The last person to see California Polytechnic State University student Kristin Smart before she disappeared in 1996 has now been arrested.
Paul Flores, 44, was arrested Tuesday and booked on a murder charge. His father Ruben Flores, 80, was also arrested on suspicion of accessory after a felony at his Arroyo Grande home, where sheriff’s investigators conducted their latest search for evidence.
Flores has long been at the center of the search for Smart.
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson said Smart’s remains have not been recovered, but that officers discovered forensic physical evidence that they "believe it is linked to Kristin."
Smart vanished in May 1996 while returning to her dorm at Cal Poly after a party. She was last seen near her dorm building but never made it to her room. She was 19 years old at the time.
Flores was the last to see her.
Parkinson said he spoke with the Smart family on Tuesday. "I think they're feeling a bit of relief, but as you can imagine, until we return Kristin to them, this is not over."
The news comes about a month after the sheriff named Flores as the “prime suspect” in the case and investigators searched his father’s home and property. The home had been the subject of many searches.
Parkinson said new evidence identified Flores as the main suspect in 2016 and also credited a witness interview on the “Your Own Backyard” podcast with bringing new information to light.
Parkinson added that evidence has been recovered at Flores’ home in San Pedro and his parents’ home in Arroyo Grande.
Investigators continue to search both homes Tuesday.
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