Ruben Flores released from SLO County Jail in Kristin Smart murder case
Ruben Flores, who is accused of helping his son hide the body of Cal Poly freshman Kristin Smart, was released from San Luis Obispo County Jail late Wednesday night, hours after a Superior Court judge significantly lowered his bail.
Ruben Flores was released from County Jail around 11 p.m. Wednesday, according to jail logs.
According to terms set by the judge in the case, Flores must surrender his passport — which his attorney says has long been expired — to the court within 24 hours.
He’s not allowed to leave the county.
Ruben Flores, 80, is charged with accessory in the murder case against his son, 44-year-old Paul Flores. He appeared in court Wednesday via Zoom conference from the County Jail.
Both he and his son pleaded not guilty at their arraignment Monday, when Superior Court Judge Craig van Rooyen ordered Paul Flores be held in SLO County Jail without bail.
Ruben Flores’ bail was set at $250,000, and van Rooyen said Wednesday that under the law, he must be given a reasonably affordable amount of bail because he is not a flight risk or a risk to public safety.
Following brief arguments from both sides, van Rooyen lowered Ruben Flores’ bail to $50,000, which he said he believed Ruben Flores can afford.
“I believe that, based on the declarations related to the defendant’s finances, that he’s able to afford that,” van Rooyen said. “If that changes, I can revisit what he’s able to afford if you have different or additional information.”
Ruben Flores is required to follow all laws, remain in San Luis Obispo County, submit to electronic monitoring and surrender his passport to the court.
Paul and Ruben Flores were arrested April 13 in San Pedro and Arroyo Grande, respectively, and the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office announced the criminal charges the following day.
District Attorney Dan Dow publicly alleged at a news conference that Paul Flores committed the murder during the commission of a rape or attempted rape.
Paul Flores was the last person seen with the then-19-year-old Smart before her disappearance in 1996. Her body has never been found, although investigators believe it was buried at Ruben Flores’ Arroyo Grande home and “recently” moved, according to court documents.
Paul Flores faces a sentence of 25 years to life if convicted of first-degree murder.
Ruben Flores faces a maximum of three years if convicted, though it is not clear if that sentence would be served in County Jail or state prison.
Last week, van Rooyen approved a defense request for a gag order preventing parties involved — including county Sheriff Ian Parkinson and Dow — from making any public statements regarding the proceedings outside the courtroom.
This story was originally published April 22, 2021 at 12:33 AM with the headline "Ruben Flores released from SLO County Jail in Kristin Smart murder case."
