Paul Flores used to be sentenced Friday to 25 years to life in jail for the 1996 murder of California school pupil Kristin Smart.
He isn’t eligible for probation.
He will probably be eligible for a parole board listening to in 15 years, at which level the board may just grant or deny parole liberate, in accordance to prosecutors.
A jury convicted Paul Flores in October on first-degree murder. The depend alleged that he “with malice aforethought murder[ed] Kristin Smart” whilst “engaged in the commission of, or attempting to commit, the crime of rape.”
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Paul Flores stands all through his murder trial in Monterey County Superior Court in Salinas, Calif., July 18, 2022.
Daniel Dreifuss/Monterey County Weekly by way of AP, FILE
Prior to the sentencing, the pass judgement on denied two protection motions in quest of a brand new trial and dismissal of fees and acquittal within the case.
Paul Flores, 46, a former classmate of Smart, used to be charged with murder, whilst his father used to be charged with being an adjunct to the crime. Prosecutors say he helped cover Smart’s frame on his belongings in Arroyo Grande sooner than transferring it in 2020.
His father, Ruben Flores, used to be discovered now not to blame of accent to murder in reference to the crime.
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Kristin Smart, the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo pupil who disappeared in 1996, is pictured in an undated photograph.
FBI by way of AP, FILE
Smart went lacking strolling house from a birthday celebration at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Her frame hasn’t ever been discovered, however government arrested Paul and Ruben Flores in April 2021 and located alleged proof comparable to Smart’s murder of their houses.
A pass judgement on ordered that the Flores trials be moved out of San Luis Obispo County greater than 100 miles away — north to Monterey County — to make sure truthful prison lawsuits.
Paul and Ruben Flores had been attempted on the identical time, however with separate juries listening to the case in combination all through 11 weeks of testimony.
“Today, our criminal and victim justice system has finally delivered justice for Kristin Smart, for the Smart family, and for our San Luis Obispo County community,” San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow mentioned in a remark following the sentencing. “We thank the Smart family and our community for the tremendous trust and patience they placed in the investigation and prosecution of this terrible crime.”
“We recognize the jury for their focused attention to the evidence and the Sheriff’s Office for their tireless effort in building this case,” the remark endured. “Today, justice delayed is not justice denied.”
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson known as the sentencing “a long time coming” however one this is “right and just.”
“We want to remind the community this case is not over yet. And it won’t be over until Kristin has been returned to her family,” he mentioned in a remark.
Dow had thanked a true-crime podcaster after the jury reached a to blame verdict within the trial. Chris Lambert introduced the collection “Your Own Backyard” in 2019, recounting Smart’s disappearance, which renewed public passion within the case. The podcast helped to establish further witnesses and proof that used to be “critical in the prosecution of this case,” Dow mentioned.
