court in Arroyo Grande on Monday during a search warrant executed by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office in connection to the 1996 disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart.Â
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San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office detectives served a search warrant, along with a cadaver dog and ground penetrating radar, at the Ruben Flores residence located in the 700 block of White Court in Arroyo Grande, on Monday, in connection to the 1996 disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart. Flores is the father of Paul Flores, who is considered a person of interest in the case.
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San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's officials search the property of Ruben Flores in the 700 block of White Court in Arroyo Grande on during a warrant executed at the residence on Monday. Flores is the father of Paul Flores, who is considered a person of interest in the 1996 disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart.Â
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San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office detectives served a search warrant, along with a cadaver dog and ground penetrating radar, at the Ruben Flores residence located in the 700 block of White Court in Arroyo Grande, on Monday, in connection to the 1996 disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart. Flores is the father of Paul Flores, who is considered a person of interest in the case.
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A San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's official unpacks a canopy to protect ground penetrating radar from rain during a search warrant executed at the Ruben Flores residence in the 700 block of White Court in Arroyo Grande on Monday.Â
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