SALINAS (KCBS RADIO) – The trial against Paul and Ruben Flores, accused of the murder in the infamous Kristin Smart case is expected to continue Thursday in Salinas.
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Flores is accused of killing Cal Poly student Kristin Smart in 1996 and hiding her body with the help of his father, Ruben.
The trial began Monday with opening statements, but was then delayed a couple of days due to "an unexpected health concern," Chloe Jones, a reporter covering the case with the San Luis Obispo Tribune told KCBS Radio's Melissa Culross on Thursday.
This was the reason initially given to some members of the media by a court spokesperson, but was later not confirmed by the court and instead referred to only as an "unexpected delay," she said.
"When we were notified that the trial was starting again today we were not given an explanation again, for this delay," said Jones. "It's a little bit unclear."
Father and son have separate juries, and on Monday, San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow presented both with all the evidence that they can expect to hear as the trial reconvenes.
"Beginning with evidence they found back in 1996 to present day along with witness testimony that have come forward," she said.
Kristin Smart disappeared in 1996 while she was in her freshman year at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. She was last seen attending a party. Her case dominated headlines and has incurred speculation over what happened in the decades since.
The case went cold up until last year when Flores, who attended the university with Smart and was one of the last people to see her the night she disappeared, was charged with the murder. His father Ruben was charged as well.
The defense for Flores also delivered opening statements on Monday, arguing that there is no hard evidence against Flores and have claimed they have witnesses that will discredit the prosecution’s witnesses.
Ruben's lawyer was unable to present his opening statement which is expected to be heard on Thursday, along with the beginning of the presentation of evidence to the jury. This will likely include Kristin Smart's family members, who will testify as to who Kristin was and what her level of communication was with her family, if it's in the order in which the prosecution initially presented it.
"There was a weekly Sunday phone call," said Jones, that was reportedly never missed. "That Sunday she went missing – the call obviously didn't happen."
The trial is expected to last four months.
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