Did Ruben Flores admit to ‘committing felonies’ in Kristin Smart case? Read the transcript
Editor’s Note: This is another in a series of stories examining hundreds of improperly sealed documents in the Kristin Smart trial. The Tribune obtained the documents by joining with three other media companies to form a coalition that took the issue to court. The coalition won its argument, and the documents were unsealed.
Jurors hearing the Kristin Smart murder trial listened to audio Tuesday in which the prosecution says Ruben Flores apparently admitted to “committing felonies” — something the defense countered was simply misspeaking.
The audio was recorded on May 19, 2021, when San Luis Obispo County sheriff’s Det. Clint Cole and San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office investigator James “J.T.” Camp visited Flores’ home to carry out a search warrant to collect DNA, Camp testified Tuesday.
Flores’ son, Paul Flores, is accused of murdering Smart in 1996. Ruben Flores is accused of helping his son hide Smart’s body.
The search warrant also authorized the investigators to collect DNA from Susan Flores, Ruben Flores’ ex-wife and Paul Flores’ mother, and her boyfriend, Mike McConville, Camp said.
When carrying out the warrant, Camp said, Cole allowed Ruben Flores to review it because Flores was confused about getting DNA swabbed a second time — those arrested on suspicion of felonies in California automatically get their DNA taken during booking procedures.
In response to seeing the names of his ex-wife and her boyfriend on the warrant, Flores said: “They haven’t committed no felonies,” Camp said.
The prosecution claims Flores paused after this sentence, then said, “Only me.” According to unsealed court documents, however, that statement is “unintelligible.”
Flores then “corrected his statement” and said, “I mean — I’m the only one that’s been arrested.”
Defense attorney Harold Mesick said his client was 80 years old at the time and claimed Flores was confused about why he was getting a second DNA swab. In a later hearing where the defense unsuccessfully attempted to dismiss the case, Mesick called the statement “misspeaking.”
Camp agreed Flores was “cool, calm and cooperative” when the warrant was carried out.
Here’s a look at the full transcript of the investigators’ interaction with Flores on May 19, 2021:
This story was originally published September 21, 2022 at 10:57 AM.
