MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. — Officials say the trial in the 1996 disappearance of Kristin Smart is experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak.
Smart was a college freshman who disappeared from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. The suspect, Paul Flores, was arrested on a murder charge and his father, Ruben Flores, was accused of helping hide her body.
According to Monterey County Superior Court, three trial participants in the case tested positive for COVID-19 in the past week. Officials are calling it an outbreak because it falls under CalOSHA's emergency temporary standards, which define an outbreak as three or more positive cases among personnel in an exposed group in a two-week period.
The outbreak designation means anyone in the courtroom over the past week has to test for COVID-19, self-monitor and continue to wear a mask in the Courthouse.
Officials said there is no indication of transmission between any people in the courtroom itself.
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