STOCKTON, Calif. — The popular podcast "Your Own Backyard," which delves into the disappearance of Stockton's Kristin Smart, is adding two new episodes following the arrests of Paul and Ruben Flores.
Chris Lambert, the podcast creator, said in a press release that the episodes will provide new information on the case ahead of the Flores' trial.
"Lambert conducted dozens of interviews following the arrest of Flores and his father," the press release said. "Lambert was overwhelmed by the number of people who were interested in speaking to him about their experiences, relationships, and knowledge of the suspects."
The episodes, which will be the 9th and 10th of what was originally a six-part series, are titled "The Beginning of the End, Part 1" and "The Beginning of the End, Part 2." The episodes are available to download on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
The series started as a local podcast and then exploded on the national scene resulting in more than 11 million downloads since the first episode aired in September 2019. "Your Own Backyard" also recently landed the number one slot on the Apple Podcasts app.
Following the arrests in April, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff, Ian Parkinson, credited Lambert and his podcast for helping find new witnesses in the case with its wide reach.
Background on the case
Kristin Smart was 19 years old when she disappeared in 1996 after leaving an on-campus party at Cal Poly University, San Luis Obispo.
Smart was officially declared dead in 2002, and the case was turned over to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office. In 2007, Flores' mother's home was dug up and searched throughout for Smart's remains.
In April, "prime suspect" Paul Flores and his father Ruben Flores were arrested for crimes connected to Kristin Smart's murder. Paul Flores was charged with first-degree murder in the killing that allegedly happened as he tried to rape Smart in his dorm room.
Ruben Flores is charged as an accessory after murder. A prosecutor says that the body of Kristin Smart, which has never been found, was recently moved from the home of Ruben Flores.
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