MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. — Another full day of jury deliberations wrapped up in the murder trial of Kristin Smart, the college student from Stockton who vanished 26 years ago,
Jurors are going through the evidence in the case against Paul Flores and his father Ruben Flores, who are charged in the murder of Smart. However, some legal minds say a lack of forensics make scoring a conviction an uphill battle.
"The jury absolutely knows how significant this is. This was a really big case nationwide. I mean, it was one of the big ones for a long time," said Mark Reichel, a legal expert. "You have a beautiful young person that just disappeared in the prime of life. Secondly, this is a case with no body, which makes it even more perplexing, intriguing."
The prime person of interest in the case has been Paul Flores, the last person seen with Smart after an off-campus college party.
Murder charges didn't come until the spring of 2021 when cadaver dogs discovered new evidence outside his family home. The challenge for prosecutors is that Smart's remains have never been recovered.
"You have something scientific where there's no body, and there's not a lot of DNA evidence but you have the emotional pull of this case of a wonderful young gal and this strange disappearance and a very unsympathetic accused defendant," Reichel said.
Investigators said a string of circumstantial evidence makes Paul Flores the most likely killer and his father Ruben an accessory to the crime.
"I think the most compelling evidence, if you ask me, might be the defendant's behavior afterward where you hear about strange behavior, changing stories and then allegations of rape and drugs in the future," Reichel said. "When you hear about that, it pushes jurors to think look, if we don't do something here, this is going to continue to happen. Who's next?"
The defense argues there are too many holes in the case to bring forth a conviction beyond a reasonable doubt. However, jurors will have the final say.
"I predict they will find him guilty of the murder," Reichel said. "I think the jury is going to determine they want to do the right thing, and they're going to feel that the right thing here is to make this conviction."
The case itself has garnered national attention, and the courtroom has been packed every day with family members of the victim and the defendants along with members of the public who have followed this case for years. Many are waiting anxiously for the two verdicts to come down.
Jury deliberations are expected to continue Friday morning in Monterey County.
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