Kristin Smart murder trial won’t begin next week, court confirms
Monterey County Superior Court officials have confirmed to The Tribune that the Kristin Smart murder trial will not begin next week as originally scheduled.
The trial is moving to Salinas after San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Craig van Rooyen ruled that defendants Paul and Ruben Flores would likely not receive a fair trial in San Luis Obispo County because of pretrial publicity. It was scheduled to begin May 31, but Monterey Court Executive Officer Chris Ruhl told the Tribune in an email that there will not be any hearings all all next week.
There has been little communication regarding when the trial will start, but Norma Ramirez-Zapata, media liaison for Monterey County Superior Court, told the Tribune in an email that a communication regarding a hearing date should be expected early next week.
Paul Flores is accused of murdering 19-year-old Smart after an off-campus party in May 1996, while his father, Ruben Flores, is accused of helping hide the Cal Poly student’s body. The two Flores men were arrested in April 2021.
May 25 marked 26 years since Smart’s disappearance.
Ruben Flores’ bail conditions were modified Monday to allow him to travel outside of San Luis Obispo County to Monterey County for court proceedings. Paul Flores remained in San Luis Obispo County jail custody as of Friday evening.
When the murder trial for San Luis Obispo County serial killer Rex Krebs was moved to Monterey County in 2001, the change of venue delayed the start date by nine months.
It’s unclear whether something similar might happen in this case or if it will move to trial more quickly.
This story was originally published May 27, 2022 at 6:09 PM.
