During a preliminary court hearing in San Luis Obispo Superior Court Monday, Stan Smart, (left) father of missing Cal Poly freshman Kristin Smart, (right) shared an emotional testimony on his relationship with his daughter and his heartbreaking attempts to find her
During a preliminary hearing Monday in San Luis Obispo Superior Court, the father of missing Cal Poly freshman Kristin Smart, shared emotional testimony on his relationship with his daughter and his heartbreaking attempts to find her.
When called to the stand, Stan Smart said he had a 'close, nurturing and wholesome,' relationship with his 19-year-old daughter, and that he physically searched for Kristin following her disappearance on May 24, 1996.
'I crawled through a lot of culverts. I looked through a lot of dumpsters' during that time, Smart told Deputy District Attorney Christopher Peuvrelle.
Smart said believed Cal Poly police were 'ill equipped' to handle his daughter's disappearance and that he 'wasn't very satisfied' with their attempts in finding her.
'They didn't seem to have the expertise in the field with somebody who's disappeared,' Smart added.
The hearing is a part of a criminal case against Paul Flores, 44, and his father Ruben Flores, 80, which is expected to last 12 days.
Paul is accused of raping or attempting to rape her in his dorm room before killing her, while his father was charged as an accessory and is alleged to have helped conceal the body.
Paul, who was 19 at the time of Kristin's disappearance, was the last individual to see her alive before she vanished while walking home from a campus party 25 years ago.
The hearing is a part of a criminal case against Paul Flores, 44, (pictured) and his father Ruben Flores, 80, which is expected to last 12 days.
Ruben Flores (left) is pictured in court on July 14. A former tenant claimed Ruben would refer to Smart as a 'dirty slut'
Paul Flores, 44, is charged with murder in the commission of a rape or attempted rape. His father, Ruben Flores, 80, is charged with accessory after the fact
Both were arrested in connection with Smart’s disappearance on April 13 in San Pedro and Arroyo Grande, and have pleaded not guilty to their charges.
If convicted of first-degree murder, Paul could face 25 years to life, while Ruben could face up to three years.
Smart's body has never been discovered, but investigators believe she was buried at the residence of Ruben Flores in Arroyo Grande, and 'recently moved.'
A series of of witnesses, including investigators, archaeologists and cadaver dog experts, as well as women who are expected to testify to Paul Flores' past sexual assaults and predatory behavior.
When called to the stand, Stan Smart (left) said he had a 'close, nurturing and wholesome,' relationship with his 19-year-old daughter, (right) and that he physically searched for Kristin following her disappearance on May 24, 1996.
Stan Smart (right) said believed Cal Poly police were 'ill equipped' to handle his daughter's disappearance and that he 'wasn't very satisfied' with their attempts in finding her.
'I crawled through a lot of culverts. I looked through a lot of dumpsters' during that time, Stan Smart (second from left) told Deputy District Attorney Christopher Peuvrelle during Monday's preliminary hearing
In addition to Smart's father testifying, Paul's mother, Susan Flores, also took the stand Monday.
However, when Superior Court Judge Craig van Rooyen swore Mrs. Flores in, she said she intended to invoke her 5th Amendment rights if called to testify.
The judge then ruled that Susan Flores could not be called to the stand.
The hearing
