1 00:00:14,681 --> 00:00:15,281 >>> TONIGHT ON "DATELINE" -- 2 00:00:15,281 --> 00:00:17,484 >> YOUNG, VIBRANT 19-YEAR-OLD WOMEN DON'T JUST VANISH INTO 3 00:00:17,484 --> 00:00:20,120 THIN AIR IT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN 4 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:22,722 >> THE MYSTERY HAS LINGERED FOR DECADES. 5 00:00:22,722 --> 00:00:24,858 >> Reporter: IT KINDA CONSUMES YOU. 6 00:00:24,858 --> 00:00:29,729 >> IT DOES >> AS A MOTHER, MY MISSION WILL 7 00:00:29,729 --> 00:00:32,866 ALWAYS BE TO BRING KRISTIN HOME. >> WHAT HAPPENED TO COLLEGE 8 00:00:32,866 --> 00:00:34,300 STUDENT KRISTIN SMART? >> I TOLD AUTHORITIES BACK THEN, 9 00:00:34,300 --> 00:00:38,371 "THERE IS NO WAY SHE JUST TOOK OFF. 10 00:00:38,371 --> 00:00:40,874 >> BY THE TIME THE INVESTIGATORS STARTED, THE SOLID EVIDENCE WAS 11 00:00:40,874 --> 00:00:44,511 GONE >> NOW DRAMATIC NEW DETAILS FROM 12 00:00:44,511 --> 00:00:46,780 INSIDE THE INVESTIGATION >> IT HAUNTS EVERYBODY THAT'S 13 00:00:46,780 --> 00:00:49,315 INVOLVED IN THIS CASE. >> HE HAD PLANNED THIS 14 00:00:49,315 --> 00:00:51,384 HE HAD STALKED HER >> Reporter: THIS GUY WAS A ONE 15 00:00:51,384 --> 00:00:53,620 MAN CRIME WAVE >> HE WAS. 16 00:00:53,620 --> 00:00:57,891 >> I'M RETRACING KRISTIN SMART'S LAST KNOWN STEPS 17 00:00:57,891 --> 00:01:02,195 >> THIS PODCAST SORT OF RAISED THIS CASE TO A NATIONAL LEVEL. 18 00:01:02,195 --> 00:01:05,398 >> I WAS LIKE, "HOLY SMOKES, THIS IS THE GUY. 19 00:01:05,398 --> 00:01:09,102 >> Reporter: HE WAS FREE TO ASSAULT YOU AND OTHER WOMEN TOO. 20 00:01:09,102 --> 00:01:10,270 >> YES >> HE DOESN'T BELONG OUT ON THE 21 00:01:10,270 --> 00:01:11,738 STREET WE NEED TO GET THIS DONE 22 00:01:11,738 --> 00:01:15,108 >> IT WAS TERRIFYING TO HAVE TO FACE HIM 23 00:01:15,108 --> 00:01:18,678 I JUST KEPT THINKING, "YOU HAVE TO DO THIS FOR KRISTIN." 24 00:01:18,678 --> 00:01:22,382 >> 26 YEARS OF SECRETS NOW HEAR THE WHOLE STORY 25 00:01:22,382 --> 00:01:34,094 I'M LESTER HOLT, AND THIS IS "DATELINE. 26 00:01:34,094 --> 00:01:48,008 HERE'S JOSH MANKIEWICZ WITH "JUSTICE FOR KRISTIN SMART." 27 00:01:48,008 --> 00:01:50,343 >> Reporter: TIME DOES NOT HEAL ALL WOUNDS 28 00:01:50,343 --> 00:01:59,853 THAT'S A LIE WE LIKE TO TELL OURSELVES. 29 00:01:59,853 --> 00:02:02,355 >> THEY TOOK 26 YEARS OF OUR LIFE THAT WE HAVE BEEN HAVING TO 30 00:02:02,355 --> 00:02:06,626 FIGHT. >> Reporter: FOR THE SMART 31 00:02:06,626 --> 00:02:09,329 FAMILY, TIME HAS BEEN TORTURE. THEIR DAUGHTER KRISTIN WAS JUST 32 00:02:09,329 --> 00:02:18,371 19 WHEN SHE VANISHED THAT WAS MORE THAN A QUARTER 33 00:02:18,371 --> 00:02:21,074 CENTURY AGO. >> YOU DON'T GIVE UP 34 00:02:21,074 --> 00:02:26,913 >> Reporter: YOU DON'T GIVE UP >> NO. 35 00:02:26,913 --> 00:02:30,116 YOU CAN'T. >> Reporter: TONIGHT, FOR THE 36 00:02:30,116 --> 00:02:34,888 FIRST TIME, YOU'LL HEAR THE INSIDE STORY OF A DECADES-LONG 37 00:02:34,888 --> 00:02:38,324 INVESTIGATION. AS WE'LL EXPLAIN, IT IS THE 38 00:02:38,324 --> 00:02:41,294 STORY OF JUSTICE DENIED FOR MORE THAN JUST ONE FAMILY 39 00:02:41,294 --> 00:02:43,963 >> WHAT SURPRISED ME WAS THE VOLUME OF WOMEN. 40 00:02:43,963 --> 00:02:51,471 I THINK THAT MY WORST NIGHTMARE WAS THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF 41 00:02:51,471 --> 00:02:52,339 VICTIMS. >> KRISTIN SMART, ALSO KNOWN AS 42 00:02:52,339 --> 00:02:55,975 ROXY - >> 19-YEAR-OLD KRISTIN SMART - 43 00:02:55,975 --> 00:03:08,521 >> NEVER MADE IT HOME -- >> IT'S A MYSTERY THAT LEAVES 44 00:03:08,521 --> 00:03:11,725 THE SMART FAMILY HAUNTED >> Reporter: FOR THOSE OF US 45 00:03:11,725 --> 00:03:14,894 ABOVE A CERTAIN AGE, 1996 DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THAT 46 00:03:14,894 --> 00:03:16,496 LONG AGO OF COURSE, IT WAS A DIFFERENT 47 00:03:16,496 --> 00:03:20,300 TIME A SIMPLER TIME 48 00:03:20,300 --> 00:03:25,138 THERE WAS NO INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK, OR TEXTING 49 00:03:25,138 --> 00:03:31,444 FRIENDSHIPS WERE MADE AND CULTIVATED IN PERSON 50 00:03:31,444 --> 00:03:35,148 HER FRESHMAN YEAR AT CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY IN 51 00:03:35,148 --> 00:03:39,452 SAN LUIS OBISPO. VANESSA SHIELDS STARTED A GREAT 52 00:03:39,452 --> 00:03:42,122 FRIENDSHIP >> SHE WAS TWO DOORS DOWN FROM 53 00:03:42,122 --> 00:03:45,325 ME, AND WE JUST -- A BUNCH OF US GIRLS ALL BECAME FRIENDS AND 54 00:03:45,325 --> 00:03:49,095 KIND OF BECAME INSEPARABLE >> Reporter: "SHE" WAS 55 00:03:49,095 --> 00:03:53,299 KRISTIN SMART FROM STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA, AND ALSO A FRESHMAN 56 00:03:53,299 --> 00:03:55,568 AT CAL POLY. >> Reporter: SHE INSPIRED ME BY 57 00:03:55,568 --> 00:04:00,273 HER INDEPENDENCE, AND THAT'S WHY WE BEFRIENDED EACH OTHER 58 00:04:00,273 --> 00:04:04,477 >> Reporter: MARGARITA CAMPOS LIVED IN THE ROOM NEXT DOOR TO 59 00:04:04,477 --> 00:04:07,180 KRISTIN. >> AT THAT TIME, I WAS JUST -- I 60 00:04:07,180 --> 00:04:13,053 WAS MUCH MORE SHELTERED THAN SHE WAS, SO SHE WAS FASCINATING TO 61 00:04:13,053 --> 00:04:15,155 ME AND DIFFERENT AND CURIOUS >> WE WERE, YOU KNOW, STUDYING 62 00:04:15,155 --> 00:04:18,892 IN EACH OTHER'S ROOMS, LISTENING TO MUSIC, GOING TO PARTIES, 63 00:04:18,892 --> 00:04:21,561 GOING TO EAT, GOING TO WORK OUT. A LOT OF SILLY STUFF, JUST HANG 64 00:04:21,561 --> 00:04:22,662 OUT AND TALKING. >> Reporter: THAT'S A SCHOOL 65 00:04:22,662 --> 00:04:24,664 WHERE YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND A PARTY? 66 00:04:24,664 --> 00:04:27,967 >> ALWAYS, YEAH. EVEN ON A HOLIDAY WEEKEND, YEAH. 67 00:04:27,967 --> 00:04:33,306 >> Reporter: INCLUDING THAT MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND ON FRIDAY, 68 00:04:33,306 --> 00:04:37,577 MAY 24th, 1996 PLENTY OF STUDENTS HEADED OUT OF 69 00:04:37,577 --> 00:04:41,314 TOWN FOR THE HOLIDAY VANESSA WENT HOME FOR THE 70 00:04:41,314 --> 00:04:47,120 WEEKEND. KRISTIN AND MARGARITA STAYED 71 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:50,890 THE TWO WOMEN DROVE WITH SOME OTHER FRIENDS TO AN OFF-CAMPUS 72 00:04:50,890 --> 00:04:53,560 PARTY. >> IT WAS A REALLY MELLOW, LIKE, 73 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:54,728 CHILL PARTY. IT WASN'T VERY VIVACIOUS IN ANY 74 00:04:54,728 --> 00:04:58,365 SORT OF WAY. AND THAT WAS A GREAT 75 00:04:58,365 --> 00:05:01,034 DISAPPOINTMENT TO KRISTIN. 'CAUSE, LIKE, THAT WAS JUST TOO 76 00:05:01,034 --> 00:05:06,873 LOW ENERGY FOR HER SHE THOUGHT, "PARTY, LIVELY. 77 00:05:06,873 --> 00:05:10,076 >> Reporter: SO THEY LEFT. KRISTIN AND MARGARITA WERE 78 00:05:10,076 --> 00:05:13,613 DROPPED OFF IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE A LOT OF STUDENTS LIVED, 79 00:05:13,613 --> 00:05:14,881 ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF CAMPUS THEY WALKED FOR A BIT. 80 00:05:14,881 --> 00:05:21,855 KRISTIN WANTED TO FIND ANOTHER PARTY. 81 00:05:21,855 --> 00:05:23,289 MARGARITA DID NOT. >> Reporter: SHE JUST WAS 82 00:05:23,289 --> 00:05:26,926 STANDING WITH HER ARMS CROSSED AND WAS LIKE, "COME ON, YOU HAVE 83 00:05:26,926 --> 00:05:32,532 TO COME WITH ME. AND I JUST -- I WAS LIKE, "I 84 00:05:32,532 --> 00:05:36,269 REALLY DON'T WANT TO GO. AND THEN SHE WAS LIKE, "COME 85 00:05:36,269 --> 00:05:38,938 ON." AND IT WAS AT THE PUSH AND PULL 86 00:05:38,938 --> 00:05:40,607 OF TWO INDEPENDENT WOMEN >> Reporter: KRISTIN HAD GONE 87 00:05:40,607 --> 00:05:45,311 OUT WITHOUT HER KEYS, HER PURSE, OR EVEN A JACKET 88 00:05:45,311 --> 00:05:49,182 SHE WORE A T-SHIRT, SURF SHORTS, AND TENNIS SHOES 89 00:05:49,182 --> 00:05:54,354 MARGARITA GAVE KRISTIN HER KEY SO SHE COULD GET BACK IN THE 90 00:05:54,354 --> 00:05:55,989 DORM >> I THINK SHE PUT IT IN HER 91 00:05:55,989 --> 00:05:58,558 SHOE BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE -- SHE DIDN'T HAVE ANY 92 00:05:58,558 --> 00:06:01,294 POCKETS IN HER BOARD SHORTS. >> Reporter: SHE WATCHED KRISTIN 93 00:06:01,294 --> 00:06:03,830 WALK TOWARD THE HOUSES ON CRANDALL WAY 94 00:06:03,830 --> 00:06:05,031 >> SHE WAS NOT GONNA TURN AROUND AND WALK BACK WITH ME TO THE 95 00:06:05,031 --> 00:06:13,573 DORMS. THAT I KNEW. 96 00:06:13,573 --> 00:06:16,776 THAT'S WHEN I LAST LEFT HER. >> Reporter: THE NEXT DAY, 97 00:06:16,776 --> 00:06:20,046 MARGARITA WAS SURPRISED WHEN KRISTIN DIDN'T STOP BY TO TELL 98 00:06:20,046 --> 00:06:22,082 HER HOW THE EVENING WENT >> I KNOCKED ON HER DOOR 99 00:06:22,082 --> 00:06:25,819 I THOUGHT SHE WAS MAYBE STILL SLEEPING 100 00:06:25,819 --> 00:06:30,623 DIDN'T SEE HER FOR, GOSH, THE WHOLE DAY. 101 00:06:30,623 --> 00:06:35,929 >> Reporter: WHEN KRISTIN'S ROOMMATE RETURNED SATURDAY OF 102 00:06:35,929 --> 00:06:39,299 MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, SHE AND OTHER WOMEN ON THE FLOOR 103 00:06:39,299 --> 00:06:42,402 REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG ALL OF KRISTIN'S BELONGINGS WERE 104 00:06:42,402 --> 00:06:46,473 IN THE ROOM -- HER BACKPACK, I.D., MAKEUP 105 00:06:46,473 --> 00:06:51,444 THEY CALLED CAMPUS POLICE RIGHT AWAY 106 00:06:51,444 --> 00:06:55,215 >> AND THEN THE CAMPUS POLICE WERE LIKE, "WELL, ARE YOU SURE 107 00:06:55,215 --> 00:06:56,816 SHE DIDN'T GO ON A TRIP OVER THE WEEKEND 'CAUSE IT'S MEMORIAL 108 00:06:56,816 --> 00:06:58,918 WEEKEND? CAMPING? 109 00:06:58,918 --> 00:07:02,122 WE'RE LIKE, "NO, ALL HER STUFF IS HERE. 110 00:07:02,122 --> 00:07:07,427 AND THEY WERE LIKE, "WELL, SHE'S OVER 18, SO WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR 111 00:07:07,427 --> 00:07:10,096 24 HOURS." >> Reporter: VANESSA SHIELDS 112 00:07:10,096 --> 00:07:15,101 RETURNED MONDAY EVENING TO HER PANICKED DORMMATES AND A MISSING 113 00:07:15,101 --> 00:07:19,139 FRIEND >> AND THEN I'M LIKE, "WHERE IS 114 00:07:19,139 --> 00:07:21,274 KRISTIN? >> Reporter: KRISTIN'S FRIENDS 115 00:07:21,274 --> 00:07:25,545 NOTIFIED THE RESIDENT ADVISOR IN THE DORM AND AGAIN SPOKE WITH 116 00:07:25,545 --> 00:07:27,747 CAMPUS POLICE. >> THEY JUST THOUGHT SHE JUST 117 00:07:27,747 --> 00:07:31,584 TOOK OFF SHE, THOUGHT SHE JUST WENT ON A FUN TRIP 118 00:07:31,584 --> 00:07:32,786 AND THAT'S WHAT WAS FRUSTRATING BECAUSE WE KNEW SHE WOULDN'T 119 00:07:32,786 --> 00:07:35,755 JUST TAKE OFF. WE KNEW SHE WOULDN'T DO THAT 120 00:07:35,755 --> 00:07:39,059 >> Reporter: IF SHE WERE PLANNING TO TAKE A MINI VACATION 121 00:07:39,059 --> 00:07:41,094 OR GO HOME OR RUN OFF ANYWHERE, YOU WOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT IT? 122 00:07:41,094 --> 00:07:44,230 >> MYSELF AND A LOT OF THE OTHER GIRLS WOULD HAVE KNOWN, YEAH 123 00:07:44,230 --> 00:07:47,467 KRISTIN WAS VERY VOCAL ABOUT WHAT SHE WAS DOING OR WHERE SHE 124 00:07:47,467 --> 00:07:49,602 WAS GOING. >> Reporter: AND THEN THE PHONE 125 00:07:49,602 --> 00:07:55,375 RANG AT THE STOCKTON HOME OF STAN AND DENISE SMART. 126 00:07:55,375 --> 00:07:57,577 IT WAS CAL POLY CAMPUS POLICE. >> THEY SAID, "YOUR DAUGHTER'S 127 00:07:57,577 --> 00:07:59,646 NOT AT SCHOOL. >> "DID SHE COME HOME? 128 00:07:59,646 --> 00:08:01,848 >> "WE THINK SHE HAS GONE CAMPING. 129 00:08:01,848 --> 00:08:04,317 AND THAT'S THE FIRST TIME WE EVER HEARD THAT. 130 00:08:04,317 --> 00:08:09,322 AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE SHE WAS. 131 00:08:09,322 --> 00:08:11,458 >> AND I WAS IMMEDIATELY FEARFUL BECAUSE THAT'S JUST NOT HER. 132 00:08:11,458 --> 00:08:13,026 >> Reporter: SHE'S NOT GONNA LEAVE ON A LAST MINUTE CAMPING 133 00:08:13,026 --> 00:08:17,831 TRIP >> NO. 134 00:08:17,831 --> 00:08:22,135 >> Reporter: STAN SMART GOT IN HIS CAR AND DROVE THE FOUR AND A 135 00:08:22,135 --> 00:08:28,541 HALF HOURS TO SAN LUIS OBISPO. HER FRIENDS IN THE DORM WAITED 136 00:08:28,541 --> 00:08:31,211 AND HOPED FOR ANSWERS. >> EVEN THOUGH WE HAD THIS 137 00:08:31,211 --> 00:08:34,581 FEELING THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG, I DON'T THINK WE COULD 138 00:08:34,581 --> 00:08:37,050 GRASP AT THAT MOMENT HOW BAD IT COULD BE 139 00:08:37,050 --> 00:08:41,254 >> Reporter: SHE WAS RIGHT NO ONE KNEW HOW BAD IT COULD BE 140 00:08:41,254 --> 00:08:44,557 OR HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE. >> FOR THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT 141 00:08:44,557 --> 00:08:49,863 I'VE INVESTED INTO TELLING THIS STORY, IT'S A FRACTION OF A 142 00:08:49,863 --> 00:08:53,566 FRACTION OF LIVING THROUGH IT. >> Reporter: THIS IS AN ORDEAL 143 00:08:53,566 --> 00:08:56,202 MOST PEOPLE WOULD FOLD UNDER >> YOUR CHILDREN ARE PART OF WHO 144 00:08:56,202 --> 00:08:59,439 YOU ARE, SO YOU'RE FIGHTING FOR THEM 145 00:08:59,439 --> 00:09:06,379 YOU'RE FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE AND FIGHTING AGAINST TIME. 146 00:09:06,379 --> 00:09:10,116 >>> YEARS LOST AND NO IDEA YET WHAT A TERRIBLE PRICE WOULD BE 147 00:09:10,116 --> 00:09:12,252 PAID >> Reporter: BECAUSE HE WASN'T 148 00:09:12,252 --> 00:09:14,921 LOCKED UP FROM EARLY ON. HE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO 149 00:09:14,921 --> 00:09:18,058 OTHER THINGS >> ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. 150 00:09:18,058 --> 00:09:19,726 IT'S -- IT -- I THINK IT HAUNTS EVERYBODY THAT'S INVOLVED IN 151 00:09:19,726 --> 00:09:20,026 EVERYBODY THAT'S INVOLVED IN THIS CASE. 152 00:09:41,614 --> 00:09:45,885 HIS OLDEST DAUGHTER, KRISTIN, HAD NOT BEEN SEEN ON HER COLLEGE 153 00:09:45,885 --> 00:09:49,089 CAMPUS FOR DAYS. AND YOU'RE THINKIN' WHAT DURING 154 00:09:49,089 --> 00:09:51,224 THAT DRIVE "WHEN I GET THERE, SHE'LL 155 00:09:51,224 --> 00:09:54,160 ALREADY BE BACK" >> WELL, HOPEFULLY, YEAH 156 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:58,565 THAT I JUST -- TALK TO HER SAY I'M DISAPPOINTED 157 00:09:58,565 --> 00:10:02,936 >> Reporter: THAT DID NOT HAPPEN 158 00:10:02,936 --> 00:10:08,274 >> THEY WERE SAYING, "OH WELL, YOU KNOW, SHE PROBABLY WENT AWAY 159 00:10:08,274 --> 00:10:12,545 AND SHE'S DISAPPEARED. AND HAS SHE EVER RUN AWAY 160 00:10:12,545 --> 00:10:15,749 BEFORE," AND SO AND FORTH. >> Reporter: BACK HOME IN 161 00:10:15,749 --> 00:10:18,418 STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA, KRISTIN'S MOM DENISE CAMPED OUT BY THE 162 00:10:18,418 --> 00:10:22,155 PHONE, WAITING FOR UPDATES >> MY HOPES WOULD'VE BEEN THAT 163 00:10:22,155 --> 00:10:25,859 THE NIGHTMARE WOULD BE OVER ONCE HE GOT THERE, AND SHE WOULD BE 164 00:10:25,859 --> 00:10:29,629 THERE. BUT I WAS -- I JUST KNEW 165 00:10:29,629 --> 00:10:32,832 SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT >> Reporter: KRISTIN HAD 166 00:10:32,832 --> 00:10:36,036 STRUGGLED A BIT AT CAL POLY. SHE WAS LESS THAN COMPLETELY 167 00:10:36,036 --> 00:10:40,306 HAPPY WITH HER DECISION TO ENROLL THERE 168 00:10:40,306 --> 00:10:44,044 >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SHARED WITH EACH OTHER WAS OUR 169 00:10:44,044 --> 00:10:48,181 DISENCHANTMENT WITH CAL POLY >> Reporter: DENISE RESPONDED TO 170 00:10:48,181 --> 00:10:50,950 SOME OF HER DAUGHTER'S COMPLAINTS IN A LETTER SHE WROTE 171 00:10:50,950 --> 00:10:54,154 JUST A FEW WEEKS BEFORE KRISTIN DISAPPEARED. 172 00:10:54,154 --> 00:10:56,956 "WAKE UP AND SMELL THE ROSES!" SHE WROTE. 173 00:10:56,956 --> 00:11:02,162 "YOU HAVE A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES AT YOUR 174 00:11:02,162 --> 00:11:05,298 FINGERTIPS." YOU'RE KINDA TELLIN' HER - 175 00:11:05,298 --> 00:11:08,535 >> "SUCK IT UP, BUTTERCUP. >> Reporter: "TIME TO START 176 00:11:08,535 --> 00:11:11,071 ACTING LIKE A GROWNUP. >> RIGHT 177 00:11:11,071 --> 00:11:13,340 >> Reporter: SHE HAD NO DOUBT KRISTIN WOULD GET THROUGH THIS 178 00:11:13,340 --> 00:11:16,176 ROUGH PATCH. SHE WAS NEVER ONE TO SHY AWAY 179 00:11:16,176 --> 00:11:19,212 FROM A CHALLENGE, OR AN ADVENTURE. 180 00:11:19,212 --> 00:11:27,187 >> WELL, SHE LOVED TRAVEL, AND SHE LOVED EXPLORING. 181 00:11:27,187 --> 00:11:28,855 SHE WAS ALWAYS INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US PLAN A VACATION -- 182 00:11:28,855 --> 00:11:31,991 WRITING IT ALL UP, GOING TO AAA BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS NO 183 00:11:31,991 --> 00:11:35,995 GOOGLE AT THAT TIME. >> Reporter: SHE SPENT SUMMERS 184 00:11:35,995 --> 00:11:39,466 IN LONDON, VENEZUELA, AND HAWAII 185 00:11:39,466 --> 00:11:41,601 MATT SMART IS KRISTIN'S YOUNGER BROTHER. 186 00:11:41,601 --> 00:11:44,270 TO YOU, SHE WAS LIKE A STAR. >> WELL, YEAH. 187 00:11:44,270 --> 00:11:45,338 SHE -- [ LAUGHTER ] 188 00:11:45,338 --> 00:11:47,941 SHE WAS AN ARTIST. SHE WAS AN ADVENTURER. 189 00:11:47,941 --> 00:11:51,778 SHE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS JUST FULL OF LIFE. 190 00:11:51,778 --> 00:11:56,583 GET OUT THERE AND GET IT DONE. >> Reporter: SHE ARRIVED AT CAL 191 00:11:56,583 --> 00:11:59,753 POLY IN THE FALL OF 1995, EXCITED TO START COLLEGE LIFE. 192 00:11:59,753 --> 00:12:04,124 AND THE CAMPUS CERTAINLY SEEMED A SAFE PLACE 193 00:12:04,124 --> 00:12:06,693 >> YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE IN A KINDA SHELTERED COMMUNITY 194 00:12:06,693 --> 00:12:10,263 'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY KIND OF AWAY FROM TOWN 195 00:12:10,263 --> 00:12:14,701 >> Reporter: IT WAS STILL HARD FOR HER LITTLE BROTHER TO SAY 196 00:12:14,701 --> 00:12:16,803 GOODBYE. >> IT'S LIKE, "SHOULD WE JUST 197 00:12:16,803 --> 00:12:19,472 LEAVE HER HERE?" IT'S A LOTTA TRUST THAT YOU'RE 198 00:12:19,472 --> 00:12:22,676 PUTTING IN THAT. >> Reporter: TRUST THAT SHE'LL 199 00:12:22,676 --> 00:12:26,946 MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES AND THAT THOSE AROUND HER WILL 200 00:12:26,946 --> 00:12:31,217 PARTICULARLY BECAUSE AT 18 OR 19, COLLEGE FRESHMEN ARE JUST ON 201 00:12:31,217 --> 00:12:34,954 THE CUSP OF ADULTHOOD. FOR KRISTIN THAT BROUGHT A TIME 202 00:12:34,954 --> 00:12:39,926 OF REINVENTION AND SHE BEGAN GOING BY OTHER 203 00:12:39,926 --> 00:12:43,496 NAMES, LIKE ROXY WHAT WAS THE DEAL WITH HER 204 00:12:43,496 --> 00:12:45,632 CALLING HERSELF ROXY >> IT WAS A NICKNAME SHE GAVE 205 00:12:45,632 --> 00:12:47,867 HERSELF. I THINK IT WAS JUST KIND OF LIKE 206 00:12:47,867 --> 00:12:50,403 THIS ALTER EGO, SHE KINDA JUST WANTED TO HAVE FUN, PLAY WITH 207 00:12:50,403 --> 00:12:54,140 IT >> Reporter: AS MUCH AS KRISTIN 208 00:12:54,140 --> 00:12:58,945 WAS EXPLORING HER NEW, INDEPENDENT, SELF, HER TIES TO 209 00:12:58,945 --> 00:13:04,084 HOME REMAINED STRONG SHE CALLED YOU GUYS EVERY 210 00:13:04,084 --> 00:13:10,290 SUNDAY >> EVERY SUNDAY. 211 00:13:10,290 --> 00:13:13,326 >> Reporter: KRISTIN LEFT A MESSAGE ON HER PARENTS' 212 00:13:13,326 --> 00:13:18,131 ANSWERING MACHINE THE FRIDAY OF MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND 213 00:13:18,131 --> 00:13:19,733 THEY WEREN'T HOME. >> YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW YOUR 214 00:13:19,733 --> 00:13:22,969 CHILDREN'S VOICE AND THERE WAS SO MUCH L -- 215 00:13:22,969 --> 00:13:24,237 LAUGHTER AND LEVITY IN IT, THAT SHE WAS SO HAPPY THAT, YOU KNOW, 216 00:13:24,237 --> 00:13:29,376 THAT WAS THE LAST I HEARD FROM HER. 217 00:13:29,376 --> 00:13:33,246 >> Reporter: NO CALL THAT SUNDAY 218 00:13:33,246 --> 00:13:37,384 IT WAS TUESDAY -- THREE DAYS AFTER SHE'D BEEN LAST SEEN -- 219 00:13:37,384 --> 00:13:42,188 THAT CAMPUS POLICE TOOK AN OFFICIAL MISSING PERSON'S 220 00:13:42,188 --> 00:13:45,892 REPORT >> IT WAS CLEAR THAT THEY 221 00:13:45,892 --> 00:13:46,960 WEREN'T REALLY CONCERNED THEY STILL THOUGHT SHE COULD 222 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:48,595 HAVE BEEN A RUNAWAY. THEY THOUGHT SHE COULD HAVE 223 00:13:48,595 --> 00:13:50,130 JUST, YOU KNOW, BEEN OUT HAVIN' FUN. 224 00:13:50,130 --> 00:13:51,297 >> Reporter: SOON, CAL POLY WAS BUZZING ABOUT THE MISSING 225 00:13:51,297 --> 00:13:57,103 FRESHMAN, AND WHAT HAPPENED AT AN OFF-CAMPUS PARTY. 226 00:13:57,103 --> 00:13:59,739 >> I DIDN'T WANT HIM NEAR HER. I JUST DIDN'T WANT HIM NEAR HER. 227 00:13:59,739 --> 00:14:00,907 I DIDN'T -- I DIDN'T LIKE IT I DIDN'T REALLY WANT HIM NEAR 228 00:14:00,907 --> 00:14:02,909 ANYBODY. >> YOU HAD A BAD FEELING 229 00:14:02,909 --> 00:14:03,109 >> YOU HAD A BAD FEELING >> YEAH. 230 00:14:21,494 --> 00:14:25,165 TERRIBLY SURPRISING THAT A SEARCH FOR A MISSING COLLEGE 231 00:14:25,165 --> 00:14:27,634 STUDENT MIGHT LEAD INVESTIGATORS TO A PARTY 232 00:14:27,634 --> 00:14:32,105 >> ONE OF MY GIRLFRIENDS WAS LIKE, "LET'S GO OUT TONIGHT," 233 00:14:32,105 --> 00:14:35,775 AND WE JUST ENDED UP THERE >> Reporter: LONG AGO 234 00:14:35,775 --> 00:14:39,512 KENDRA KOED WAS HERSELF AN 18-YEAR-OLD COLLEGE STUDENT WHO 235 00:14:39,512 --> 00:14:43,783 HAPPENED TO END UP AT AN OFF-CAMPUS PARTY, HERE, ON THE 236 00:14:43,783 --> 00:14:48,088 EVENING OF FRIDAY MAY 24, 1996 >> IT WAS J -- JUST A PARTY. 237 00:14:48,088 --> 00:14:54,461 I REMEMBER GOING IN AND IT WAS BORING, I GUESS. 238 00:14:54,461 --> 00:14:59,299 IT WAS JUST ME AND MY FRIENDS, SORT OF SITTING OUT IN THE BACK, 239 00:14:59,299 --> 00:15:02,435 TALKING. >> Reporter: KENDRA SAID SHE WAS 240 00:15:02,435 --> 00:15:07,273 WALKING AROUND ASKING IF ANYONE HAD A PIECE OF GUM 241 00:15:07,273 --> 00:15:10,510 REMEMBER, SHE WAS 18 >> I KNOW THAT SOUNDS SO SILLY, 242 00:15:10,510 --> 00:15:14,581 BUT I WAS LOOKING FOR GUM, AND THEN I RAN INTO A GUY WHO SAID, 243 00:15:14,581 --> 00:15:16,916 "YES, I'VE GOT SOME GUM. AND WE STARTED TALKING, AND THEN 244 00:15:16,916 --> 00:15:20,086 AT ONE POINT, WE'RE SORT OF IN THE -- 245 00:15:20,086 --> 00:15:22,756 SORT OF IN THE CENTER OF THE ROOM, AND HE GRABS ME, AND HE 246 00:15:22,756 --> 00:15:25,425 STARTS TO KISS ME. AND IT WAS VERY WEIRD, AND I 247 00:15:25,425 --> 00:15:28,595 TOOK A MINUTE, AND I STEPPED BACK, AND I PUSHED HIM AWAY, BUT 248 00:15:28,595 --> 00:15:31,264 NOT BEFORE SOMEBODY WAS LIKE YELLING IN THE BACKGROUND, "GET 249 00:15:31,264 --> 00:15:33,933 A ROOM." AND I WAS SO EMBARRASSED 250 00:15:33,933 --> 00:15:35,068 >> Reporter: YOU EVER SEEN THIS GUY BEFORE 251 00:15:35,068 --> 00:15:39,839 >> NOPE. I'D NEVER SEEN HIM BEFORE. 252 00:15:39,839 --> 00:15:44,611 >> Reporter: STILL -- SHE WAS DETERMINED TO GET SOME GUM 253 00:15:44,611 --> 00:15:47,247 HE SAID HE HAD SOME IN HIS CAR >> AND I WALKED AROUND TO THE 254 00:15:47,247 --> 00:15:49,949 SIDE OF THE HOUSE, AND THEN HE GRABBED ME AGAIN AND STARTED 255 00:15:49,949 --> 00:15:52,352 KISSIN' ME AGAIN, AND I PUSHED HIM BACK THIS TIME AND I SAID, 256 00:15:52,352 --> 00:15:54,220 "DUDE, NO. I -- NO. 257 00:15:54,220 --> 00:15:56,890 BYE. I'M LEAVING. 258 00:15:56,890 --> 00:15:59,092 AND I WALKED BACK TO WHERE MY FRIENDS WERE, AND IT WAS LIKE, 259 00:15:59,092 --> 00:16:04,297 "THAT GUY IS SO WEIRD. JUST -- HE'S WEIRD." 260 00:16:04,297 --> 00:16:06,032 >> Reporter: TREVOR BOELTER HAD A WEIRD EXPERIENCE OF HIS OWN 261 00:16:06,032 --> 00:16:10,170 THAT NIGHT AT THE CRANDALL WAY PARTY. 262 00:16:10,170 --> 00:16:14,941 HE WAS A SOPHOMORE AT CAL POLY AT THE TIME. 263 00:16:14,941 --> 00:16:18,178 >> THIS VERY TALL, VERY ATTRACTIVE GIRL WEARING SHORTS 264 00:16:18,178 --> 00:16:20,447 AND A T-SHIRT WALKS UP TO ME AND SAYS, "HI, I'M ROXY. 265 00:16:20,447 --> 00:16:25,652 OKAY?" AND I GO, "HI. 266 00:16:25,652 --> 00:16:28,321 >> Reporter: HE DIDN'T KNOW IT, BUT THAT WAS KRISTIN SMART, THE 267 00:16:28,321 --> 00:16:31,524 NEWLY- MINTED ADULT, NOW ROAD-TESTING HER NEW NICKNAME, 268 00:16:31,524 --> 00:16:34,828 ROXY THIS WAS THE PARTY KRISTIN FOUND 269 00:16:34,828 --> 00:16:38,331 AFTER LEAVING HER FRIEND MARGARITA. 270 00:16:38,331 --> 00:16:42,202 TO TREVOR, SHE SEEMED CONFIDENT, FLIRTY 271 00:16:42,202 --> 00:16:45,405 >> SHE GRABS MY HAND AND SHE TAKES ME TO THE BATHROOM 272 00:16:45,405 --> 00:16:46,473 [ LAUGHTER ] OKAY 273 00:16:46,473 --> 00:16:50,210 SO MY HEAD'S SPINNING A LITTLE BIT. 274 00:16:50,210 --> 00:16:51,244 >> Reporter: INSIDE THE BATHROOM THEY TALKED A BIT. 275 00:16:51,244 --> 00:16:52,979 >> AND SHE GOES, "OKAY I HAVE TO USE THE BATHROOM NOW." 276 00:16:52,979 --> 00:16:57,450 I'M LIKE, "OKAY. [ LAUGHTER ] 277 00:16:57,450 --> 00:17:00,387 SO I WALK OUTTA THE BATHROOM >> Reporter: AND THAT'S WHEN HE 278 00:17:00,387 --> 00:17:05,191 SAYS HE HAD ANOTHER STRANGE ENCOUNTER. 279 00:17:05,191 --> 00:17:07,594 >> THIS GUY THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE, LIKE, IS RIGHT IN MY 280 00:17:07,594 --> 00:17:08,728 FACE AND HE'S, LIKE, "WHAT I'D LIKE 281 00:17:08,728 --> 00:17:11,564 TO KNOW IS WHAT YOU DID WITH HER IN THE BATHROOM. 282 00:17:11,564 --> 00:17:13,166 AND I WAS LIKE, "OH GA -- IS THAT HER BOYFRIEND?" 283 00:17:13,166 --> 00:17:15,835 I'M LIKE, "WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO? 284 00:17:15,835 --> 00:17:17,937 YOU KNOW, I'M, LIKE -- I -- LIKE, MY HEAD'S SPINNING 285 00:17:17,937 --> 00:17:20,040 AND I GO, "NOTHING, MAN. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING." 286 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:25,945 AND THEN HE GOES -- LAUGHS, AND HE GOES, "OH COOL. 287 00:17:25,945 --> 00:17:27,847 >> Reporter: KENDRA KOED DID NOT KNOW KRISTIN SMART, BUT SHE 288 00:17:27,847 --> 00:17:31,851 DEFINITELY NOTICED THE TALL YOUNG WOMAN WALK INTO THE PARTY. 289 00:17:31,851 --> 00:17:35,522 AND SHE ALSO REMEMBERS THE MOMENT, LESS THAN AN HOUR LATER, 290 00:17:35,522 --> 00:17:40,860 WHEN SHE SAW HER FALL TO THE FLOOR. 291 00:17:40,860 --> 00:17:43,563 >> FOR WHATEVER REASON, I'M NOT EVEN SURE WHY I DID IT -- I 292 00:17:43,563 --> 00:17:45,632 DIDN'T KNOW HER, BUT I STOOD UP AND I WALKED ACROSS THE ROOM, 293 00:17:45,632 --> 00:17:50,970 AND SHE WAS ON THE GROUND, AND THIS GUY THAT HAD KISSED ME WAS 294 00:17:50,970 --> 00:17:54,207 SORT OF HOVERING OVER HER. >> Reporter: SHE LEARNED THE GUY 295 00:17:54,207 --> 00:17:56,509 WAS NAMED PAUL HE WAS ALSO THE SAME PERSON 296 00:17:56,509 --> 00:17:59,512 WHO'D CONFRONTED TREVOR OUTSIDE OF THE BATHROOM. 297 00:17:59,512 --> 00:18:01,648 >> AND I WAS LIKE, "JUST GO AWAY." 298 00:18:01,648 --> 00:18:06,453 AND ME AND A COUPLE OTHER PEOPLE HELPED PICK HER UP 299 00:18:06,453 --> 00:18:10,557 AND I TOOK HER OUTSIDE SHE HAD A CUP IN HER HAND. 300 00:18:10,557 --> 00:18:11,791 SO HER AND I WENT OUTSIDE, AND WE WENT OUT THE FRONT AND SAT ON 301 00:18:11,791 --> 00:18:14,461 THE PORCH. AND I JUST SORTA SAT WITH HER 302 00:18:14,461 --> 00:18:17,130 FOR A FEW MINUTES. I SAID, "ARE YOU OKAY? 303 00:18:17,130 --> 00:18:20,867 STAY AWAY FROM THAT GUY. >> Reporter: DID SHE SEEM DRUNK? 304 00:18:20,867 --> 00:18:22,402 >> SHE DID SEEM VERY OUT OF IT >> Reporter: DID SHE SMELL LIKE 305 00:18:22,402 --> 00:18:25,638 ALCOHOL? >> I DON'T RECALL. 306 00:18:25,638 --> 00:18:30,477 BUT I DO KNOW THAT WHEN I SAW HER WALK IN, SHE SEEMED OKAY 307 00:18:30,477 --> 00:18:32,112 AND BY THE TIME THAT SHE FELL DOWN AND I PICKED HER UP AND 308 00:18:32,112 --> 00:18:36,883 TOOK HER OUTSIDE, SHE DID NOT SEEM OKAY ANYMORE. 309 00:18:36,883 --> 00:18:39,552 >> Reporter: BY THE EARLY MORNING HOURS, KRISTIN WAS IN 310 00:18:39,552 --> 00:18:44,391 BAD SHAPE. SHE WAS IN THE FRONT YARD AND 311 00:18:44,391 --> 00:18:47,060 SEEMINGLY UNABLE TO STAND UP >> AND I RECOGNIZED HER, 312 00:18:47,060 --> 00:18:50,830 OBVIOUSLY, AS THE GIRL THAT I HAD TRIED TO HELP EARLIER. 313 00:18:50,830 --> 00:18:53,433 AND I ASKED HER IF SHE NEEDED SOMEONE TO WALK HER HOME 314 00:18:53,433 --> 00:18:55,068 >> Reporter: SHE'S LYING DOWN AT THIS POINT 315 00:18:55,068 --> 00:18:56,069 >> SHE'S LYING DOWN, YES >> Reporter: AND SHE SAYS? 316 00:18:56,069 --> 00:18:59,272 >> AND SHE SAYS, "NO, I'VE GOT A RIDE." 317 00:18:59,272 --> 00:19:03,043 AND I'M SURE I SAID, "ARE YOU SURE?" 318 00:19:03,043 --> 00:19:07,914 AND -- EVENTUALLY WE WALKED AWAY 319 00:19:07,914 --> 00:19:10,684 >> Reporter: NO WAY KENDRA COULD KNOW, OF COURSE. 320 00:19:10,684 --> 00:19:14,254 BUT SHE'D BE THINKING ABOUT THAT MOMENT FOR A LONG TIME 321 00:19:14,254 --> 00:19:17,424 >> I SHOULDA DRAGGED HER UP AND WALKED HER HOME. 322 00:19:17,424 --> 00:19:23,263 I JUST WISH I'D DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY. 323 00:19:23,263 --> 00:19:26,466 HINDSIGHT, RIGHT >> Reporter: STORIES ABOUT THAT 324 00:19:26,466 --> 00:19:30,236 PARTY WOULD BE TOLD AGAIN AND AGAIN. 325 00:19:30,236 --> 00:19:33,406 THE QUESTION WAS -- WHO WAS TELLING THE TRUTH? 326 00:19:33,406 --> 00:19:37,077 >> AND HOW DID YOU END UP, UH, WITH ROXY? 327 00:19:37,077 --> 00:19:37,544 WITH ROXY? >> UM, I DON'T EVEN KNOW 328 00:19:55,095 --> 00:19:56,696 WEEKEND WAS OVER STUDENTS AT CAL POLY WERE BACK 329 00:19:56,696 --> 00:20:00,500 ON CAMPUS, AND BACK TO CLASS WORD WAS SPREADING ABOUT A YOUNG 330 00:20:00,500 --> 00:20:04,738 WOMAN WHO HADN'T BEEN SEEN SINCE THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF 331 00:20:04,738 --> 00:20:10,176 SATURDAY, MAY 25 - KRISTIN SMART. 332 00:20:10,176 --> 00:20:12,112 >> IT WAS ABOUT 2:00 A.M. SATURDAY THE MORNING WHEN 333 00:20:12,112 --> 00:20:14,781 KRISTIN SMART, ALSO KNOWN AS ROXY, SAID GOOD NIGHT TO 334 00:20:14,781 --> 00:20:17,450 FRIENDS. NO ONE HAS THE 19-YEAR-OLD 335 00:20:17,450 --> 00:20:21,187 SINCE. >> I THINK I SAW IT ON THE NEWS, 336 00:20:21,187 --> 00:20:24,758 WHERE THIS GIRL KRISTIN WAS MISSING, AND I SAW HER FACE, AND 337 00:20:24,758 --> 00:20:30,764 I WAS LIKE, "OH, MY GOD, THAT'S THE GIRL." 338 00:20:30,764 --> 00:20:31,965 >> Reporter: EVER SINCE THAT PARTY, KENDRA HAD BEEN THINKING 339 00:20:31,965 --> 00:20:33,967 ABOUT HER INTERACTIONS WITH THE YOUNG WOMAN SHE ONLY KNEW AS 340 00:20:33,967 --> 00:20:38,238 ROXY, AND THE GUY SHE KNEW AS PAUL 341 00:20:38,238 --> 00:20:40,874 SHE CALLED CAMPUS POLICE TELL ME ABOUT THAT CALL. 342 00:20:40,874 --> 00:20:43,543 >> I JUST -- I RELAYED THE WHOLE STORY -- 343 00:20:43,543 --> 00:20:44,878 I WAS AT THE PARTY I HAD THIS ENCOUNTER WITH PAUL 344 00:20:44,878 --> 00:20:48,381 AT THE BEGINNING I HAD THIS ENCOUNTER WITH 345 00:20:48,381 --> 00:20:52,652 KRISTIN IN THE DRIVEWAY AND, YOU KNOW, ON THE PORCH, AND SAW PAUL 346 00:20:52,652 --> 00:20:55,321 LEANING OVER HER, AND I -- I TOLD 'EM EVERYTHING. 347 00:20:55,321 --> 00:20:57,457 >> Reporter: YOU TOLD POLICE THAT PAUL SEEMED CREEPY? 348 00:20:57,457 --> 00:20:58,792 >> YES >> Reporter: AND THAT HE TRIED 349 00:20:58,792 --> 00:20:59,592 TO KISS YOU? >> YES 350 00:20:59,592 --> 00:21:00,660 >> Reporter: A COUPLE OF TIMES >> YES 351 00:21:00,660 --> 00:21:02,796 >> Reporter: AND THAT HE'D SHOWN SOME INTEREST IN HER 352 00:21:02,796 --> 00:21:07,067 >> YES >> Reporter: THEIR RESPONSE WAS? 353 00:21:07,067 --> 00:21:08,501 >> "OKAY, WE'LL BE IN TOUCH. >> Reporter: AND HOW LONG UNTIL 354 00:21:08,501 --> 00:21:12,439 THEY WERE IN TOUCH >> NEVER 355 00:21:12,439 --> 00:21:14,574 >> Reporter: MAYBE SHE DIDN'T HEAR BACK BECAUSE CAMPUS POLICE 356 00:21:14,574 --> 00:21:18,411 HAD SPOKEN WITH OTHER STUDENTS FROM THE PARTY 357 00:21:18,411 --> 00:21:25,251 TURNS OUT, KRISTIN DID NOT HAVE A RIDE HOME, AS SHE'D TOLD 358 00:21:25,251 --> 00:21:26,419 KENDRA. APPARENTLY, SHE'D WALKED BACK TO 359 00:21:26,419 --> 00:21:29,522 CAMPUS WITH SOME OTHER PARTYGOERS 360 00:21:29,522 --> 00:21:31,558 ONE OF THEM WAS PAUL FULL NAME, PAUL FLORES, A 361 00:21:31,558 --> 00:21:35,362 CAL POLY FRESHMAN MAJORING IN FOOD SCIENCE 362 00:21:35,362 --> 00:21:39,099 HE'D GROWN UP IN NEARBY ARROYO GRANDE. 363 00:21:39,099 --> 00:21:40,400 >> THANKS FOR COMING DOWN. >> ALL RIGHT 364 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:41,768 NO PROBLEM >> THIS IS -- IT'S NOT A 365 00:21:41,768 --> 00:21:46,006 CRIMINAL MATTER. >> Reporter: CAL POLY POLICE 366 00:21:46,006 --> 00:21:47,674 ASKED PAUL FLORES TO COME IN >> SO, YOU WERE DRINKING -- 367 00:21:47,674 --> 00:21:52,445 LET'S SEE, YOU WERE DRINKING IN THE RESIDENCE HALLS. 368 00:21:52,445 --> 00:21:54,581 >> UH-HUH. >> Reporter: PAUL TOLD POLICE 369 00:21:54,581 --> 00:21:57,183 THE EVENING BEGAN FOR HIM WITH A FEW BEERS IN THE DORM BEFORE THE 370 00:21:57,183 --> 00:21:57,984 PARTY. >> AND HOW DID YOU GET TO THE 371 00:21:57,984 --> 00:21:59,352 PARTY? >> I WALKED THERE. 372 00:21:59,352 --> 00:22:00,954 >> OKAY, WERE YOU FEELING THE EFFECTS OF THE ALCOHOL AT THAT 373 00:22:00,954 --> 00:22:03,089 TIME >> YEAH, I WAS BUZZED PRETTY 374 00:22:03,089 --> 00:22:05,825 GOOD >> Reporter: PAUL SAID THAT AT 375 00:22:05,825 --> 00:22:10,463 THE PARTY, KRISTIN -- A.K.A. ROXY -- 376 00:22:10,463 --> 00:22:12,165 APPROACHED HIM >> LIKE, I TALKED TO HER ONE 377 00:22:12,165 --> 00:22:15,869 TIME AT THE PARTY AND SHE SAID "HI, I'M ROXY. 378 00:22:15,869 --> 00:22:18,071 YOU KNOW, UM, "HOW DO YOU LIKE ME?" OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 379 00:22:18,071 --> 00:22:20,640 >> DID YOU FIND, UH, ROXY ATTRACTIVE 380 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:22,242 >> NAH, NOT REALLY >> HOW COME? 381 00:22:22,242 --> 00:22:24,811 >> SHE WAS DRUNK SHE WAS TALLER THAN ME 382 00:22:24,811 --> 00:22:28,081 >> Reporter: PAUL TOLD THE INVESTIGATORS THAT AFTER THE 383 00:22:28,081 --> 00:22:32,352 PARTY HE AND ANOTHER FEMALE STUDENT WALKED MOST OF THE WAY 384 00:22:32,352 --> 00:22:35,555 BACK TO THE DORMS WITH KRISTIN OTHER STUDENTS SAID THAT WAS 385 00:22:35,555 --> 00:22:37,724 AROUND 2:00 A.M. >> AND HOW DID YOU END UP WITH, 386 00:22:37,724 --> 00:22:40,927 UH, WITH ROXY? >> UM, I DON'T EVEN KNOW 387 00:22:40,927 --> 00:22:42,095 >> OKAY. >> I WAS JUST -- WE WERE JUST 388 00:22:42,095 --> 00:22:44,664 ALL LEAVING AT THE SAME TIME, I GUESS. 389 00:22:44,664 --> 00:22:46,366 >> WHEN YOU WERE WALKING, WERE YOU HELPING HER PHYSICALLY WALK 390 00:22:46,366 --> 00:22:47,934 HOME >> NO. 391 00:22:47,934 --> 00:22:48,902 >> SHE WASN'T LEANING ON YOU OR ANYTHING 392 00:22:48,902 --> 00:22:51,104 >> NUH-UH. SHE -- SHE WAS WALKING JUST 393 00:22:51,104 --> 00:22:53,707 FINE COUPLE TIMES I GAVE HER A HUG 394 00:22:53,707 --> 00:22:55,842 WHEN SHE SAID SHE WAS COLD >> OKAY. 395 00:22:55,842 --> 00:22:57,544 DID SHE SAY ANYTHING WHETHER -- WAS SHE FEELING SICK ON THE WAY 396 00:22:57,544 --> 00:23:00,647 HOME OR ANYTHING >> NO. 397 00:23:00,647 --> 00:23:03,483 >> Reporter: PAUL LIVED IN THE BUILDING RIGHT ACROSS THIS 398 00:23:03,483 --> 00:23:07,587 WALKWAY FROM KRISTIN THE OTHER YOUNG WOMAN LEFT TO GO 399 00:23:07,587 --> 00:23:13,593 HOME, AND PAUL SAID HE AND KRISTIN SPLIT OFF HERE, A FEW 400 00:23:13,593 --> 00:23:15,061 STEPS AWAY FROM HER DORM >> WHERE WAS SHE GOING 401 00:23:15,061 --> 00:23:17,130 WAS SHE WALKING? WAS SHE STANDING STILL 402 00:23:17,130 --> 00:23:20,934 WAS SHE LAYING DOWN? >> SHE WAS WALKING 403 00:23:20,934 --> 00:23:24,671 >> Reporter: HE SAID HE RETURNED TO HIS ROOM, THREW UP FROM TOO 404 00:23:24,671 --> 00:23:29,509 MUCH DRINKING, THEN TOOK A SHOWER AROUND 5:00 A.M 405 00:23:29,509 --> 00:23:30,877 >> SO, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU REALIZE, YOU KNOW, HOW 406 00:23:30,877 --> 00:23:35,582 IMPORTANT THAT THIS INVESTIGATION IS 407 00:23:35,582 --> 00:23:36,916 >> YEAH. >> YEAH. 408 00:23:36,916 --> 00:23:37,917 YOU -- YOU'RE GRASPING THIS? SHE HASN'T SURFACED. 409 00:23:37,917 --> 00:23:40,587 WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY SIGHTINGS OF HER. 410 00:23:40,587 --> 00:23:42,722 UH, AT THIS POINT, YOU'RE THE LAST PERSON THAT SAW HER 411 00:23:42,722 --> 00:23:45,925 >> YEAH. >> Reporter: AS THEY SPOKE, 412 00:23:45,925 --> 00:23:47,527 SOMETHING CAUGHT THE INVESTIGATORS ATTENTION. 413 00:23:47,527 --> 00:23:51,264 >> TAKE YOUR HAT OFF FOR A SECOND, PAUL 414 00:23:51,264 --> 00:23:53,933 [ UNINTELLIGIBLE ] WHAT -- WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR 415 00:23:53,933 --> 00:23:55,535 EYE? >> I GOT ELBOWED PLAYING 416 00:23:55,535 --> 00:23:57,137 BASKETBALL >> Reporter: PAUL FLORES HAD A 417 00:23:57,137 --> 00:23:59,239 BLACK EYE -- A SHINER HE SAID HE GOT ON MEMORIAL DAY, THE MONDAY 418 00:23:59,239 --> 00:24:01,307 AFTER THE PARTY. >> YOU'VE BEEN COMPLETELY HONEST 419 00:24:01,307 --> 00:24:03,510 HERE WITH -- WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE TOLD US? 420 00:24:03,510 --> 00:24:04,577 >> YEAH. YES. 421 00:24:04,577 --> 00:24:05,812 >> OKAY. AS FAR AS YOUR INJURIES AND -- 422 00:24:05,812 --> 00:24:08,281 AND THAT SORT OF THING >> YES 423 00:24:08,281 --> 00:24:12,552 YEAH >> Reporter: AND THAT WAS THAT 424 00:24:12,552 --> 00:24:14,154 PAUL FLORES WAS SENT ON HIS WAY. >> OKAY, PAUL. 425 00:24:14,154 --> 00:24:16,823 THANKS FOR COMING DOWN [ CROSSTALK 426 00:24:16,823 --> 00:24:19,592 I APPRECIATE IT. >> Reporter: WE DON'T KNOW WHAT 427 00:24:19,592 --> 00:24:22,262 CAMPUS POLICE MADE OF PAUL FLORES' STORY 428 00:24:22,262 --> 00:24:24,831 WE DO KNOW THAT THE NEXT TIME HE SAT DOWN WITH INVESTIGATORS, 429 00:24:24,831 --> 00:24:30,136 PAUL FLORES WAS SAYING SOMETHING DIFFERENT. 430 00:24:30,136 --> 00:24:30,737 DIFFERENT. >> YOU LIED TO US THOUGH, RIGHT? 431 00:24:49,956 --> 00:24:53,693 UP FOR SUMMER BREAK. AND LINGERING OVER THOSE LAST 432 00:24:53,693 --> 00:24:57,430 DAYS OF THE SEMESTER WAS A HUGE UNANSWERED QUESTION -- 433 00:24:57,430 --> 00:25:00,600 WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO MISSING FRESHMAN KRISTIN SMART 434 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:03,269 >> WE'D GONE OVER TO OUT AROUND THE CAMPUS TALKING TO PEOPLE 435 00:25:03,269 --> 00:25:05,705 >> Reporter: HER FATHER STAN WAS STILL THERE IN SAN LUIS OBISPO, 436 00:25:05,705 --> 00:25:12,379 EVERY DAY, WALKING THE CAMPUS AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. 437 00:25:12,379 --> 00:25:15,815 HE WASN'T LEAVING WITHOUT HIS DAUGHTER 438 00:25:15,815 --> 00:25:18,251 >> PEOPLE WERE REALLY NICE NO ONE EVER TURNED ME AWAY 439 00:25:18,251 --> 00:25:20,920 IF THERE WAS A LOCKED GATE, THEY WOULD UNLOCK IT AND SAY, "YOU GO 440 00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:23,556 AHEAD AND LOOK YOU KNOW, WE FEEL FOR YA." 441 00:25:23,556 --> 00:25:27,827 >> Reporter: BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION EITHER. 442 00:25:27,827 --> 00:25:30,764 >> THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION, THAT'S RIGHT. 443 00:25:30,764 --> 00:25:33,133 >> Reporter: CAMPUS POLICE WERE TALKING WITH PEOPLE TOO, WITH 444 00:25:33,133 --> 00:25:36,336 SOME HELP FROM SAN LUIS OBISPO D.A. DETECTIVE BILL HANLEY 445 00:25:36,336 --> 00:25:38,471 NEARLY ONE MONTH AFTER KRISTIN DISAPPEARED, HANLEY AND HIS 446 00:25:38,471 --> 00:25:43,810 PARTNER ASKED PAUL FLORES TO COME IN FOR A SECOND INTERVIEW 447 00:25:43,810 --> 00:25:46,479 >> WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED TO ROXY 448 00:25:46,479 --> 00:25:47,647 WHAT'S YOUR BEST -- YOUR BEST GUESS AS TO WHAT HAPPENED TO 449 00:25:47,647 --> 00:25:49,149 HER? >> MY BEST GUESS IS MAYBE SHE -- 450 00:25:49,149 --> 00:25:53,953 NO -- UM, BECAUSE HER DORM WAS BY THE PARKING LOT OVER THERE, 451 00:25:53,953 --> 00:25:59,192 SO THEN -- I WOULD FIGURE, MY BEST GUESS -- IS, UM, GUESS IS 452 00:25:59,192 --> 00:26:03,029 SHE WENT OFF WITH SOMEONE. >> IT WAS CLEAR THAT HE POSSIBLY 453 00:26:03,029 --> 00:26:06,232 WAS THE LAST ONE TO SEE HER. >> OKAY, UH, A STRANGER OR WHAT? 454 00:26:06,232 --> 00:26:08,435 >> I DON'T KNOW. IT COULD'VE BEEN JUST SOMEONE 455 00:26:08,435 --> 00:26:10,036 SHE KNOWS -- SHE KNOWS -- SOMEONE SHE KNOWS MIGHT HAVE 456 00:26:10,036 --> 00:26:13,707 GONE, YOU KNOW "HEY -- HEY, LET'S GO TO TACO BELL OR 457 00:26:13,707 --> 00:26:16,876 SOMETHING. >> Reporter: ONCE AGAIN HE TOLD 458 00:26:16,876 --> 00:26:19,546 THEM ABOUT HIS WALK BACK TO THE DORMS WITH KRISTIN 459 00:26:19,546 --> 00:26:22,716 >> I WENT UP TO MY DORM, BECAUSE THERE'S THE WALKWAY GOES THAT 460 00:26:22,716 --> 00:26:28,621 WAY TOWARDS MY DORM AND THEN SHE STARTED WALKING UP THAT WAY. 461 00:26:28,621 --> 00:26:30,290 >> Reporter: BY NOW, INVESTIGATORS HAD BEEN ASKING 462 00:26:30,290 --> 00:26:31,591 AROUND ABOUT PAUL FLORES REMEMBER, HE SAID HE'D GOTTEN 463 00:26:31,591 --> 00:26:35,595 THAT BLACK EYE AT A BASKETBALL GAME MONDAY. 464 00:26:35,595 --> 00:26:38,231 WELL, A FRIEND TOLD POLICE HE NOTICED IT EARLIER THAT WEEKEND. 465 00:26:38,231 --> 00:26:41,434 >> LAST TIME WE TALKED TO YOU, YOU HAD A BLACK EYE. 466 00:26:41,434 --> 00:26:43,570 AND WHAT DID YOU TELL US >> I TOLD YOU I GOT IT PLAYING 467 00:26:43,570 --> 00:26:46,773 BASKETBALL >> Reporter: INVESTIGATORS KNEW 468 00:26:46,773 --> 00:26:51,077 HE WAS LYING AND NOW CAME A DIFFERENT STORY 469 00:26:51,077 --> 00:26:53,313 >> AND WHERE DID YOU GET IT? >> IN MY CAR 470 00:26:53,313 --> 00:26:55,281 'CAUSE I WAS, UM, UNINSTALLING MY RADIO, 'CAUSE I'M SELLING MY 471 00:26:55,281 --> 00:26:56,616 TRUCK. >> AND HOW DID YOU GET THE BLACK 472 00:26:56,616 --> 00:26:59,552 EYE? >> I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. 473 00:26:59,552 --> 00:27:02,255 >> WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US THAT >> BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE 474 00:27:02,255 --> 00:27:05,458 A VERY LIKELY THING. >> YOU LIED TO US THOUGH, RIGHT? 475 00:27:05,458 --> 00:27:08,128 >> WELL, I GUESS YOU CAN CALL IT A LITTLE WHITE LIE BUT - 476 00:27:08,128 --> 00:27:10,263 >> HOW YOU GOT YOUR BLACK EYE IS A WHITE LIE? 477 00:27:10,263 --> 00:27:12,365 >> YUP >> Reporter: SO WHAT'S GOING ON 478 00:27:12,365 --> 00:27:16,102 HERE THIS IS A GUY COVERING HIS 479 00:27:16,102 --> 00:27:19,305 TRACKS >> YES 480 00:27:19,305 --> 00:27:23,043 >> Reporter: AND NOT VERY EFFECTIVELY BECAUSE YOU SMELL 481 00:27:23,043 --> 00:27:27,814 IT >> HE SHOWED VISIBLE SIGNS OF 482 00:27:27,814 --> 00:27:31,551 BEING NERVOUS. HE HAD A WHITE T-SHIRT ON. 483 00:27:31,551 --> 00:27:32,585 HE KIND OF PUT HIS ARMS INSIDE OF THE SHIRT SLEEVES 484 00:27:32,585 --> 00:27:33,720 >> RELAX, YOU'RE GONNA RIP YOUR T-SHIRT UP 485 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:34,754 >> NO, I'M -- I'M JUST -- GOT AN ITCH 486 00:27:34,754 --> 00:27:35,755 >> OH, ALL RIGHT >> Reporter: LIKE HE'S 487 00:27:35,755 --> 00:27:36,890 PROTECTING HIMSELF >> THAT'S CORRECT. 488 00:27:36,890 --> 00:27:41,695 >> Reporter: SUSPICIOUS, YES ENOUGH FOR AN ARREST 489 00:27:41,695 --> 00:27:44,931 NOT CLOSE. >> WELL, WE KNOW HE'S NOT BEING 490 00:27:44,931 --> 00:27:49,135 TRUTHFUL THAT, WE'RE POSITIVE OF. 491 00:27:49,135 --> 00:27:50,203 AND THAT WAS THE FRUSTRATING THING. 492 00:27:50,203 --> 00:27:52,439 >> Reporter: IN FACT, ONE DAY AFTER THIS INTERVIEW, THE CAMPUS 493 00:27:52,439 --> 00:27:56,076 NEWSPAPER "THE MUSTANG" PUT IT BLUNTLY -- 494 00:27:56,076 --> 00:28:00,347 "INVESTIGATORS, PARENTS REMAIN CLUELESS ABOUT MISSING POLY 495 00:28:00,347 --> 00:28:04,084 STUDENT. THE NEWSPAPER EVEN QUOTED CAMPUS 496 00:28:04,084 --> 00:28:08,254 POLICE AS SAYING, "THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY CRIMINAL 497 00:28:08,254 --> 00:28:11,558 ACTIVITY IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE SHE WAS THE 498 00:28:11,558 --> 00:28:15,128 VICTIM OF A CRIME. A STRANGE COMMENT, GIVEN THAT 499 00:28:15,128 --> 00:28:16,896 CAL POLY P.D. THEN HANDED OVER THE CASE TO THE SAN LUIS OBISPO 500 00:28:16,896 --> 00:28:21,668 COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. 501 00:28:21,668 --> 00:28:27,540 THAT WAS NEARLY ONE MONTH AFTER KRISTIN DISAPPEARED. 502 00:28:27,540 --> 00:28:30,744 >> I FIND IT UNFORTUNATE THAT THEY DIDN'T REACH OUT FOR SOME 503 00:28:30,744 --> 00:28:35,048 ADDITIONAL HELP. THE INVESTIGATION DEFINITELY GOT 504 00:28:35,048 --> 00:28:36,716 OFF TO A SLOW START. >> Reporter: PAT HEDGES WAS A 505 00:28:36,716 --> 00:28:39,819 COMMANDER IN THE SHERIFF'S PATROL DIVISION BACK IN 1996 506 00:28:39,819 --> 00:28:42,489 HE WAS NOT ASSIGNED TO THE CASE AT THE TIME. 507 00:28:42,489 --> 00:28:45,825 HE IS FAMILIAR WITH THE INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED BY 508 00:28:45,825 --> 00:28:49,963 CAL POLY P.D., AND THE CRITICISMS THAT FOLLOWED IT. 509 00:28:49,963 --> 00:28:53,700 >> WHEN WE ASSUMED THE -- THE INVESTIGATION 30 DAYS LATER, WE 510 00:28:53,700 --> 00:28:56,336 WEREN'T ABLE TO JUST START IT AT SQUARE -- SQUARE ONE 511 00:28:56,336 --> 00:29:01,174 WE WERE, LIKE, IN A NEGATIVE NUMBER 512 00:29:01,174 --> 00:29:04,911 >> Reporter: CAMPUS POLICE DID LOOK AROUND PAUL FLORES' DORM 513 00:29:04,911 --> 00:29:10,283 ROOM EARLY ON. WHAT THEY DIDN'T DO WAS TAKE ANY 514 00:29:10,283 --> 00:29:14,054 PHOTOS, SEIZE ANY EVIDENCE -- NOTHING THAT COULD BE TESTED FOR 515 00:29:14,054 --> 00:29:18,258 BLOOD OR DNA, OR SOME TRACE THAT KRISTIN HAD EVER BEEN THERE. 516 00:29:18,258 --> 00:29:21,428 AND BY THE TIME THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT TOOK OVER THE CASE, 517 00:29:21,428 --> 00:29:24,097 STUDENTS HAD MOVED OUT FOR THE SUMMER AND THE DORM HAD BEEN 518 00:29:24,097 --> 00:29:27,300 THOROUGHLY CLEANED >> ALL THE DORM ROOMS HAD BEEN 519 00:29:27,300 --> 00:29:29,402 SANITIZED. SO WE -- WE WERE AT A BIT -- BIT 520 00:29:29,402 --> 00:29:31,037 OF A DISADVANTAGE ON THAT. >> Reporter: BECAUSE THAT MIGHT 521 00:29:31,037 --> 00:29:34,240 BE YOUR CRIME SCENE. >> MOST LIKELY 522 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:36,476 EVERYTHING INDICATED THAT THAT WAS AT LEAST A SIGNIFICANT 523 00:29:36,476 --> 00:29:39,045 SCENE. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN OTHERS 524 00:29:39,045 --> 00:29:42,749 BUT -- THAT WOULDA BEEN A PLACE TO START 525 00:29:42,749 --> 00:29:45,051 >> Reporter: KRISTIN'S FAMILY SAYS CAMPUS POLICE NEVER SHOULD 526 00:29:45,051 --> 00:29:49,322 HAVE BEEN IN CHARGE OF SUCH A SERIOUS INVESTIGATION TO BEGIN 527 00:29:49,322 --> 00:29:51,424 WITH >> THEY HAD BACKGROUND IN IF YOU 528 00:29:51,424 --> 00:29:53,960 WERE DOUBLE-PARKED, OR YOU WERE DRINKING AND UNDERAGE -- 529 00:29:53,960 --> 00:29:56,663 >> Reporter: OR YOUR BICYCLE GOT STOLEN 530 00:29:56,663 --> 00:29:58,264 >> RIGHT >> Reporter: AND THERE WAS 531 00:29:58,264 --> 00:30:01,101 SOMETHING ELSE FROM THE START, SOME OF THOSE 532 00:30:01,101 --> 00:30:05,171 INTERVIEWED -- INCLUDING KRISTIN'S FRIEND MARGARITA -- 533 00:30:05,171 --> 00:30:09,442 REMEMBER CAMPUS POLICE FOCUSING ON WHAT KRISTIN WORE, AND WHAT 534 00:30:09,442 --> 00:30:11,044 SHE DRANK. >> SO CAMPUS POLICE WERE ASKING 535 00:30:11,044 --> 00:30:13,713 US, LIKE, "HOW MUCH DID SHE DRINK? 536 00:30:13,713 --> 00:30:18,084 DID SHE DRINK EVERY NIGHT? YOU KNOW, SORT OF PERSONALITY 537 00:30:18,084 --> 00:30:21,654 PROFILING HER. >> Reporter: THEY ALSO WANTED TO 538 00:30:21,654 --> 00:30:26,626 KNOW ABOUT KRISTIN'S SEX LIFE. >> THE TYPE OF QUESTIONS THAT 539 00:30:26,626 --> 00:30:28,595 THEY WOULD ASK ME WERE, LIKE, REALLY EXPLICIT IN RELATION TO 540 00:30:28,595 --> 00:30:32,365 SEX. >> Reporter: WE LOOKED AT THE 541 00:30:32,365 --> 00:30:36,636 FIRST AUDIO INTERVIEW WITH PAUL FLORES, JUST A FEW DAYS 542 00:30:36,636 --> 00:30:40,874 INTO THE INVESTIGATION THE UNREDACTED TRANSCRIPT SHOWS 543 00:30:40,874 --> 00:30:44,644 CAMPUS POLICE CALLING KRISTIN "PROMISCUOUS" OR "MASSIVELY 544 00:30:44,644 --> 00:30:48,915 PROMISCUOUS" THREE TIMES AN INTERROGATION TECHNIQUE 545 00:30:48,915 --> 00:30:52,118 MAYBE. BUT THERE'S NO REASON TO TALK 546 00:30:52,118 --> 00:30:54,254 THAT WAY TO KRISTIN'S FRIEND >> I REMEMBER ONE OF THE CAMPUS 547 00:30:54,254 --> 00:30:57,957 POLICE WAS LIKE, "OH, WELL, SHE WAS SEXUALLY PROMISCUOUS." 548 00:30:57,957 --> 00:31:05,198 >> THE CAL POLY POLICE TOOK ME ASIDE AND SAID, "YOU KNOW, YOUR 549 00:31:05,198 --> 00:31:10,470 DAUGHTER WAS DOING SOME THINGS THAT WOULD PUT HER AT RISK." 550 00:31:10,470 --> 00:31:14,908 AND THAT SHE'D GONE TO A PARTY AND SHE HAD DRANK ALCOHOL, LIKE 551 00:31:14,908 --> 00:31:16,643 THAT WAS UNUSUAL FOR COLLEGE KIDS TO GO TO A PARTY AND DRINK 552 00:31:16,643 --> 00:31:22,515 ALCOHOL, AND THAT SHE WAS SCANTILY DRESSED 553 00:31:22,515 --> 00:31:25,185 AND I LISTENED TO ALL THIS AND -- AND HE WAS PORTRAYING TO 554 00:31:25,185 --> 00:31:27,854 ME THAT OUR DAUGHTER DISAPPEARED, AND IF SHE WAS 555 00:31:27,854 --> 00:31:30,523 DEAD, SHE'D BROUGHT IT ONTO HERSELF, WHICH WAS TOTALLY 556 00:31:30,523 --> 00:31:32,659 WRONG. >> Reporter: I MEAN, YOU THINK 557 00:31:32,659 --> 00:31:34,794 THEY -- YOU THINK THEY WOULD HAVE WORKED ON IT DIFFERENTLY IF 558 00:31:34,794 --> 00:31:37,597 SHE'D, YOU KNOW, BEEN COMING BACK FROM THE LIBRARY AND NEVER 559 00:31:37,597 --> 00:31:41,167 HAD ANY BOYFRIENDS, AND, YOU KNOW, WAS WEARING A HAZMAT SUIT? 560 00:31:41,167 --> 00:31:42,802 >> WELL, I -- IT WOULD'VE BEEN -- DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE 561 00:31:42,802 --> 00:31:44,871 BEEN DIFFERENT, BECAUSE IT WAS A DIFFERENT ERA. 562 00:31:44,871 --> 00:31:49,676 AND THERE WAS A LOT OF VICTIM SHAMING. 563 00:31:49,676 --> 00:31:54,481 AND IT'S, LIKE, WOMEN GET WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY'RE ASKING 564 00:31:54,481 --> 00:31:58,752 FOR. >> Reporter: NOW, ONE MONTH IN, 565 00:31:58,752 --> 00:32:00,887 THE CASE WAS IN NEW HANDS. AND WITH SOME NEW SNIFFING 566 00:32:00,887 --> 00:32:05,692 AROUND, THEY WERE ABOUT TO DISCOVER SOMETHING HUGE. 567 00:32:05,692 --> 00:32:09,929 >> THESE DOGS INDICATED THERE HAD BEEN AN -- A DECEASED 568 00:32:09,929 --> 00:32:10,330 HAD BEEN AN -- A DECEASED PERSON, IN THAT ROOM 569 00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:31,351 HEARTBROKEN OVER HER MISSING FRIEND AND DORMMATE 570 00:32:31,351 --> 00:32:35,622 KRISTIN SMART. SHE WAS REPLAYING MEMORIES WHEN 571 00:32:35,622 --> 00:32:40,960 IT HIT HER THAT PARTY ON CRANDALL WAY WAS 572 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:45,799 NOT THE FIRST TIME KRISTIN EVER MET PAUL FLORES. 573 00:32:45,799 --> 00:32:46,966 >> WE WERE AT A PARTY, AND I JUST REMEMBER LOOKING OVER AND 574 00:32:46,966 --> 00:32:47,967 SEEING THIS GUY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, BEHIND STARING 575 00:32:47,967 --> 00:32:49,636 >> Reporter: STARING AT KRISTIN? >> STARING AT KRISTIN. 576 00:32:49,636 --> 00:32:52,172 IT WAS JUST A KINDA VERY SERIOUS, KIND OF INTENSE AND 577 00:32:52,172 --> 00:32:54,307 DIRECT, YOU KNOW, JUST KINDA STARING. 578 00:32:54,307 --> 00:32:58,211 >> Reporter: NOW SHE SAYS THAT MEMORY GAVE HER CHILLS 579 00:32:58,211 --> 00:33:01,247 THEN YOU SAW HIM AGAIN >> ANOTHER PARTY, YEAH 580 00:33:01,247 --> 00:33:03,917 ABOUT A FEW WEEKS LATER. HE ACTUALLY CAME UP TO US, AND 581 00:33:03,917 --> 00:33:06,586 THAT'S WHEN HE INTRODUCED HIMSELF AND TALKED TO HER. 582 00:33:06,586 --> 00:33:07,687 >> Reporter: WHAT DID HE SAY WHEN HE TALKED TO YOU GUYS 583 00:33:07,687 --> 00:33:09,789 >> YOU COULD JUST TELL HE WAS, LIKE, KIND OF NERVOUS, BUT YET 584 00:33:09,789 --> 00:33:11,925 HE HAD THIS LITTLE CONFIDENCE TO COME UP TO HER 585 00:33:11,925 --> 00:33:13,126 I WAS KIND OF SURPRISED THAT HE THOUGHT HE HAD A CHANCE WITH 586 00:33:13,126 --> 00:33:14,594 HER, 'CAUSE SHE WAS A REALLY BEAUTIFUL GIRL 587 00:33:14,594 --> 00:33:19,399 AND, YOU KNOW, HE JUST WASN'T HER TYPE 588 00:33:19,399 --> 00:33:22,602 >> Reporter: THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WAS NOW PLAYING SERIOUS 589 00:33:22,602 --> 00:33:26,339 CATCH-UP ON AN INVESTIGATION THEY'D INHERITED FROM CAMPUS 590 00:33:26,339 --> 00:33:28,141 POLICE ARE YOU OPERATING UNDER THE 591 00:33:28,141 --> 00:33:30,577 PRESUMPTION THAT SHE'S NO LONGER ALIVE? 592 00:33:30,577 --> 00:33:35,749 >> I WOULD SAY THAT WOULD BE A SAFE ASSUMPTION. 593 00:33:35,749 --> 00:33:39,085 >> Reporter: EVEN THOUGH PAUL FLORES HAD MOVED OUT, HIS 594 00:33:39,085 --> 00:33:44,457 DORM ROOM CLEANED, DETECTIVES DECIDED TO GO BACK IN, THIS TIME 595 00:33:44,457 --> 00:33:48,728 WITH CADAVER DOGS. OUT OF THE 113 ROOMS IN SANTA 596 00:33:48,728 --> 00:33:54,100 LUCIA HALL, ALL 4 DOGS DETECTED HUMAN DECOMPOSITION IN THE SAME 597 00:33:54,100 --> 00:34:00,440 PLACE -- THE NOW VACANT ROOM OF PAUL FLORES. 598 00:34:00,440 --> 00:34:04,911 THAT WAS PROGRESS. JUST NOT ENOUGH. 599 00:34:04,911 --> 00:34:06,946 THAT IN OF ITSELF IS NOT -- THAT'S NOT ENOUGH TO GO FORWARD. 600 00:34:06,946 --> 00:34:11,651 YOU CAN'T ARREST ANYBODY ON THE BASIS OF THAT? 601 00:34:11,651 --> 00:34:13,887 >> WELL, NO, NOT REALLY. IT INDICATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN 602 00:34:13,887 --> 00:34:17,057 A SITUATION THERE AT SOME POINT IN TIME. 603 00:34:17,057 --> 00:34:22,328 IT DOESN'T GIVE ENOUGH FOR THE PROSECUTORS TO PROSECUTE A CASE. 604 00:34:22,328 --> 00:34:30,337 >> Reporter: IT WAS ALL QUITE PROVOCATIVE. 605 00:34:30,337 --> 00:34:35,141 BUT WHERE WAS KRISTIN? >> TEAM NUMBER THREE BEHIND THE 606 00:34:35,141 --> 00:34:37,777 SQUAD LEADER WITH HIS HAND UP, PLEASE 607 00:34:37,777 --> 00:34:39,179 >> Reporter: HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS SEARCHED THE CAL POLY 608 00:34:39,179 --> 00:34:39,979 CAMPUS AND ITS SURROUNDING HILLSIDES. 609 00:34:39,979 --> 00:34:41,247 >> KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE GROUND. YOU'RE LOOKING FOR ANYTHING THAT 610 00:34:41,247 --> 00:34:43,083 LOOKS OUT OF PLACE >> Reporter: THE SMART FAMILY 611 00:34:43,083 --> 00:34:47,887 MET WITH LOCAL POLITICIANS, ASKING FOR MORE TO BE DONE 612 00:34:47,887 --> 00:34:49,489 AND AT ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS, SOMEONE TRIED TO OFFER DENISE 613 00:34:49,489 --> 00:34:52,359 SMART SOME ADVICE. >> HE SAID, "MRS. SMART" -- HE 614 00:34:52,359 --> 00:34:55,829 SAID, "THIS PERPETRATOR TOOK YOUR DAUGHTER'S LIFE 615 00:34:55,829 --> 00:35:01,134 DON'T LET HIM TAKE ANOTHER LIFE. DON'T LET HIM TAKE YOUR HUSBAND. 616 00:35:01,134 --> 00:35:03,803 DON'T LET HIM TAKE YOUR CHILDREN 617 00:35:03,803 --> 00:35:07,540 BE PRESENT FOR YOUR CHILDREN AND YOUR HUSBAND." 618 00:35:07,540 --> 00:35:13,413 AND I WAS SO INFURIATED WITH HIM. 619 00:35:13,413 --> 00:35:16,649 HOW DARE HE TELL ME THAT MY DAUGHTER HAD DIED? 620 00:35:16,649 --> 00:35:17,784 >> Reporter: RIGHT, WE'RE -- WE'RE STILL LOOKIN' FOR HER. 621 00:35:17,784 --> 00:35:22,489 >> YEAH, IT -- WE'RE 30 DAYS IN, AND WE'VE NOT GIVEN UP 622 00:35:22,489 --> 00:35:25,658 AND WE'RE GOING TO FIND HER. AND I WAS SO MAD AT HIM AND 623 00:35:25,658 --> 00:35:28,862 UPSET. >> Reporter: BY THIS TIME, 624 00:35:28,862 --> 00:35:33,133 PAUL FLORES HAD STOPPED TALKING WITH POLICE. 625 00:35:33,133 --> 00:35:35,268 HE ENDED UP DROPPING OUT OF CAL POLY AND MOVING BACK HOME. 626 00:35:35,268 --> 00:35:40,073 DENISE SMART KNEW FLORES WAS THE LAST PERSON SEEN WITH HER 627 00:35:40,073 --> 00:35:43,777 DAUGHTER NOW HER DESPERATION LED HER TO 628 00:35:43,777 --> 00:35:48,381 DO SOMETHING UNUSUAL SHE DECIDED TO REACH OUT TO 629 00:35:48,381 --> 00:35:52,852 PAUL'S MOTHER SUSAN, MOM TO MOM, WITH A CAMPAIGN TO PRESENT THE 630 00:35:52,852 --> 00:35:57,624 STORY OF HER DAUGHTER'S LIFE >> I NEED TO SEND THEIR FAMILY, 631 00:35:57,624 --> 00:36:01,361 "THIS IS WHO KRISTIN IS. SO I MADE SEVERAL PAGES OF 632 00:36:01,361 --> 00:36:03,496 PICTURES OF KRISTIN THAT, "THIS IS WHO WE'RE MISSING AND THAT WE 633 00:36:03,496 --> 00:36:06,166 WOULD LOVE TO HAVE." COULD THEY PLEASE HELP US? 634 00:36:06,166 --> 00:36:08,301 >> Reporter: AND SO YOU SEND ALL THIS TO THE FLORES FAMILY? 635 00:36:08,301 --> 00:36:11,037 >> YEAH. AND IT WAS RETURNED. 636 00:36:11,037 --> 00:36:14,207 SHE SENT IT BACK SHE SAID, "WE HAVE OUR OWN 637 00:36:14,207 --> 00:36:19,045 PICTURES," WHICH TELLS ME SHE OPENED IT AND THEN SEALED IT AND 638 00:36:19,045 --> 00:36:21,147 THEN SENT IT BACK. >> Reporter: STAN SMART DROVE TO 639 00:36:21,147 --> 00:36:23,249 THE FLORES HOME IN ARROYO GRANDE TO TRY TO SPEAK WITH PAUL'S 640 00:36:23,249 --> 00:36:26,720 FATHER, RUBEN. >> SO I DROVE UP THERE, AND 641 00:36:26,720 --> 00:36:31,791 THERE WAS A FELLA OUT IN THE FRONT. 642 00:36:31,791 --> 00:36:34,461 AND I REMEMBER STEPPING OUT OF MY TRUCK AND INTRODUCING WHO I 643 00:36:34,461 --> 00:36:36,563 WAS. AND HE DIDN'T WANNA TALK 644 00:36:36,563 --> 00:36:38,198 >> Reporter: THAT WAS -- THAT WAS RUBEN? 645 00:36:38,198 --> 00:36:39,599 >> THAT WAS RUBEN. >> Reporter: AND YOU SAID, "I'M 646 00:36:39,599 --> 00:36:42,969 STAN SMART, AND I'M LOOKING FOR MY DAUGHTER. 647 00:36:42,969 --> 00:36:46,206 >> YEAH, YEAH. "I'D LIKE TO TALK. 648 00:36:46,206 --> 00:36:49,943 HE DID NOT WANNA TALK. HE INDICATED THAT I SHOULD LEAVE 649 00:36:49,943 --> 00:36:54,714 OR SOMEONE'S HAVE TO GET SHOT. WELL, THAT'S SILLY TALK, 650 00:36:54,714 --> 00:36:57,384 IMMATURE TALK. SO I GOT BACK IN MY VEHICLE AND 651 00:36:57,384 --> 00:37:08,661 I LEFT >> Reporter: RUBEN FLORES DENIES 652 00:37:08,661 --> 00:37:09,829 SAYING THAT TO STAN. STAN AND DENISE SAY THE ATTITUDE 653 00:37:09,829 --> 00:37:10,930 OF THE FLORES FAMILY WAS ALL ABOUT PROTECTING THEIR SON 654 00:37:10,930 --> 00:37:17,137 AND THEN IT WAS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND AGAIN. 655 00:37:17,137 --> 00:37:19,572 ONE YEAR HAD GONE BY >> SO BY MAY 1997, THEY REALLY 656 00:37:19,572 --> 00:37:25,145 HADN'T MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS IN THE INVESTIGATION. 657 00:37:25,145 --> 00:37:29,382 >> Reporter: CHLOE JONES IS THE COURTS AND CRIME REPORTER FOR 658 00:37:29,382 --> 00:37:32,585 "THE SAN LUIS OBISPO TRIBUNE." >> ALL THEY HAD AT THE TIME WERE 659 00:37:32,585 --> 00:37:35,789 THE CADAVER DOG ALERTS AND EVIDENCE THAT PAUL FLORES LIED 660 00:37:35,789 --> 00:37:40,060 ABOUT HAVING A BLACK EYE >> Reporter: ON THE ANNIVERSARY 661 00:37:40,060 --> 00:37:43,797 OF HER DISAPPEARANCE, THE SHERIFF SHOWED HIS HAND, AND IT 662 00:37:43,797 --> 00:37:46,466 LOOKED LIKE A LOSING ONE >> ED WILLIAMS, THE SHERIFF AT 663 00:37:46,466 --> 00:37:49,869 THE TIME, TOLD "THE TRIBUNE" THAT THEY HAD NO OTHER SUSPECTS 664 00:37:49,869 --> 00:37:51,237 IN THE CASE AND THAT ALL ROADS LED TO PAUL FLORES, AND THEY 665 00:37:51,237 --> 00:37:55,075 NEEDED PAUL FLORES TO TELL THEM WHAT HAPPENED. 666 00:37:55,075 --> 00:37:56,643 THAT'S PRETTY MUCH LIKE A MEMO TO PAUL FLORES SAYING, "IF YOU 667 00:37:56,643 --> 00:37:59,279 KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT." 668 00:37:59,279 --> 00:38:00,847 >> IT'S LIKE, "WHAT ARE YOU SAYING 669 00:38:00,847 --> 00:38:03,049 DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?" 670 00:38:03,049 --> 00:38:06,219 >> THAT WAS IN THE NEWSPAPER >> YOU ARE TELLING US HE IS THE 671 00:38:06,219 --> 00:38:09,923 SUSPECT, AND IF THE SUSPECT DOESN'T TALK, THEN THE CASE 672 00:38:09,923 --> 00:38:14,194 ISN'T SOLVED >> Reporter: PAUL FLORES 673 00:38:14,194 --> 00:38:16,329 CONTINUED TO KEEP QUIET. THE SMARTS, HOWEVER, WERE 674 00:38:16,329 --> 00:38:20,066 FIGURING OUT WAYS TO GET HIM TO TALK 675 00:38:20,066 --> 00:38:22,202 >> COULD YOU PROVIDE ME WITH THE NAMES OF THE PERSONS WITH WHOM 676 00:38:22,202 --> 00:38:26,339 YOU HAVE DISCUSSED THE KRISTIN SMART CASE 677 00:38:43,890 --> 00:38:46,726 1997, KRISTIN SMART HAD BEEN MISSING FOR NEARLY A YEAR AND A 678 00:38:46,726 --> 00:38:49,396 HALF SHE'D LAST BEEN SEEN WALKING OFF 679 00:38:49,396 --> 00:38:53,133 INTO THE NIGHT WITH HER CLASSMATE, PAUL FLORES 680 00:38:53,133 --> 00:38:56,336 THE SMART FAMILY, INITIALLY FRUSTRATED BY CAMPUS POLICE, 681 00:38:56,336 --> 00:39:02,742 WERE NOW LOSING FAITH IN THE NEXT TEAM OF INVESTIGATORS 682 00:39:02,742 --> 00:39:08,882 >> WHEN IT WENT TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, WE WERE VERY HOPEFUL 683 00:39:08,882 --> 00:39:11,317 THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARD AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE 684 00:39:11,317 --> 00:39:16,056 ANSWERS. BUT THAT WAS SHORT-LIVED 685 00:39:16,056 --> 00:39:20,894 >> Reporter: ONCE AGAIN, THE SMART FAMILY TOOK MATTERS INTO 686 00:39:20,894 --> 00:39:23,029 THEIR OWN HANDS. WHY'D YOU FILE A WRONGFUL DEATH 687 00:39:23,029 --> 00:39:25,699 LAWSUIT? >> TO SOLICIT INFORMATION, 688 00:39:25,699 --> 00:39:29,436 BECAUSE WE WEREN'T GETTING ANY INFORMATION. 689 00:39:29,436 --> 00:39:33,907 >> Reporter: IN A CIVIL CASE, THEIR ATTORNEY COULD DO WHAT 690 00:39:33,907 --> 00:39:36,876 DETECTIVES COULD NOT -- QUESTION PAUL FLORES. 691 00:39:36,876 --> 00:39:40,613 NOT IN AN INTERROGATION, BUT IN A VIDEOTAPED DEPOSITION. 692 00:39:40,613 --> 00:39:43,817 >> COULD YOU PROVIDE ME WITH THE NAMES OF THE PERSONS WITH WHOM 693 00:39:43,817 --> 00:39:49,122 YOU HAVE DISCUSSED THE KRISTIN SMART CASE 694 00:39:49,122 --> 00:39:51,057 >> WELL, SORT OF ON THE ADVICE OF MY ATTORNEY, I 695 00:39:51,057 --> 00:39:53,393 REFUSE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION BASED ON THE FIFTH AMENDMENT -- 696 00:39:53,393 --> 00:39:58,198 FIFTH AMENDMENT -- THE FIFTH AMENDMENT -- FIFTH AMENDMENT 697 00:39:58,198 --> 00:40:02,502 >> Reporter: THAT'S HOW HE ANSWERED NEARLY EVERY QUESTION, 698 00:40:02,502 --> 00:40:04,771 TAKING THE FIFTH, PERHAPS KNOWING THIS CIVIL DEPOSITION 699 00:40:04,771 --> 00:40:09,476 COULD LATER BE USED BY CRIMINAL PROSECUTORS. 700 00:40:09,476 --> 00:40:10,310 >> -- OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION 701 00:40:10,310 --> 00:40:12,078 >> WENT BACK TO THE HOUSE -- >> Reporter: THE ATTORNEY FOR 702 00:40:12,078 --> 00:40:15,815 THE SMARTS ALSO DEPOSED PAUL FLORES'S FATHER, RUBEN 703 00:40:15,815 --> 00:40:21,688 >> HAS YOUR SON EVER TOLD YOU THAT HE DID NOT KILL 704 00:40:21,688 --> 00:40:26,493 KRISTIN SMART? >> WELL, I NEVER ASKED THAT 705 00:40:26,493 --> 00:40:29,129 QUESTION >> Reporter: PAUL'S DAD WAS 706 00:40:29,129 --> 00:40:31,264 QUESTIONED BECAUSE INVESTIGATORS BELIEVED KRISTIN'S MURDER 707 00:40:31,264 --> 00:40:36,603 HAPPENED IN PAUL'S DORM ROOM AND HER BODY WAS MOVED AFTER THAT. 708 00:40:36,603 --> 00:40:38,772 WAS THERE A LAW ENFORCEMENT THEORY OF HOW HE GOT HER BODY 709 00:40:38,772 --> 00:40:44,077 OUT OF THE DORM AND WHAT HE MIGHT'VE DONE WITH IT? 710 00:40:44,077 --> 00:40:49,416 >> THERE WERE SEVERAL THEORIES ONE THAT -- THAT HE HAD HELP 711 00:40:49,416 --> 00:40:53,053 TAKIN' HER FROM THE COLLEGE. >> Reporter: PAUL DID NOT HAVE A 712 00:40:53,053 --> 00:40:56,856 CAR ON CAMPUS, AND THE MORNING AFTER THAT PARTY, HE MADE ONE 713 00:40:56,856 --> 00:41:02,195 PHONE CALL -- TO HIS PARENTS' HOUSE. 714 00:41:02,195 --> 00:41:03,530 INVESTIGATORS AND THE SMARTS SUSPECTED HIS FAMILY WAS 715 00:41:03,530 --> 00:41:08,802 INVOLVED IN HELPING PAUL COVER UP THE MURDER. 716 00:41:08,802 --> 00:41:10,670 >> DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION WHATSOEVER AS TO WHERE 717 00:41:10,670 --> 00:41:13,907 KRISTIN SMART'S BODY MAY BE? >> NOPE. 718 00:41:13,907 --> 00:41:16,076 >> Reporter: THE DEPOSITIONS PROVIDED A LOT TO INTERPRET, BUT 719 00:41:16,076 --> 00:41:18,712 NOT HARD EVIDENCE. THE FAMILY DECIDED TO PUT THEIR 720 00:41:18,712 --> 00:41:22,482 LAWSUIT ON HOLD. THEY TRIED SOMETHING ELSE. 721 00:41:22,482 --> 00:41:27,287 ABOUT A MILE FROM THE FLORES HOME, THE SMART'S LAWYER PUT UP 722 00:41:27,287 --> 00:41:31,091 A BILLBOARD OFFERING A REWARD FOR THE MISSING CAL POLY 723 00:41:31,091 --> 00:41:35,261 STUDENT. AND THEN YEARS WENT BY, AND WITH 724 00:41:35,261 --> 00:41:40,100 THEM THE ANSWERS THE SMART FAMILY SOUGHT SEEMED TO SLIP 725 00:41:40,100 --> 00:41:44,337 AWAY I HAVE SEEN COUPLES DRIVEN APART 726 00:41:44,337 --> 00:41:49,142 BY SOMETHING LIKE THIS IT CAN RUIN A MARRIAGE 727 00:41:49,142 --> 00:41:52,912 IT CAN WRECK A FAMILY. THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN WITH YOU. 728 00:41:52,912 --> 00:41:55,315 >> WELL, WE HAD TWO CHILDREN THAT I THINK WE WERE BOTH -- 729 00:41:55,315 --> 00:42:01,921 >> Reporter: WERE THE GLUE TO KEEP THIS TOGETHER 730 00:42:01,921 --> 00:42:05,158 REMEMBER THAT UNSOLICITED ADVICE ABOUT BEING PRESENT, THE ADVICE 731 00:42:05,158 --> 00:42:07,293 WHICH SO INFURIATED DENISE BACK WHEN KRISTIN WAS JUST 30 DAYS 732 00:42:07,293 --> 00:42:11,531 GONE IT KEPT RINGING IN HER EARS. 733 00:42:11,531 --> 00:42:15,268 AND IT HELPED. >> I REMEMBER THAT CONVERSATION 734 00:42:15,268 --> 00:42:18,471 TO THIS DAY, AND I DID TRY TO BE PRESENT. 735 00:42:18,471 --> 00:42:21,141 AND I WENT TO THEIR SWIM MEETS AND BASKETBALL GAMES AND SOCCER 736 00:42:21,141 --> 00:42:25,745 GAMES. AND I -- AND I SAT THERE, YOU 737 00:42:25,745 --> 00:42:27,080 KNOW, FOR THEM AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, 738 00:42:27,080 --> 00:42:30,750 "KRISTIN'S NOT HERE. I NEED TO BE HERE FOR BOTH OF 739 00:42:30,750 --> 00:42:33,086 US." >> Reporter: SO THE SMART FAMILY 740 00:42:33,086 --> 00:42:37,157 TRIED TO LIVE THEIR LIVES WITHOUT HER. 741 00:42:37,157 --> 00:42:41,394 KRISTIN'S FRIEND VANESSA DID THE SAME 742 00:42:41,394 --> 00:42:43,530 >> I GRADUATED, MOVED BACK DOWN TO SAN DIEGO, AND WAS IN MEDICAL 743 00:42:43,530 --> 00:42:49,402 RESEARCH AND THEN I GOT MARRIED, GOT 744 00:42:49,402 --> 00:42:51,104 DIVORCED >> Reporter: ALL THE UPS AND 745 00:42:51,104 --> 00:42:54,207 DOWNS OF LIFE THAT KRISTIN NEVER GOT TO HAVE. 746 00:42:54,207 --> 00:42:56,343 >> AND I WAS ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT HER, ESPECIALLY AROUND 747 00:42:56,343 --> 00:42:59,112 MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND THERE'S A PART OF YOU THAT YOU 748 00:42:59,112 --> 00:43:02,882 KINDA LOSE HOPE THAT MAYBE WE'LL NEVER SOLVE THIS 749 00:43:02,882 --> 00:43:05,485 >> Reporter: SINCE LEAVING CAL POLY, MARGARITA HAS STRUGGLED 750 00:43:05,485 --> 00:43:10,190 KNOWING SHE DIDN'T STAY WITH KRISTIN THAT NIGHT 751 00:43:10,190 --> 00:43:13,393 >> I HAD A LOT OF GUILT AND A LOT OF SHAME AND HUMILIATION 752 00:43:13,393 --> 00:43:18,732 MY FRIEND DISAPPEARED BECAUSE I LEFT HER ALONE 753 00:43:18,732 --> 00:43:26,639 THE WAY I GOT OVER MY GUILT AND SHAME WAS KRISTIN'S MOM. 754 00:43:26,639 --> 00:43:29,509 SHE TOLD ME THAT IF I WOULD'VE STAYED WITH KRISTIN THAT NIGHT, 755 00:43:29,509 --> 00:43:34,214 IT MIGHT'VE BEEN TWO GIRLS AND NOT ONE. 756 00:43:34,214 --> 00:43:38,785 >> Reporter: OVER THE NEXT DECADE, PAUL FLORES FINISHED 757 00:43:38,785 --> 00:43:40,587 SCHOOL AT COMMUNITY COLLEGE. THE SMARTS SAW HIM AS THE ONLY 758 00:43:40,587 --> 00:43:43,823 SUSPECT. AND SO DID LAW ENFORCEMENT 759 00:43:43,823 --> 00:43:48,628 EXCEPT STAN AND DENISE SAY THEY HEARD LESS AND LESS FROM THE 760 00:43:48,628 --> 00:43:51,264 SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT >> YOU GET THE IMPRESSION AFTER 761 00:43:51,264 --> 00:43:53,400 A WHILE THAT NOT MUCH IS GOING ON 762 00:43:53,400 --> 00:43:58,204 BUT WE KNEW, AND THEY HAD TOLD US, THEY COULDN'T SHARE 763 00:43:58,204 --> 00:43:59,406 EVERYTHING WITH US AFTER A WHILE, IT GETS A LITTLE 764 00:43:59,406 --> 00:44:02,042 DRAINING >> I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY 765 00:44:02,042 --> 00:44:08,848 TIMES I WROTE LETTERS AND I SAID, "WILL YOU JUST CALL US 766 00:44:08,848 --> 00:44:11,551 ONCE A WEEK AND SAY, 'WE'RE WORKING ON SOMETHING THIS WEEK 767 00:44:11,551 --> 00:44:12,652 I NEED TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING TO HELP.'" 768 00:44:12,652 --> 00:44:14,721 >> PROGRESS. >> Reporter: OKAY. 769 00:44:14,721 --> 00:44:15,789 >> "KRISTIN. AND USE HER NAME." 770 00:44:15,789 --> 00:44:22,429 I HAD TO TELL THEM TO USE HER NAME 771 00:44:22,429 --> 00:44:24,297 >> Reporter: THE SMARTS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE 772 00:44:24,297 --> 00:44:25,498 SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT UNDER PAT HEDGES. 773 00:44:25,498 --> 00:44:32,339 HE HAD TAKEN OVER THE TOP JOB IN 1998 774 00:44:32,339 --> 00:44:36,609 THE SMART FAMILY HAS THIS STRONG SENSE THAT THERE WAS A PERIOD 775 00:44:36,609 --> 00:44:40,347 DURING THE TIME THAT YOU WERE SHERIFF WHEN NO WORK WAS BEING 776 00:44:40,347 --> 00:44:41,448 DONE ON THIS CASE IN WHICH LAW ENFORCEMENT'S EYES WERE 777 00:44:41,448 --> 00:44:43,883 ESSENTIALLY OFF OF PAUL FLORES ARE THEY RIGHT ABOUT THAT? 778 00:44:43,883 --> 00:44:46,953 >> NO. NO, THEY WEREN'T RIGHT 779 00:44:46,953 --> 00:44:50,857 WE CONDUCTED BOTH COVERT AND OVERT SURVEILLANCE ON HIM. 780 00:44:50,857 --> 00:44:54,194 >> Reporter: DETECTIVES HAD OBTAINED WARRANTS FOR WIRETAPS 781 00:44:54,194 --> 00:44:59,199 ON THE FLORES' FAMILY PHONES >> PERHAPS WE COULD GET FAMILY 782 00:44:59,199 --> 00:45:02,736 TALKIN' ABOUT THE CASE >> Reporter: THEY DIDN'T 783 00:45:02,736 --> 00:45:06,039 OVERHEAR ANYTHING UNUSUAL. SHERIFF HEDGES ALSO BROUGHT IN 784 00:45:06,039 --> 00:45:11,845 UNDERCOVER FBI AGENTS TO COZY UP TO PAUL AND GET HIM TALKING 785 00:45:11,845 --> 00:45:14,047 ABOUT HIS PAST THEY'RE HOPING HE SAYS, "WELL, I 786 00:45:14,047 --> 00:45:18,752 DID KILL THIS GIRL." BUT HE DIDN'T DO IT? 787 00:45:18,752 --> 00:45:24,624 >> HE WAS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST NUTS TO CRACK, IF YOU WILL 788 00:45:24,624 --> 00:45:29,929 >> Reporter: SHERIFF HEDGES LEFT OFFICE IN 2010 NO CLOSER TO 789 00:45:29,929 --> 00:45:33,667 SOLVING THE KRISTIN SMART CASE THAN INVESTIGATORS BEFORE HIM. 790 00:45:33,667 --> 00:45:35,802 DO YOU THINK YOU DID A GOOD ENOUGH JOB OF KEEPING THE SMART 791 00:45:35,802 --> 00:45:40,573 FAMILY INFORMED? BECAUSE THEY DON'T THINK SO. 792 00:45:40,573 --> 00:45:46,446 >> YEAH. IN RETROSPECT, WE PROBABLY COULD 793 00:45:46,446 --> 00:45:50,684 HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB >> Reporter: THEN SOMEONE ELSE 794 00:45:50,684 --> 00:45:53,153 STARTED INVESTIGATING THE KRISTIN SMART CASE, SOMEONE 795 00:45:53,153 --> 00:45:56,589 WHO'D BEEN INTRIGUED BY THAT FACE ON THAT BILLBOARD AFTER ALL 796 00:45:56,589 --> 00:46:01,394 OF THESE YEARS AND HIS INTEREST WOULD CHANGE 797 00:46:01,394 --> 00:46:03,530 EVERYTHING >> I'VE DRIVEN BY A THOUSAND 798 00:46:03,530 --> 00:46:23,650 TIMES. AND I WAS SUDDENLY HOOKED AND 799 00:46:23,650 --> 00:46:26,853 >> Reporter: CHRIS LAMBERT GREW UP MORE THAN A HALF AN HOUR 800 00:46:26,853 --> 00:46:30,590 SOUTH OF SAN LUIS OBISPO WHEN KRISTIN SMART DISAPPEARED 801 00:46:30,590 --> 00:46:35,395 IN 1996, CHRIS WAS 8 YEARS OLD OVER THE YEARS, HE DROVE PAST 802 00:46:35,395 --> 00:46:40,200 THOSE BILLBOARDS AND THE FADING PHOTOS OF KRISTIN SMART. 803 00:46:40,200 --> 00:46:45,305 >> AND I WOULD SEE THIS BIG BILLBOARD THAT SAID, "KRISTIN 804 00:46:45,305 --> 00:46:49,242 SMART: MISSING. 805 00:46:49,242 --> 00:46:54,080 $75,000 REWARD." AND EACH TIME I WOULD PASS IT, I 806 00:46:54,080 --> 00:46:57,817 WOULD GO, "THAT GIRL'S STILL MISSING? 807 00:46:57,817 --> 00:46:59,319 >> Reporter: MORE THAN TWO DECADES LATER, THOSE BILLBOARDS 808 00:46:59,319 --> 00:47:00,286 WERE STILL UP. AND HE SAYS IT JARRED SOMETHING 809 00:47:00,286 --> 00:47:01,121 IN HIM >> I STARTED ASKING FRIENDS AND 810 00:47:01,121 --> 00:47:03,156 FAMILY MEMBERS, "DO YOU REMEMBER THE KRISTIN SMART STORY? 811 00:47:03,156 --> 00:47:06,326 AND WHAT CAME OUT WAS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW THE 812 00:47:06,326 --> 00:47:10,030 DETAILS OR WERE CONFUSED ABOUT WHO SHE WAS. 813 00:47:10,030 --> 00:47:13,233 >> Reporter: CHRIS HAD NEVER INVESTIGATED ANY CRIME 814 00:47:13,233 --> 00:47:17,037 HE WAS A MUSICIAN, NOT A JOURNALIST 815 00:47:17,037 --> 00:47:20,707 HE WASN'T EVEN A FRIEND OF THE SMART FAMILY 816 00:47:20,707 --> 00:47:24,444 HE DID, HOWEVER, HAVE AN IDEA. >> EVERYTHING HIT ME IN A VERY 817 00:47:24,444 --> 00:47:28,481 PERSONAL WAY BECAUSE IT'S MY HOME 818 00:47:28,481 --> 00:47:29,883 "I WONDER IF THIS IS THE KIND OF STORY THAT I COULD PUT TOGETHER 819 00:47:29,883 --> 00:47:34,621 IN A WAY THAT PEOPLE WOULD CONSUME IN PODCAST FORM? 820 00:47:34,621 --> 00:47:36,756 >> Reporter: IN 2018, HE BEGAN COLD CALLING ANYONE CONNECTED TO 821 00:47:36,756 --> 00:47:39,959 THE KRISTIN SMART CASE AND PEOPLE TALKED. 822 00:47:39,959 --> 00:47:41,561 >> I DON'T HAVE A BACKGROUND IN THIS 823 00:47:41,561 --> 00:47:45,799 AND I DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO ARREST THEM. 824 00:47:45,799 --> 00:47:48,702 I DO THINK PEOPLE OPENED UP TO ME, AND STILL OPEN UP TO ME, 825 00:47:48,702 --> 00:47:52,739 MORE THAN THEY HAVE TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THE FBI, 826 00:47:52,739 --> 00:47:54,307 OR OTHER PEOPLE INVESTIGATING. >> Reporter: HE STARTED PUTTING 827 00:47:54,307 --> 00:47:58,745 TOGETHER THE FIRST EPISODES OF A PODCAST, NOT SURE WHAT WOULD 828 00:47:58,745 --> 00:48:01,881 HAPPEN >> ONE OF MY BIGGEST FEARS EARLY 829 00:48:01,881 --> 00:48:05,018 ON IS WHEN I REACH OUT TO KRISTIN SMART'S PARENTS, THEY 830 00:48:05,018 --> 00:48:07,654 MIGHT SAY, "WE DON'T WANT YOU TO TELL THIS STORY. 831 00:48:07,654 --> 00:48:10,323 >> Reporter: CHRIS ATTENDED A MEMORIAL THE FOLLOWING YEAR FOR 832 00:48:10,323 --> 00:48:14,627 WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN KRISTIN'S 42nd BIRTHDAY. 833 00:48:14,627 --> 00:48:19,933 AND HE APPROACHED DENISE SMART >> "HI, I'M HERE TO LEARN ABOUT 834 00:48:19,933 --> 00:48:23,670 YOUR DAUGHTER. AND I THINK THAT THEY COULD SEE 835 00:48:23,670 --> 00:48:26,873 EARLY ON THAT I WASN'T LIKE ANYBODY ELSE THAT HAD APPROACHED 836 00:48:26,873 --> 00:48:30,610 THEM UP TO THIS POINT. >> WE'VE HAD PEOPLE WHO'VE 837 00:48:30,610 --> 00:48:34,347 WANTED TO WRITE BOOKS, PEOPLE WHO'VE WANTED TO WRITE STORIES 838 00:48:34,347 --> 00:48:37,550 AND -- >> Reporter: AND YOU'VE TURNED 839 00:48:37,550 --> 00:48:38,718 THEM DOWN. >> WELL, THEY DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT. 840 00:48:38,718 --> 00:48:40,153 AND VERY CALMLY, AS CHRIS DOES, HE JUST SORT OF TOLD ME ABOUT AN 841 00:48:40,153 --> 00:48:42,856 IDEA FOR A PODCAST >> Reporter: IT WAS AN IDEA THE 842 00:48:42,856 --> 00:48:45,825 SMART FAMILY LIKED >> IT HAPPENED IN MY OWN 843 00:48:45,825 --> 00:48:49,329 BACKYARD, WHICH IS WHY I NAMED THE PODCAST "YOUR OWN BACKYARD." 844 00:48:49,329 --> 00:48:53,066 >> I'M RETRACING MISSING CAL POLY STUDENT KRISTIN SMART'S 845 00:48:53,066 --> 00:48:57,404 LAST KNOWN STEPS >> Reporter: IT IS HOW MANY 846 00:48:57,404 --> 00:49:00,006 AROUND HERE EITHER LEARNED OF OR REMEMBERED THE STORY OF THE 847 00:49:00,006 --> 00:49:04,210 YOUNG WOMAN ON THE BILLBOARD AND THE STORY OF THE MAN SUSPECTED 848 00:49:04,210 --> 00:49:07,047 OF TAKING HER AWAY WHAT CHRIS DID NOT SEE COMING 849 00:49:07,047 --> 00:49:11,151 WAS THAT THE PODCAST MADE MORE PEOPLE WANT TO TALK WITH HIM 850 00:49:11,151 --> 00:49:13,820 HOW MANY PEOPLE CONTACTED YOU AND SAID, "I HAVE SOME PERSONAL 851 00:49:13,820 --> 00:49:18,258 KNOWLEDGE OF THIS CASE"? >> I THINK HUNDREDS, IF NOT 852 00:49:18,258 --> 00:49:21,261 THOUSANDS BY THIS POINT. >> THE SAME COMFORT THAT WE HAD 853 00:49:21,261 --> 00:49:25,031 WITH HIM APPARENTLY WAS THE SAME COMFORT THAT THOSE WHO CAME 854 00:49:25,031 --> 00:49:27,667 FORWARD TO TALK WITH HIM HAD >> Reporter: CHRIS HEARD STORIES 855 00:49:27,667 --> 00:49:31,404 FROM PEOPLE WHO KNEW PAUL FLORES AS A LITTLE KID, SOME OF THEM 856 00:49:31,404 --> 00:49:33,707 NOT VERY FLATTERING. >> THERE'S AN INCIDENT WHERE 857 00:49:33,707 --> 00:49:36,209 HE'S SWIMMING IN THE FAMILY POOL 858 00:49:36,209 --> 00:49:38,878 AT SOME POINT, THERE'S A GIRL THAT HE GETS INTO A FIGHT WITH 859 00:49:38,878 --> 00:49:41,047 AND SUDDENLY, HE'S HOLDING HER DOWN UNDER THE POOL SO SHE CAN'T 860 00:49:41,047 --> 00:49:43,683 BREATHE. FINALLY, AN ADULT HAS TO PULL 861 00:49:43,683 --> 00:49:46,319 HIM OFF. >> Reporter: CHRIS LEARNED THAT 862 00:49:46,319 --> 00:49:48,054 IN THE YEARS AFTER KRISTIN DISAPPEARED, PAUL FLORES HAD 863 00:49:48,054 --> 00:49:51,191 MOVED SOUTH TO LOS ANGELES COUNTY 864 00:49:51,191 --> 00:49:54,861 HE WORKED FOR A WHILE AT A COCA-COLA BOTTLING PLANT AND WAS 865 00:49:54,861 --> 00:49:59,132 A REGULAR AT THE LOCAL BARS. HE WAS ALSO ARRESTED MULTIPLE 866 00:49:59,132 --> 00:50:03,403 TIMES FOR DRUNK DRIVING. CHRIS INTERVIEWED ONE OF PAUL'S 867 00:50:03,403 --> 00:50:06,272 GIRLFRIENDS DURING THAT TIME >> THERE WAS SOMETHING ALWAYS 868 00:50:06,272 --> 00:50:09,275 ODD ABOUT HIM AND HIS FAMILY THERE WAS ALWAYS LOTS OF -- LOTS 869 00:50:09,275 --> 00:50:13,313 OF SECRETS HE DIDN'T HAVE VERY MANY 870 00:50:13,313 --> 00:50:15,148 FRIENDS. >> Reporter: AT FIRST, CHRIS 871 00:50:15,148 --> 00:50:18,351 EXPECTED ONLY LOCALS WOULD LISTEN TO HIS PODCAST. 872 00:50:18,351 --> 00:50:21,021 >> I THOUGHT, "IF I CAN JUST GET A COUPLE THOUSAND LOCAL PEOPLE 873 00:50:21,021 --> 00:50:23,123 LISTENING TO THIS, THAT'LL BE WORTH IT." 874 00:50:23,123 --> 00:50:24,724 >> Reporter: THAT WASN'T THE WAY IT PLAYED OUT? 875 00:50:24,724 --> 00:50:27,961 >> NO. IT BLEW UP 876 00:50:27,961 --> 00:50:31,698 >> Reporter: NOT IN THE THOUSANDS. 877 00:50:31,698 --> 00:50:35,935 "YOUR OWN BACKYARD" PODCAST GAINED MILLIONS OF LISTENERS 878 00:50:35,935 --> 00:50:39,673 >> IT'S DIFFERENT WHEN SOMEONE GOES MISSING IN YOUR OWN 879 00:50:39,673 --> 00:50:41,875 BACKYARD >> Reporter: IT CAUGHT ATTENTION 880 00:50:41,875 --> 00:50:45,545 OF THE LATEST SHERIFF IN TOWN, IAN PARKINSON. 881 00:50:45,545 --> 00:50:50,350 >> CHRIS TOLD THE STORY THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW 882 00:50:50,350 --> 00:50:54,120 AND HE OPENED THE EYES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO -- TO KRISTIN 883 00:50:54,120 --> 00:50:57,791 >> Reporter: SHERIFF PARKINSON HAD BEEN IN OFFICE FOR EIGHT 884 00:50:57,791 --> 00:50:59,459 YEARS BY THEN. HE'D RUN ON A PROMISE TO MAKE 885 00:50:59,459 --> 00:51:03,697 COLD CASES LIKE KRISTIN'S A PRIORITY 886 00:51:03,697 --> 00:51:07,934 >> I PROMISED THAT I WOULD DO EVERYTHING I COULD TO FIND 887 00:51:07,934 --> 00:51:12,739 KRISTIN AND PROSECUTE THOSE THAT WERE RESPONSIBLE 888 00:51:12,739 --> 00:51:17,544 >> HE JUST REALLY CARED. WE FELT MOVEMENT 889 00:51:17,544 --> 00:51:21,281 WE FELT PROGRESS AND THERE WAS COMMUNICATION. 890 00:51:21,281 --> 00:51:24,684 >> Reporter: THE SMARTS SAY PARKINSON AND HIS COLD CASE 891 00:51:24,684 --> 00:51:28,521 INVESTIGATOR CLINT COLE STAYED IN REGULAR TOUCH, RETURNED THEIR 892 00:51:28,521 --> 00:51:30,924 CALLS, AND RAN DOWN TIPS THAT STILL TRICKLED INTO THE FAMILY 893 00:51:30,924 --> 00:51:36,730 NONE OF THAT LED TO IMMEDIATE ANSWERS. 894 00:51:36,730 --> 00:51:39,399 IT DID MAKE THE SMARTS FEEL THEY HAD TWO REAL ALLIES -- A 895 00:51:39,399 --> 00:51:43,103 PODCASTER AND A DETECTIVE WORKING TOGETHER IN AN 896 00:51:43,103 --> 00:51:47,640 UNORTHODOX RELATIONSHIP. >> CHRIS IS A GOOD GUY 897 00:51:47,640 --> 00:51:52,178 INFORMATION. >> Reporter: SHARING INFORMATION 898 00:51:52,178 --> 00:51:57,017 WITH A PODCASTER, THAT'S -- THAT'S NOT IN THE MANUAL, IS IT? 899 00:51:57,017 --> 00:51:59,652 >> NO, IT'S NOT. IT'S A RISK. 900 00:51:59,652 --> 00:52:02,355 BUT WE MET WITH HIM, AND WE GOT A GOOD VIBE FROM HIM 901 00:52:02,355 --> 00:52:06,626 >> Reporter: DETECTIVE CLINT COLE WAS NOW FOCUSING ON 902 00:52:06,626 --> 00:52:08,328 THE FLORES FAMILY. HE GOT WARRANTS FOR NEW WIRETAPS 903 00:52:08,328 --> 00:52:10,864 AND STARTED MONITORING THEIR PHONE CALLS. 904 00:52:10,864 --> 00:52:13,533 >> I HEARD THAT YOU ORDERED SOME COOKIES. 905 00:52:13,533 --> 00:52:15,135 >> YEAH, BUT I HAD THEM MAILED >> YEAH. 906 00:52:15,135 --> 00:52:19,939 >> Reporter: THE FLORES FAMILY'S VERY CAUTIOUS. 907 00:52:19,939 --> 00:52:22,275 THEY'RE VERY CAREFUL >> Reporter: AS COLE LISTENED, 908 00:52:22,275 --> 00:52:25,278 HE HEARD SOMETHING INTERESTING >> THE OTHER THING I NEED YOU TO 909 00:52:25,278 --> 00:52:30,083 DO IS TO START LISTENING TO THE PODCAST. 910 00:52:30,083 --> 00:52:31,251 >> Reporter: ON THE WIRE TAP, SUSAN, PAUL'S MOM, SAYS TO HIM, 911 00:52:31,251 --> 00:52:35,388 "I NEED YOU TO START LISTENING TO THE PODCAST." 912 00:52:35,388 --> 00:52:39,192 >> I NEED YOU TO LISTEN TO EVERYTHING THEY SAY SO WE CAN 913 00:52:39,192 --> 00:52:43,129 PUNCH HOLES IN IT, UM, WHEREVER WE CAN PUNCH HOLES 914 00:52:43,129 --> 00:52:44,464 MAYBE WE CAN'T YOU -- YOU'RE THE ONE THAT CAN 915 00:52:44,464 --> 00:52:48,702 TELL ME. >> THAT TOLD ME THAT HE'S 916 00:52:48,702 --> 00:52:51,338 INVOLVED WHY ELSE WOULD HE BE ABLE TO 917 00:52:51,338 --> 00:52:54,607 POKE HOLES IN THE -- IN THE PODCAST? 918 00:52:54,607 --> 00:52:56,209 AND HE DOESN'T RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION 919 00:52:56,209 --> 00:52:57,277 HE DOESN'T SAY, "WHY I DON'T KNOW 920 00:52:57,277 --> 00:53:00,480 WHY? I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING." 921 00:53:00,480 --> 00:53:04,718 >> Reporter: DETECTIVE COLE FOUND THAT VERY SUSPICIOUS 922 00:53:04,718 --> 00:53:07,921 INVESTIGATORS ALSO DISCOVERED THE FLORES FAMILY HAD STARTED 923 00:53:07,921 --> 00:53:11,658 SECRETLY COMMUNICATING USING ENCRYPTED MESSAGING 924 00:53:11,658 --> 00:53:15,395 APPLICATIONS TOGETHER IT WAS ENOUGH TO GET 925 00:53:15,395 --> 00:53:18,598 NEW SEARCH WARRANTS ON PROPERTIES OWNED BY THE FLORES 926 00:53:18,598 --> 00:53:21,501 FAMILY, INCLUDING THE HOME PAUL FLORES OWNED IN 927 00:53:21,501 --> 00:53:26,072 LOS ANGELES. >> IT WAS A TOTAL HOARDER HOUSE, 928 00:53:26,072 --> 00:53:30,310 FILTHY, BLACK MOLD IT WAS SUCH A MESS 929 00:53:30,310 --> 00:53:33,546 >> Reporter: AMID THE MESS, INVESTIGATORS SEIZED PAUL 930 00:53:33,546 --> 00:53:37,784 FLORES' ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT, COMPUTERS, PHONES, HARD DRIVES 931 00:53:37,784 --> 00:53:43,656 >> WE WERE LOOKING FOR ANY CORRESPONDENCE OR TEXT MESSAGES, 932 00:53:43,656 --> 00:53:47,894 ANY -- ANY EVIDENCE THAT COULD BE RELATED TO THE CRIME. 933 00:53:47,894 --> 00:53:51,831 >> Reporter: AND THOSE DEVICES HAD STORIES TO TELL. 934 00:53:51,831 --> 00:53:55,902 STORIES ABOUT WHAT PAUL FLORES HAD BEEN DOING IN THE YEARS 935 00:53:55,902 --> 00:53:58,104 SINCE KRISTIN SMART VANISHED >> AT THE TIME, DID YOU SUSPECT 936 00:53:58,104 --> 00:54:00,874 THAT YOU MIGHT BE DRUGGED? >> NO. 937 00:54:17,057 --> 00:54:19,659 >> Reporter: FROM THE BEGINNING, INVESTIGATORS HEARD PAUL FLORES 938 00:54:19,659 --> 00:54:23,563 HAD A REPUTATION HE WAS AWKWARD, MADE SOME WOMEN 939 00:54:23,563 --> 00:54:27,067 UNCOMFORTABLE, AND THERE WAS MORE 940 00:54:27,067 --> 00:54:30,804 CHRIS LAMBERT SPOKE WITH WOMEN WHO KNEW HIM IN THE YEARS BEFORE 941 00:54:30,804 --> 00:54:34,074 KRISTIN SMART VANISHED THEY DESCRIBED HIM AS 942 00:54:34,074 --> 00:54:36,142 "FRIGHTENING." >> WELL, HIS NICKNAME WAS 943 00:54:36,142 --> 00:54:38,812 "SCARY PAUL. >> YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO BE ALONE 944 00:54:38,812 --> 00:54:41,448 IN A ROOM WITH HIM YOU WOULDN'T LET ANY OF YOUR 945 00:54:41,448 --> 00:54:45,085 FRIENDS BE DRUNK AROUND HIM. >> Reporter: IN 2020, 946 00:54:45,085 --> 00:54:48,555 INVESTIGATORS SAY THEY CONFIRMED THAT AND MORE, WHEN THEY SCOURED 947 00:54:48,555 --> 00:54:51,624 THOSE COMPUTERS AND HARD DRIVES SEIZED FROM PAUL FLORES' HOME IN 948 00:54:51,624 --> 00:54:57,530 SAN PEDRO, A WATERFRONT NEIGHBORHOOD OF LOS ANGELES. 949 00:54:57,530 --> 00:55:03,370 >> WE FOUND PAUL'S SEARCH HISTORY. 950 00:55:03,370 --> 00:55:06,206 AND WE FOUND DOWNLOADS OF PORNOGRAPHY FILM ABOUT RAPING 951 00:55:06,206 --> 00:55:14,581 DRUNK COLLEGE STUDENTS THAT HE'D SAVED. 952 00:55:14,581 --> 00:55:16,683 >> Reporter: AND IN A FILE LABELED "PRACTICE," THEY 953 00:55:16,683 --> 00:55:19,886 DISCOVERED PAUL FLORES HAD STORED SOME VIDEOS STARRING 954 00:55:19,886 --> 00:55:23,056 HIMSELF. >> THEY SHOW PAUL FLORES HAVING 955 00:55:23,056 --> 00:55:27,360 SEX WITH GIRLS THAT ARE PASSED OUT. 956 00:55:27,360 --> 00:55:30,563 >> Reporter: THEY'RE CLEARLY NOT IN ANY STATE TO GIVE CONSENT 957 00:55:30,563 --> 00:55:32,699 >> NO, NOT AT ALL. >> I WATCHED TWO OF 'EM 958 00:55:32,699 --> 00:55:34,834 PARTIALLY. AND IT WAS ENOUGH TO MAKE ME 959 00:55:34,834 --> 00:55:38,638 SICK THAT SOMEBODY COULD DO THAT TO SOMEBODY. 960 00:55:38,638 --> 00:55:41,241 >> Reporter: THIS IS DATE RAPE THAT HE'S VIDEOTAPING? 961 00:55:41,241 --> 00:55:42,909 >> ABSOLUTELY. >> Reporter: INVESTIGATORS 962 00:55:42,909 --> 00:55:46,079 LEARNED FLORES WOULD APPROACH WOMEN AT BARS IN HIS 963 00:55:46,079 --> 00:55:48,715 L.A. NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND CLOSING TIME 964 00:55:48,715 --> 00:55:52,986 THAT'S WHERE THIS WOMAN SAYS SHE MET HIM IN 2015. 965 00:55:52,986 --> 00:55:57,757 HE NOTICED YOU >> UM, I GUESS SO, YES 966 00:55:57,757 --> 00:56:00,427 >> Reporter: WE AGREED TO CALL HER SAM AND CONCEAL HER 967 00:56:00,427 --> 00:56:03,630 IDENTITY IT WAS LATE, "SAM" SAYS, AND SHE 968 00:56:03,630 --> 00:56:07,901 WAS TIPSY AND WAITING FOR A RIDE OUTSIDE A BAR, WHEN FLORES 969 00:56:07,901 --> 00:56:11,071 APPROACHED HER >> HE ASKED IF HE COULD TAKE ME 970 00:56:11,071 --> 00:56:15,375 HOME, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE, "I COULD TAKE YOU HOME. 971 00:56:15,375 --> 00:56:17,477 IT'S -- YOU KNOW, IT'S FINE. AND -- UM, HE WAS VERY 972 00:56:17,477 --> 00:56:19,612 PERSISTENT >> Reporter: DESCRIBE HIM. 973 00:56:19,612 --> 00:56:22,816 >> HE WAS AWKWARD, AND HE SEEMED MEEK 974 00:56:22,816 --> 00:56:26,052 THAT'S HOW I FELT. LIKE, "OH, HE'S JUST -- YOU 975 00:56:26,052 --> 00:56:29,222 KNOW, IT'S 1:00 IN THE MORNING AND HE JUST WANTS TO HANG OUT, 976 00:56:29,222 --> 00:56:31,358 AND HE'S BEING AWKWARD ABOUT IT. BUT LET'S GO GET SOMETHING TO 977 00:56:31,358 --> 00:56:34,060 EAT. >> Reporter: SHE SAYS SHE GOT 978 00:56:34,060 --> 00:56:37,330 INTO FLORES'S CAR, AND THEY DROVE TO A RESTAURANT. 979 00:56:37,330 --> 00:56:43,636 AFTER WHICH, SHE AGREED TO GO BACK TO HIS PLACE. 980 00:56:43,636 --> 00:56:46,840 >> AND WHEN HE OPENS THE DOOR, IT WAS JUST A HOARDING MESS. 981 00:56:46,840 --> 00:56:51,644 AND I THOUGHT, "WHAT IN THE WORLD DID YOU GET YOURSELF 982 00:56:51,644 --> 00:56:54,314 INTO?" >> Reporter: SHE SAYS THAT ON 983 00:56:54,314 --> 00:56:58,585 HIS COUCH, SHE TRIED TO THINK OF AN EXIT STRATEGY 984 00:56:58,585 --> 00:57:03,390 >> HE OFFERS ME WATER, AND WE STILL TALK 985 00:57:03,390 --> 00:57:04,524 >> Reporter: HE'S NOT DOING ANYTHING OTHER THAN TALKING? 986 00:57:04,524 --> 00:57:09,763 >> YEAH, HE'S NOT AGGRESSIVE OR ANYTHING, BUT I KNOW THAT I 987 00:57:09,763 --> 00:57:13,733 WANTED TO LEAVE. AND I DON'T KNOW WHY I DIDN'T 988 00:57:13,733 --> 00:57:16,770 MUSTER UP THE ENERGY OR VOICE, "I WANT TO GO. 989 00:57:16,770 --> 00:57:18,838 WHICH -- >> Reporter: BECAUSE YOU WOULD 990 00:57:18,838 --> 00:57:24,711 HAVE HAD NO TROUBLE SAYING THAT? >> NEVER 991 00:57:24,711 --> 00:57:25,712 I'M VERY -- I'M FEISTY IF I DON'T LIKE SOMETHING, 992 00:57:25,712 --> 00:57:31,117 YOU'LL KNOW. >> Reporter: WHAT HAPPENS NEXT 993 00:57:31,117 --> 00:57:36,956 >> WE GO TO HIS BEDROOM. AND THEN WE HAVE RELATIONS THAT 994 00:57:36,956 --> 00:57:38,058 I'M NOT PARTICIPATING IN >> Reporter: MEANING HE'S 995 00:57:38,058 --> 00:57:40,160 FORCING HIMSELF ON YOU >> NOT "FORCING. 996 00:57:40,160 --> 00:57:45,498 IT'S JUST -- I'M JUST LAYING THERE. 997 00:57:45,498 --> 00:57:48,134 AND, UM, JUST THINKING TO MYSELF, "I WANT THIS TO BE OVER, 998 00:57:48,134 --> 00:57:54,074 I WANT TO GO HOME. BUT I NEVER VOCALLY SAID IT. 999 00:57:54,074 --> 00:57:57,243 >> Reporter: AFTERWARD, SAM SAYS SHE PASSED OUT, WOKE UP A FEW 1000 00:57:57,243 --> 00:58:01,014 HOURS LATER, AND WENT HOME FEELING GROGGY 1001 00:58:01,014 --> 00:58:04,150 ALL OF WHICH WAS WEIRD, SHE SAYS, BECAUSE SHE HADN'T HAD ANY 1002 00:58:04,150 --> 00:58:07,887 ALCOHOL FOR SEVERAL HOURS. >> IT WAS ABOUT 1:00 A.M. WHEN I 1003 00:58:07,887 --> 00:58:11,858 HAD MY LAST DRINK. AND THEN JUST HAD WATER AT THE 1004 00:58:11,858 --> 00:58:14,828 RESTAURANT, AND AT HIS HOUSE >> Reporter: SAM WAS NOT ONE OF 1005 00:58:14,828 --> 00:58:18,598 THE WOMEN IN PAUL FLORES' VIDEOS 1006 00:58:18,598 --> 00:58:21,201 HOWEVER, WHEN INVESTIGATORS SAW THOSE VIDEOS, THEY SUSPECTED 1007 00:58:21,201 --> 00:58:25,472 FLORES WAS DRUGGING AND RAPING WOMEN. 1008 00:58:25,472 --> 00:58:28,108 FROM THE SEARCH WARRANT, THEY FOUND MEDS IN HIS HOUSE. 1009 00:58:28,108 --> 00:58:32,912 >> WE FOUND FLEXERIL AND TRAMADOL 1010 00:58:32,912 --> 00:58:38,251 IN SPEAKING TO A LOCAL DOCTOR, HE SAID THAT TRAMADOL AND 1011 00:58:38,251 --> 00:58:43,690 FLEXERIL MIXED TOGETHER WITH ALCOHOL COULD PRODUCE A SEDATIVE 1012 00:58:43,690 --> 00:58:47,293 STATE OF MIND FOR SOMEONE WHO INGESTED THEM. 1013 00:58:47,293 --> 00:58:50,497 >> Reporter: A SEDATIVE STATE OF MIND, SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SEE ON 1014 00:58:50,497 --> 00:58:54,768 THOSE VIDEOS WITH THOSE WOMEN? >> CORRECT 1015 00:58:54,768 --> 00:58:57,437 >> Reporter: YEARS AFTER HER ENCOUNTER WITH PAUL FLORES, SAM 1016 00:58:57,437 --> 00:59:01,908 LISTENED TO CHRIS' PODCAST AND STARTED CONNECTING THE DOTS. 1017 00:59:01,908 --> 00:59:06,613 >> "OH, MY GOSH, NOW IT ALL MAKES SENSE WHY EVERYTHING 1018 00:59:06,613 --> 00:59:10,016 HAPPENED THE WAY IT DID. >> Reporter: SAM FLASHED BACK TO 1019 00:59:10,016 --> 00:59:13,420 THAT GLASS OF WATER PAUL FLORES HANDED HER AT HIS PLACE. 1020 00:59:13,420 --> 00:59:16,623 >> HE WENT TO THE KITCHEN AND GRABBED ME A GLASS OF WATER THAT 1021 00:59:16,623 --> 00:59:18,758 I DID NOT SEE. >> Reporter: SO HE WAS ALONE 1022 00:59:18,758 --> 00:59:21,061 WITH YOUR GLASS OF WATER FOR - >> YES 1023 00:59:21,061 --> 00:59:24,097 >> Reporter: -- A FEW SECONDS? >> AS WELL AS, WHEN I WAS AT THE 1024 00:59:24,097 --> 00:59:29,903 RESTAURANT WITH HIM, I DID GET UP TO GO TO THE RESTROOM TWICE 1025 00:59:29,903 --> 00:59:32,072 >> Reporter: THAT BRINGS US BACK TO A DETAIL ON THE NIGHT KRISTIN 1026 00:59:32,072 --> 00:59:36,309 WENT MISSING DESPITE ALL THE TALK ABOUT HER 1027 00:59:36,309 --> 00:59:40,647 BEING INTOXICATED, PEOPLE DIDN'T REPORT SEEING HER DRINK MUCH 1028 00:59:40,647 --> 00:59:44,818 >> I LEFT HER AROUND, LIKE, 10:30 OR 11:00, DEAD SOBER, BY 1029 00:59:44,818 --> 00:59:47,053 THE WAY. >> I NEVER SAW HER ACTUALLY 1030 00:59:47,053 --> 00:59:51,291 DRINKING, BUT SHE WAS DEFINITELY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF 1031 00:59:51,291 --> 00:59:52,892 SOMETHING. >> Reporter: ALL THESE YEARS 1032 00:59:52,892 --> 00:59:55,895 LATER, A CLEAR PICTURE WAS STARTING TO EMERGE FOR 1033 00:59:55,895 --> 00:59:59,766 INVESTIGATORS. THEY BELIEVED IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, 1034 00:59:59,766 --> 01:00:02,435 PAUL DRUGGED KRISTIN THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED, AND WENT ON TO 1035 01:00:02,435 --> 01:00:08,842 DO IT TO OTHER WOMEN, AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. 1036 01:00:08,842 --> 01:00:10,977 IF PAUL FLORES IS GUILTY OF KRISTIN SMART'S MURDER, THEN HE 1037 01:00:10,977 --> 01:00:15,181 WASN'T PROSECUTED FOR IT BACK WHEN IT HAPPENED 1038 01:00:15,181 --> 01:00:19,419 AND HE WAS FREE THEN - >> YES 1039 01:00:19,419 --> 01:00:23,223 >> Reporter: -- TO ASSAULT YOU, CHEMICALLY AND LITERALLY, AND 1040 01:00:23,223 --> 01:00:25,158 OTHER WOMEN, TOO >> YES 1041 01:00:25,158 --> 01:00:28,028 >> Reporter: ALL BECAUSE OF THE INACTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT BACK 1042 01:00:28,028 --> 01:00:32,699 THEN >> YEAH, THEY DROPPED THE BALL 1043 01:00:32,699 --> 01:00:35,902 >> Reporter: WHEN YOU SEE ASSAULTING WOMEN WHO CANNOT 1044 01:00:35,902 --> 01:00:39,239 RESIST, YOU GOTTA KNOW THAT'S THE PRICE OF NOT ARRESTING HIM 1045 01:00:39,239 --> 01:00:44,044 UP HERE. >> YUP 1046 01:00:44,044 --> 01:00:48,314 YUP. AND THAT TOLD US THAT WE NEED 1047 01:00:48,314 --> 01:00:52,052 TO -- WE NEED TO GET THIS DONE, RIGHT? 1048 01:00:52,052 --> 01:00:53,119 HE DOESN'T BELONG OUT ON THE STREET 1049 01:00:53,119 --> 01:00:55,255 >> Reporter: INVESTIGATORS HOPED THIS WOULD BE THEIR SHOT TO 1050 01:00:55,255 --> 01:01:00,060 FINALLY LOCK UP PAUL FLORES, IF NOT FOR KRISTIN'S MURDER, THEN 1051 01:01:00,060 --> 01:01:03,763 MAYBE ON RAPE CHARGES. >> SO WE INVOLVED LAPD AND -- TO 1052 01:01:03,763 --> 01:01:07,467 HELP TO IDENTIFY THESE WOMEN WE HAD CRIMES THAT WE WERE 1053 01:01:07,467 --> 01:01:10,170 WITNESSING WE HAD MANY, MANY CONVERSATIONS 1054 01:01:10,170 --> 01:01:17,110 WITH LAPD AND LOS ANGELES D.A.'S OFFICE 1055 01:01:17,110 --> 01:01:21,381 >> Reporter: THOSE ATTEMPTS TO BUILD A RAPE PROSECUTION AGAINST 1056 01:01:21,381 --> 01:01:25,085 FLORES IN L.A. WERE UNSUCCESSFUL 1057 01:01:25,085 --> 01:01:29,356 HE WAS STILL OUT THERE, FREE TO WALK THE STREETS, OR GO TO ANY 1058 01:01:29,356 --> 01:01:33,626 BAR. AND 24 YEARS LATER, THE SMARTS 1059 01:01:33,626 --> 01:01:38,131 STILL HAD NO ANSWERS WHAT INVESTIGATORS REALLY NEEDED 1060 01:01:38,131 --> 01:01:41,634 WAS TO DIG UP SOME NEW EVIDENCE. AND IN 2021, THEY QUITE 1061 01:01:41,634 --> 01:01:44,304 LITERALLY DID. >> I WAS SITTING RIGHT THERE, 1062 01:01:44,304 --> 01:02:00,453 HEART POUNDING, THINKING WE WERE >> Reporter: MORE THAN TWO 1063 01:02:00,453 --> 01:02:03,123 DECADES AFTER KRISTIN SMART'S DISAPPEARANCE, PAUL FLORES WAS 1064 01:02:03,123 --> 01:02:07,394 STILL A FREE MAN THEN, IN 2021, A TIP CAME IN, 1065 01:02:07,394 --> 01:02:12,065 RELAYED BY PODCASTER CHRIS LAMBERT. 1066 01:02:12,065 --> 01:02:15,368 CHRIS TOLD DETECTIVES THAT A GUY WHO RENTED A ROOM ON 1067 01:02:15,368 --> 01:02:18,571 RUBEN FLORES' PROPERTY HAD MOVED OUT, AND HE WAS NOW TALKING. 1068 01:02:18,571 --> 01:02:29,249 >> HE TOLD US THAT NO ONE WAS ALLOWED UNDERNEATH THE DECK OF 1069 01:02:29,249 --> 01:02:32,952 THE HOUSE FOR ANY REASON >> Reporter: AND TO THE NAKED 1070 01:02:32,952 --> 01:02:38,825 EYE, WHAT WAS UNDER THE DECK >> JUST SOME, UH, YARD TOOLS 1071 01:02:38,825 --> 01:02:43,663 NOTHING, REALLY. >> Reporter: BUT IT WAS 1072 01:02:43,663 --> 01:02:45,699 OFF-LIMITS >> IT WAS OFF-LIMITS ACCORDING 1073 01:02:45,699 --> 01:02:46,866 TO THIS RENTER WHO LIVED THERE FOR TEN YEARS. 1074 01:02:46,866 --> 01:02:48,435 >> Reporter: ON MARCH 15, 2021, COLE'S TEAM SERVED ANOTHER 1075 01:02:48,435 --> 01:02:51,938 SEARCH WARRANT AT RUBEN FLORES'S HOME 1076 01:02:51,938 --> 01:02:55,942 THIS TIME, THEY CAME EQUIPPED WITH CADAVER DOGS, A COUPLE OF 1077 01:02:55,942 --> 01:03:02,349 ARCHAEOLOGISTS, AND SOME GROUND PENETRATING RADAR. 1078 01:03:02,349 --> 01:03:07,153 THE SEARCH LASTED TWO DAYS >> THEY FOUND A VERY SUSPICIOUS 1079 01:03:07,153 --> 01:03:10,056 LOCATION UNDERNEATH THE DECK, SIX FOOT BY FOUR FEET DEEP 1080 01:03:10,056 --> 01:03:11,958 >> Reporter: EVEN TO THE UNEDUCATED EYE, YOU COULD TELL 1081 01:03:11,958 --> 01:03:14,060 THAT THAT WAS A HOLE THAT HAD RECENTLY BEEN DUG. 1082 01:03:14,060 --> 01:03:16,429 >> YES YOU COULD SEE ACTUAL SHOVEL 1083 01:03:16,429 --> 01:03:19,899 MARKS IN SOME OF THE AREAS AND THEN AS WE GOT DOWN 1084 01:03:19,899 --> 01:03:25,238 ABOUT 18 TO 24 INCHES, WE STARTED SEEING VERY SUSPICIOUS 1085 01:03:25,238 --> 01:03:27,907 STAINING THAT THE ARCHAEOLOGIST WHO WAS HELPING US SAID WAS 1086 01:03:27,907 --> 01:03:32,712 CONSISTENT WITH HUMAN DECOMPOSITION FLUID. 1087 01:03:32,712 --> 01:03:36,616 >> Reporter: THEY KEPT DIGGING >> I WAS SITTING RIGHT AT THE 1088 01:03:36,616 --> 01:03:39,686 HOLE -- HEART POUNDING, THINKING WE WERE GONNA FIND HER 1089 01:03:39,686 --> 01:03:43,490 >> Reporter: THIS IS IT. >> THIS IS IT. 1090 01:03:43,490 --> 01:03:46,726 >> Reporter: EXCEPT, IT WASN'T IF KRISTIN SMART HAD BEEN BURIED 1091 01:03:46,726 --> 01:03:50,163 UNDER THAT DECK, SHE WAS THERE NO LONGER. 1092 01:03:50,163 --> 01:03:53,099 BEFORE THEY LEFT, INVESTIGATORS TOOK SAMPLES OF THOSE STAINS 1093 01:03:53,099 --> 01:03:57,270 AND THEN PAUL FLORES' MOTHER SUSAN AGREED TO TALK ON CAMERA, 1094 01:03:57,270 --> 01:04:07,113 WITH A REPORTER FROM NBC AFFILIATE KSBY 1095 01:04:07,113 --> 01:04:11,117 >> BUT THEY KEEP TRYING TO FIND THE ANSWERS WITH US. 1096 01:04:11,117 --> 01:04:15,955 AND THEY KEEP FAILING, BECAUSE THE ANSWERS AREN'T HERE. 1097 01:04:15,955 --> 01:04:19,659 >> YEAH, IT WAS SURPRISING THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY QUIET, 1098 01:04:19,659 --> 01:04:22,362 NOT WANTING TO DISCUSS THINGS. SO WHEN I SAW THAT TAPE, I 1099 01:04:22,362 --> 01:04:24,464 WAS -- I WAS SHOCKED >> THIS IS RIDICULOUS, WHAT 1100 01:04:24,464 --> 01:04:29,769 HAPPENED HERE TODAY. THEY TOOK HIS HIS LIFE AWAY FROM 1101 01:04:29,769 --> 01:04:33,606 HIM TOO. >> Reporter: SUSAN FLORES SAID 1102 01:04:33,606 --> 01:04:37,077 SHE HAD NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED TO KRISTIN SMART, AND THAT HER 1103 01:04:37,077 --> 01:04:40,747 FAMILY WAS BEING TARGETED UNFAIRLY 1104 01:04:40,747 --> 01:04:43,116 >> Reporter: AND WERE YOU GUYS ANTICIPATING THIS? 1105 01:04:43,116 --> 01:04:45,785 WERE YOU GUYS SURPRISED AT ALL >> NO, I'M NOT SURPRISED AT 1106 01:04:45,785 --> 01:04:50,590 ANYTHING THEY DO THEY'RE HARASSING MANIACS. 1107 01:04:50,590 --> 01:04:54,861 IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE FACT THAT WE CAN'T HELP THIS 1108 01:04:54,861 --> 01:04:58,598 FAMILY FIND THEIR CHILD. >> Reporter: THE WOMAN 1109 01:04:58,598 --> 01:05:01,801 DENISE SMART HAD ONCE TRIED TO REACH, MOTHER TO MOTHER, STILL 1110 01:05:01,801 --> 01:05:05,572 HAD NOTHING TO OFFER IT'S INTERESTING 1111 01:05:05,572 --> 01:05:07,173 IT'S TWO FAMILIES THAT -- I MEAN, YOUR FAMILY HAS DONE 1112 01:05:07,173 --> 01:05:08,708 EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO FIND SOME ANSWERS. 1113 01:05:08,708 --> 01:05:11,911 AND THEY'VE DONE EVERYTHING THEY CAN -- 1114 01:05:11,911 --> 01:05:13,546 >> TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T >> TO NOT. 1115 01:05:13,546 --> 01:05:17,817 >> Reporter: INVESTIGATORS RUSHED THOSE STAIN SAMPLES FROM 1116 01:05:17,817 --> 01:05:23,123 THE DIG TO THE LAB AND, FINALLY, A BREAK. 1117 01:05:23,123 --> 01:05:25,258 >> THEY TESTED IT AND IT'S POSITIVE FOR HUMAN BLOOD, FOUR 1118 01:05:25,258 --> 01:05:27,394 FEET DOWN. >> Reporter: THAT BLOOD WAS TOO 1119 01:05:27,394 --> 01:05:32,198 DEGRADED FOR A DNA TEST. >> YES 1120 01:05:32,198 --> 01:05:36,469 IT WAS TOO DEGRADED. BUT WHO HAS BLOOD IN THEIR SOIL 1121 01:05:36,469 --> 01:05:38,705 FOUR FEET DOWN WITH HUMAN DECOMP STAINS IN A PREVIOUSLY DUG AREA? 1122 01:05:38,705 --> 01:05:40,807 >> Reporter: IF THAT'S NOT KRISTIN SMART, THEN WHO IS IT? 1123 01:05:40,807 --> 01:05:43,410 >> WHO ELSE DID YOU HAVE BURIED IN YOUR BACK YARD? 1124 01:05:43,410 --> 01:05:47,147 >> Reporter: THAT'S WHAT FINALLY GETS YOU OVER THE ARREST HURDLE? 1125 01:05:47,147 --> 01:05:49,249 >> YES THAT FINALLY GOT US TO A POINT 1126 01:05:49,249 --> 01:05:58,858 WHERE WE FELT THE CASE WAS CHARGEABLE AND WINNABLE. 1127 01:05:58,858 --> 01:06:03,129 >> Reporter: ON APRIL 13th, 2021, ALMOST 25 YEARS AFTER 1128 01:06:03,129 --> 01:06:09,035 KRISTIN SMART DISAPPEARED, DETECTIVES MADE THE MORE THAN 1129 01:06:09,035 --> 01:06:11,671 200-MILE TREK FROM SAN LUIS OBISPO TO PAUL FLORES'S HOME IN 1130 01:06:11,671 --> 01:06:16,476 SAN PEDRO, AND FINALLY PUT HIM IN CUFFS 1131 01:06:16,476 --> 01:06:18,678 >> WHEN IT FINALLY HAPPENED IT WAS TH -- THAT SURREAL MOMENT, 1132 01:06:18,678 --> 01:06:23,917 IT'S LIKE, "THEY REALLY ARRESTED HIM? 1133 01:06:23,917 --> 01:06:27,520 THEY REALLY ARRESTED HIM?" >> I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW HOW I 1134 01:06:27,520 --> 01:06:28,722 SHOULD FEEL OR HOW TO PROCESS IT 1135 01:06:28,722 --> 01:06:33,526 BUT I -- OF COURSE, IT -- IT SEEMED LIKE A FANTASTIC OUTCOME. 1136 01:06:33,526 --> 01:06:38,064 >> I WAS SO HAPPY AND RELIEVED TO KNOW THAT A DAY THAT I HAD 1137 01:06:38,064 --> 01:06:39,933 HOPED WOULD HAPPEN FOR YEARS FINALLY CAME 1138 01:06:39,933 --> 01:06:43,670 SO I WAS JUST RELIEVED THAT SOMEONE I FELT WAS VIOLENT WAS, 1139 01:06:43,670 --> 01:06:47,407 YEAH, OFF THE STREETS. >> Reporter: THE CHARGE AGAINST 1140 01:06:47,407 --> 01:06:49,776 PAUL FLORES -- MURDER DURING THE COMMISSION OR ATTEMPTED 1141 01:06:49,776 --> 01:06:56,449 COMMISSION OF RAPE AND THAT SAME DAY, THE SHERIFF'S 1142 01:06:56,449 --> 01:06:59,119 OFFICE MADE A SECOND ARREST. RUBEN FLORES WAS CHARGED AS AN 1143 01:06:59,119 --> 01:07:03,923 ACCESSORY AFTER THE FACT, ACCUSED OF HELPING HIS SON 1144 01:07:03,923 --> 01:07:07,127 CONCEAL KRISTIN SMART'S BODY >> AND THEN WE FOUND OUT THEY'D 1145 01:07:07,127 --> 01:07:11,931 ARRESTED RUBEN, AND IT'S LIKE -- SO THAT WAS A GOOD DAY 1146 01:07:11,931 --> 01:07:17,804 THAT WAS A GOOD DAY. >> Reporter: RUBEN FLORES' 1147 01:07:17,804 --> 01:07:22,075 ATTORNEY SAID HIS ARREST WAS SIMPLY A TACTIC TO TRY TO PRY A 1148 01:07:22,075 --> 01:07:25,278 CONFESSION OUT OF HIS SON PAUL SO, WOULD PAUL FLORES FINALLY 1149 01:07:25,278 --> 01:07:27,947 TALK OR MAYBE, HE ALREADY HAD 1150 01:07:27,947 --> 01:07:30,617 HE JUST BLURTS THIS OUT? >> YES 1151 01:07:30,617 --> 01:07:33,253 NO SMIRK NO SMILE 1152 01:07:33,253 --> 01:07:35,922 NO -- "OH, I'M SCREWING WITH YOU. 1153 01:07:35,922 --> 01:07:44,297 >> Reporter: HE JUST SAYS IT >> MM-HMM, STRAIGHT FACE 1154 01:07:44,297 --> 01:07:46,266 >>> COMING UP THIS SUNDAY ON "DATELINE. 1155 01:07:46,266 --> 01:07:49,936 >> WHAT WERE THE CHANCES SHE WOULD EVER WALK AWAY FROM THAT 1156 01:07:49,936 --> 01:07:52,806 FAMILY >> THERE WEREN'T ANY CHANCES 1157 01:07:52,806 --> 01:07:55,241 LIZ WOULD HAVE NEVER LEFT HER CHILDREN. 1158 01:07:55,241 --> 01:07:59,746 >> THE MISSING PERSONS UNIT DID NOT SEE ANY SIGNS OF FOUL PLAY. 1159 01:07:59,746 --> 01:08:03,383 >> I KNOW I'M JUST A FRIEND. I JUST FEEL THAT SOMETHING'S 1160 01:08:03,383 --> 01:08:06,553 WRONG. >> I VERY, VERY, VERY MUCH 1161 01:08:06,553 --> 01:08:09,456 BELIEVED MY FRIEND WAS IN DANGER. 1162 01:08:09,456 --> 01:08:12,492 >> I HAD GOTTEN A CALL SAYING, YOU'LL NEVER BELIEVE THIS. 1163 01:08:12,492 --> 01:08:32,712 WE KNEW WE HAD A MURDE SMART FAMILY WAITED AND WAITED 1164 01:08:32,712 --> 01:08:38,051 AND HOPED FOR THIS DAY JULY 18th, 2022, THE CRIMINAL 1165 01:08:38,051 --> 01:08:42,322 TRIALS OF PAUL FLORES AND RUBEN FLORES BEGAN 1166 01:08:42,322 --> 01:08:46,059 PAUL WAS 45, THE SAME AGE KRISTIN WOULD HAVE BEEN. 1167 01:08:46,059 --> 01:08:49,763 DURING THE TRIAL, THE JUDGE ALLOWED STILL PHOTOGRAPHY BUT NO 1168 01:08:49,763 --> 01:08:53,500 AUDIO OR VIDEO FATHER AND SON WOULD BE TRIED IN 1169 01:08:53,500 --> 01:08:56,703 THE SAME COURTROOM AT THE SAME TIME, BUT WITH SEPARATE JURIES 1170 01:08:56,703 --> 01:09:05,211 >> YOUNG, VIBRANT, 19-YEAR-OLD WOMEN DON'T JUST VANISH INTO 1171 01:09:05,211 --> 01:09:09,015 THIN AIR AND LEAVE ALL OF THEIR EARTHLY POSSESSIONS AND 1172 01:09:09,015 --> 01:09:16,456 BELONGINGS BEHIND. IT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN 1173 01:09:16,456 --> 01:09:19,759 >> Reporter: THE CASE AGAINST PAUL FLORES WAS ALMOST ENTIRELY 1174 01:09:19,759 --> 01:09:24,431 CIRCUMSTANTIAL NO DNA, NO EYEWITNESSES, AND, OF 1175 01:09:24,431 --> 01:09:26,933 COURSE, NO BODY. >> I -- THIS WAS THE FIRST NO 1176 01:09:26,933 --> 01:09:28,868 BODY CASE THAT I TRIED IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT 1177 01:09:28,868 --> 01:09:35,108 AND I'M TRYIN' TO BUILD THAT CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE TO SHOW 1178 01:09:35,108 --> 01:09:38,511 THERE'S JUST NO OTHER EXPLANATION FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO 1179 01:09:38,511 --> 01:09:43,116 KRISTIN. >> Reporter: THE PROSECUTOR SPUN 1180 01:09:43,116 --> 01:09:46,319 A DECADES-LONG NARRATIVE, FROM THE NIGHT KRISTIN DISAPPEARED 1181 01:09:46,319 --> 01:09:48,621 ALL THE WAY TO THOSE SEARCHES AT THE FLORES HOME. 1182 01:09:48,621 --> 01:09:49,723 PARTYGOERS AND KRISTIN'S FRIENDS, LIKE VANESSA SHIELDS, 1183 01:09:49,723 --> 01:09:51,624 TOOK THE STAND WHAT'S IT'S LIKE TO WALK IN THAT 1184 01:09:51,624 --> 01:09:54,327 COURTROOM AND HE'S THERE >> THAT WAS TERRIFYING 1185 01:09:54,327 --> 01:09:58,565 I HAD TO STARE AT HIM. HE STILL HAD SAME REALLY INTENSE 1186 01:09:58,565 --> 01:10:00,734 STARE THAT JUST KINDA GIVES YOU THE -- 1187 01:10:00,734 --> 01:10:06,039 THE CREEPS AND I WAS ANXIOUS. 1188 01:10:06,039 --> 01:10:09,242 I WAS NERVOUS. BUT THEN I JUST KEPT THINKING, 1189 01:10:09,242 --> 01:10:11,911 YOU KNOW, "YOU HAVE TO DO THIS FOR KRISTIN. 1190 01:10:11,911 --> 01:10:15,648 >> Reporter: THE JURORS WATCHED THAT 1996 INTERVIEW WITH 1191 01:10:15,648 --> 01:10:17,751 PAUL FLORES. >> WHY WAS IT SO HARD FOR YOU TO 1192 01:10:17,751 --> 01:10:22,022 TELL US THAT YOU GOT THAT BLACK EYE HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL 1193 01:10:22,022 --> 01:10:26,292 >> IT DIDN'T REALLY MATTER >> Reporter: THEY LISTENED TO 1194 01:10:26,292 --> 01:10:29,462 HIS CHANGING EXPLANATIONS OF HIS BLACK EYE. 1195 01:10:29,462 --> 01:10:32,665 AND THEY SAW WHAT INVESTIGATORS BELIEVED WAS TELLING BODY 1196 01:10:32,665 --> 01:10:35,335 LANGUAGE THE BACKBONE OF THE 1197 01:10:35,335 --> 01:10:36,436 PROSECUTION'S CASE WAS THE FORENSICS, STARTING WITH THE 1198 01:10:36,436 --> 01:10:37,470 CADAVER DOGS ALERTING AT THE DORM 1199 01:10:37,470 --> 01:10:38,972 AND THEN DECADES LATER, THE DISCOVERY UNDER RUBEN FLORES' 1200 01:10:38,972 --> 01:10:43,343 DECK THE PROSECUTION BROUGHT IN A 1201 01:10:43,343 --> 01:10:44,511 SCIENTIST TO EXPLAIN SOMETHING CALLED A HEMDIRECT TEST THAT 1202 01:10:44,511 --> 01:10:48,682 DETERMINED THE SAMPLES WERE HUMAN BLOOD. 1203 01:10:48,682 --> 01:10:51,351 WERE YOU WORRIED AT ALL THE JURORS WEREN'T GONNA REALLY 1204 01:10:51,351 --> 01:10:54,888 GRASP THE -- THE TECHNICAL STUFF? 1205 01:10:54,888 --> 01:10:56,890 >> I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE TODAY WERE REALLY PRETTY SAVVY THANKS TO -- 1206 01:10:56,890 --> 01:10:59,893 TO SHOWS LIKE YOURS. I THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT 1207 01:10:59,893 --> 01:11:03,630 IF YOU TEST FOR HUMAN BLOOD, IT'S HUMAN BLOOD 1208 01:11:03,630 --> 01:11:10,070 >> Reporter: THE STATE'S THEORY WAS THAT FLORES MURDERED KRISTIN 1209 01:11:10,070 --> 01:11:14,841 WHILE RAPING HER, PART OF A PATTERN OF SEXUAL ASSAULT THAT 1210 01:11:14,841 --> 01:11:19,612 CONTINUED FOR YEARS. PROSECUTORS DOCUMENTED NUMEROUS 1211 01:11:19,612 --> 01:11:24,451 RAPES THEY BELIEVE PAUL FLORES COMMITTED BY DRUGGING AND 1212 01:11:24,451 --> 01:11:28,188 ASSAULTING WOMEN, THEN RECORDING IT ON VIDEO. 1213 01:11:28,188 --> 01:11:32,425 THE JUDGE ALLOWED TWO OF THOSE WOMEN TO TESTIFY ANONYMOUSLY 1214 01:11:32,425 --> 01:11:35,628 >> THEY SAID THEY MET PAUL AT A BAR, AND THEY WENT HOME WITH 1215 01:11:35,628 --> 01:11:41,501 HIM. THEY WERE GIVEN A DRINK, AND 1216 01:11:41,501 --> 01:11:45,405 THEN THEY DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING BESIDES BITS AND PIECES 1217 01:11:45,405 --> 01:11:50,110 OF BEING ASSAULTED THEY GAVE VERY EMOTIONAL, VERY, 1218 01:11:50,110 --> 01:11:51,244 VERY POWERFUL TESTIMONIES TO THE POINT THAT EVEN SOME JURORS 1219 01:11:51,244 --> 01:11:52,112 CRIED DURING IT. >> Reporter: PROSECUTOR 1220 01:11:52,112 --> 01:11:54,314 PEUVRELLE SAVED ONE WITNESS UNTIL THE LAST DAYS OF HIS 1221 01:11:54,314 --> 01:11:55,382 CASE -- THIS WOMAN HER NAME IS JENNIFER HUDSON. 1222 01:11:55,382 --> 01:11:56,950 SHE SAYS SHE MET PAUL FLORES IN 1996, JUST WEEKS AFTER KRISTIN 1223 01:11:56,950 --> 01:11:59,719 DISAPPEARED. >> WE WERE AT A SKATEBOARD RAMP 1224 01:11:59,719 --> 01:12:02,622 AT SOMEONE'S HOUSE, COLLEGE KIDS' HOUSE. 1225 01:12:02,622 --> 01:12:04,958 >> Reporter: JENNIFER WAS JUST 19 THEN, HANGING OUT WITH 1226 01:12:04,958 --> 01:12:09,129 FRIENDS. >> THIS GUY COMES UP AND SITS 1227 01:12:09,129 --> 01:12:11,865 ACROSS FROM A BUDDY AND MYSELF >> Reporter: SOMEONE HAD THE 1228 01:12:11,865 --> 01:12:15,602 RADIO PLAYING. >> AND AFTER A FEW SONGS, A, 1229 01:12:15,602 --> 01:12:19,639 LIKE, PUBLIC OUTREACH COMMERCIAL CAME ON LOOKING FOR KRISTIN. 1230 01:12:19,639 --> 01:12:23,610 >> Reporter: MENTIONS KRISTIN SMART BY NAME. 1231 01:12:23,610 --> 01:12:25,979 >> RIGHT RIGHT. 1232 01:12:25,979 --> 01:12:30,450 >> Reporter: SHE SAYS THAT GUY HAD A DRAMATIC REACTION TO 1233 01:12:30,450 --> 01:12:31,651 HEARING THE NAME KRISTIN SMART >> AND SAYS, "THE BITCH WAS A 1234 01:12:31,651 --> 01:12:38,091 TEASE AND I'M SICK OF DEALING WITH HER 1235 01:12:38,091 --> 01:12:42,295 AND SO I PUT HER UNDER A RAMP AT HIS PLACE IN HUASNA. 1236 01:12:42,295 --> 01:12:45,598 >> Reporter: HUASNA IS A RURAL AREA NOT FAR FROM WHERE THE 1237 01:12:45,598 --> 01:12:48,134 FLORES FAMILY LIVED. THE IMPLICATION BEING THAT 1238 01:12:48,134 --> 01:12:50,804 KRISTIN WAS BURIED THERE, NEAR A SKATE RAMP 1239 01:12:50,804 --> 01:12:52,405 YOU BELIEVE HIM? >> 1,000%. 1240 01:12:52,405 --> 01:12:56,142 YOU KNOW WHEN A PERSON HAS A SOUL 1241 01:12:56,142 --> 01:12:59,546 HE DID NOT AND THAT'S WHAT MADE ME BELIEVE 1242 01:12:59,546 --> 01:13:02,048 HIM. >> Reporter: SHE SAYS SHE LATER 1243 01:13:02,048 --> 01:13:07,887 SAW A STORY ON THE KRISTIN SMART CASE AND RECOGNIZED PAUL FLORES. 1244 01:13:07,887 --> 01:13:11,624 HOWEVER, SHE DID NOT GO TO POLICE BACK THEN BECAUSE, SHE 1245 01:13:11,624 --> 01:13:14,828 SAYS, SHE WAS SCARED AND SHE DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD DO ANY 1246 01:13:14,828 --> 01:13:19,632 GOOD >> HAD I GONE TO THE LAW ON MY 1247 01:13:19,632 --> 01:13:23,069 OWN AND SAID AT ANY POINT I RAN INTO THIS GUY AND THIS IS WHAT 1248 01:13:23,069 --> 01:13:26,072 HE SAID, WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO ARREST HIM 1249 01:13:26,072 --> 01:13:27,674 NO >> Reporter: AND YOU WOULD HAVE 1250 01:13:27,674 --> 01:13:32,145 FELT IN DANGER >> ABSOLUTELY. 1251 01:13:32,145 --> 01:13:36,716 THE ONE PERSON THAT I DID TELL IN 2002 WAS A ROOMMATE OF MINE 1252 01:13:36,716 --> 01:13:40,954 >> Reporter: THAT ROOMMATE LATER LEFT A TIP ON A WEBSITE 1253 01:13:40,954 --> 01:13:43,156 DEDICATED TO FINDING KRISTIN YEARS LATER, CHRIS LAMBERT SAW 1254 01:13:43,156 --> 01:13:46,826 THAT POST AND TRACKED DOWN JENNIFER 1255 01:13:46,826 --> 01:13:51,097 AND HE PASSED HER NAME TO DETECTIVE CLINT COLE, WHICH IS 1256 01:13:51,097 --> 01:13:54,834 HOW JENNIFER ENDED UP TELLING HER STORY IN COURT MORE THAN 1257 01:13:54,834 --> 01:13:56,970 25 YEARS LATER SHE WANTS TO APOLOGIZE TO THE 1258 01:13:56,970 --> 01:14:01,775 SMARTS FOR NOT SPEAKING UP SOONER 1259 01:14:01,775 --> 01:14:05,345 >> IT STILL BOTHERS ME IF IT DIDN'T BUG ME, I'D BE AS 1260 01:14:05,345 --> 01:14:09,783 EVIL AS PAUL IS. >> Reporter: OVER THREE MONTHS, 1261 01:14:09,783 --> 01:14:14,054 THE PROSECUTION BUILT ITS CASE WHILE THE DEFENSE ARGUED THE 1262 01:14:14,054 --> 01:14:15,755 WHOLE THING WAS SHAKY. >> I MEAN, IT WAS HOCUS-POCUS. 1263 01:14:15,755 --> 01:14:18,491 >> THE VERDICT IS PASSED UP TO THE JUDGE. 1264 01:14:18,491 --> 01:14:20,193 YOUR HEART STARTS POUNDING OUT OF YOUR CHEST. 1265 01:14:39,879 --> 01:14:44,317 AND PAUL FLORES LASTED MONTHS. AT THE DEFENSE TABLE, FATHER AND 1266 01:14:44,317 --> 01:14:46,953 SON SAT SIDE BY SIDE THE TWO DEFENDANTS WERE 1267 01:14:46,953 --> 01:14:50,190 REPRESENTED BY SEPARATE ATTORNEYS. 1268 01:14:50,190 --> 01:14:54,127 ROBERT SANGER DEFENDED PAUL FLORES. 1269 01:14:54,127 --> 01:14:58,198 RUBEN'S ATTORNEY WAS HAROLD MESICK. 1270 01:14:58,198 --> 01:15:02,669 WHAT WAS YOUR STRATEGY GOIN' INTO TRIAL 1271 01:15:02,669 --> 01:15:04,037 >> OH, ATTACK THE PROSECUTION'S LACK OF EVIDENCE 1272 01:15:04,037 --> 01:15:05,138 THE PROSECUTION WAS VERY DEFT IN THE CASE 1273 01:15:05,138 --> 01:15:08,842 THEY TOOK WHAT LITTLE THEY HAD AND SPUN QUITE A STORY 1274 01:15:08,842 --> 01:15:12,779 >> Reporter: HIS CENTRAL FOCUS WAS ON THE FORENSICS -- THE 1275 01:15:12,779 --> 01:15:15,749 EVIDENCE DUG UP ON THE FLORES PROPERTY 1276 01:15:15,749 --> 01:15:20,053 >> I MEAN, IT WAS HOCUS-POCUS. >> Reporter: WHAT WAS BURIED 1277 01:15:20,053 --> 01:15:22,655 UNDER THERE IF IT WASN'T KRISTIN SMART? 1278 01:15:22,655 --> 01:15:24,057 >> NOTHING WAS BURIED UNDER THERE. 1279 01:15:24,057 --> 01:15:25,859 IT WAS JUST DISTURBED SOIL FROM A TREE BEING PULLED OUT. 1280 01:15:25,859 --> 01:15:28,561 >> Reporter: SO WHEN THE PROSECUTION SAYS, "THEY HAVE 1281 01:15:28,561 --> 01:15:31,197 TESTS CONFIRMING HUMAN BLOOD IN THE SOIL," WHAT, THEY'RE -- 1282 01:15:31,197 --> 01:15:33,967 THEY'RE LYING ABOUT THAT >> THEY MISUSED THE HEMDIRECT 1283 01:15:33,967 --> 01:15:39,839 TEST IT WAS SPECIFICALLY NOT APPROVED 1284 01:15:39,839 --> 01:15:42,976 OR VALIDATED FOR USE TO DISCOVER SOIL IN BLOOD. 1285 01:15:42,976 --> 01:15:46,146 >> Reporter: TO HEAR THE DEFENSE TELL IT, IF THE CASE AGAINST 1286 01:15:46,146 --> 01:15:52,085 PAUL FLORES WAS WEAK, THE CASE AGAINST HIS FATHER WAS VIRTUALLY 1287 01:15:52,085 --> 01:15:54,154 NONEXISTENT. >> CERTAINLY, RUBEN WOULD DO 1288 01:15:54,154 --> 01:15:57,891 ANYTHING FOR HIS SON BUT RUBEN DIDN'T HAVE TO DO 1289 01:15:57,891 --> 01:16:02,162 ANYTHING FOR HIS SON THERE WAS NEVER A BODY IN 1290 01:16:02,162 --> 01:16:05,899 RUBEN'S YARD, EVER >> Reporter: AS FOR 1291 01:16:05,899 --> 01:16:08,134 JENNIFER HUDSON AND HER STORY -- >> JENNIFER HUDSON'S TESTIMONY I 1292 01:16:08,134 --> 01:16:09,703 THINK WAS SUSPECT. I THINK THE WAY IT WAS BROUGHT 1293 01:16:09,703 --> 01:16:16,576 TO LIGHT BY THE PODCAST AND THE POSSIBILITY OF A 1294 01:16:16,576 --> 01:16:20,847 $75,000 REWARD -- I JUST DID NOT FIND HER CREDIBLE AT ALL 1295 01:16:20,847 --> 01:16:25,118 >> Reporter: ALSO NOT CREDIBLE TO THE DEFENSE -- THE PREVAILING 1296 01:16:25,118 --> 01:16:29,055 NOTION THAT OVER THE YEARS, THE FLORES FAMILY PROTECTED PAUL 1297 01:16:29,055 --> 01:16:32,258 >> THEY'RE A SWEET FAMILY. THEY'VE BEEN TOTALLY 1298 01:16:32,258 --> 01:16:34,227 MISCHARACTERIZED IN THE PRESS. >> Reporter: WHY -- WHY DO YOU 1299 01:16:34,227 --> 01:16:36,863 THINK THE FLORES FAMILY, THIS SWEET, KIND FAMILY WOULD BE SO 1300 01:16:36,863 --> 01:16:40,600 ANTAGONISTIC AND SO UNWILLING TO HELP THE SMART FAMILY WHEN THEY 1301 01:16:40,600 --> 01:16:43,803 REACHED OUT FOR HELP FOR THEIR MISSING DAUGHTER 1302 01:16:43,803 --> 01:16:47,540 >> THEY WERE APPROACHED IN A WAY THAT THEY WERE THIS EVIL CRIME 1303 01:16:47,540 --> 01:16:50,210 FAMILY THAT CAUSED THE DISAPPEARANCE OF A YOUNG GIRL. 1304 01:16:50,210 --> 01:16:53,913 AND THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE >> Reporter: IN COURT, MESICK 1305 01:16:53,913 --> 01:16:56,616 ECHOED A THEORY CAMPUS POLICE HAD PURSUED MORE THAN A QUARTER 1306 01:16:56,616 --> 01:16:58,752 CENTURY EARLIER -- MAYBE KRISTIN JUST TOOK OFF. 1307 01:16:58,752 --> 01:17:01,388 >> WHAT I SAID WAS, "WITHOUT A BODY, WE CAN'T BE SURE SHE'S 1308 01:17:01,388 --> 01:17:05,091 DEAD." AND I KNOW THAT'S HURTFUL MAYBE 1309 01:17:05,091 --> 01:17:07,761 TO HEAR, THE SMART FAMILY. BUT RUBEN'S NOT A PART OF THIS, 1310 01:17:07,761 --> 01:17:11,531 AND WE DON'T KNOW WHERE KRISTIN IS 1311 01:17:11,531 --> 01:17:16,336 >> Reporter: YOU'RE A SMART GUY. I DON'T EVEN THINK YOU BELIEVE 1312 01:17:16,336 --> 01:17:19,572 KRISTIN SMART'S ALIVE SOMEWHERE. >> I DO BELIEVE WITH ALL MY 1313 01:17:19,572 --> 01:17:23,810 HEART THAT SHE MAY BE ALIVE. IT MAY BE A SLIM CHANCE, BUT 1314 01:17:23,810 --> 01:17:28,048 THERE'S A CHANCE THAT'S WHY WE NEED THE BODY. 1315 01:17:28,048 --> 01:17:30,684 LET -- LET -- LET ME ASK YOU THE QUESTION 1316 01:17:30,684 --> 01:17:35,488 WHY DO YOU BELIEVE SHE'S DEAD? 'CAUSE SHE'S MISSING 1317 01:17:35,488 --> 01:17:38,692 >> Reporter: NO SHE'S NOT -- NOT JUST THAT SHE'S MISSING. 1318 01:17:38,692 --> 01:17:40,827 SHE HASN'T CONTACTED HER FAMILY. SHE DIDN'T CONTACT ANY OF HER 1319 01:17:40,827 --> 01:17:44,564 FRIENDS. SHE WASN'T THE SORT OF PERSON TO 1320 01:17:44,564 --> 01:17:47,767 JUST UP AND DISAPPEAR. IF SHE HAD DISAPPEARED, SHE 1321 01:17:47,767 --> 01:17:51,504 WOULDA TAKEN HER STUFF WITH HER. AND SHE WAS LAST SEEN IN THE 1322 01:17:51,504 --> 01:17:55,275 COMPANY OF A GUY WHO PREVIOUSLY HAD A HISTORY OF WEIRD SEXUAL 1323 01:17:55,275 --> 01:17:59,512 BEHAVIOR TOWARDS WOMAN, AND LATER WAS ACCUSED OF A NUMBER OF 1324 01:17:59,512 --> 01:18:03,249 RAPES, AND OF DRUGGING WOMEN AND HAVING SEX WITH THEM, AND HE WAS 1325 01:18:03,249 --> 01:18:06,486 THE LAST PERSON TO SEE HER ALIVE. 1326 01:18:06,486 --> 01:18:10,190 THAT'S WHY I DON'T THINK SHE'S AROUND 1327 01:18:10,190 --> 01:18:14,160 THE DEFENSE CONCEDES NONE OF THAT 1328 01:18:14,160 --> 01:18:17,197 >> THE EVIDENCE IN THIS CASE AGAIN IS WEAK, INSUFFICIENT. 1329 01:18:17,197 --> 01:18:20,900 AND I'M GONNA GET A LOTTA HEAT FOR THAT 1330 01:18:20,900 --> 01:18:24,771 BUT I'M A DEFENSE ATTORNEY SO I GET A LOTTA HEAT 1331 01:18:24,771 --> 01:18:28,875 >> Reporter: ON OCTOBER 18th, THE JURIES WERE BACK IN THE 1332 01:18:28,875 --> 01:18:32,612 COURTROOM, THIS TIME, WITH VERDICTS 1333 01:18:32,612 --> 01:18:36,316 PAUL FLORES -- GUILTY OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER. 1334 01:18:36,316 --> 01:18:41,121 >> I MEAN, I JUST KINDA DOUBLED UP 1335 01:18:41,121 --> 01:18:45,825 EVEN THOUGH I WANTED IT, IT WAS JUST -- IT WAS SO UNREAL THAT 1336 01:18:45,825 --> 01:18:48,395 THIS JURY HAD ACTUALLY LISTENED. >> Reporter: RUBEN FLORES' JURY 1337 01:18:48,395 --> 01:18:51,798 FOUND HIM NOT GUILTY >> WE -- WE GOT THE ELEPHANT, WE 1338 01:18:51,798 --> 01:18:53,833 DIDN'T GET THE MOUSE >> Reporter: CAN YOU LIVE WITH 1339 01:18:53,833 --> 01:18:58,705 THAT >> WE -- DO WE HAVE AN OPTION? 1340 01:18:58,705 --> 01:19:02,442 >> DON'T HAVE A CHOICE THIS IS A PARENT'S WORST 1341 01:19:02,442 --> 01:19:04,577 NIGHTMARE. >> Reporter: AT PAUL FLORES' 1342 01:19:04,577 --> 01:19:06,713 SENTENCING HEARING EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE SMARTS CAME ONE BY 1343 01:19:06,713 --> 01:19:10,450 ONE TO THE PODIUM. >> AND WE HAVE WAITED LONG 1344 01:19:10,450 --> 01:19:13,887 ENOUGH FOR THIS DAY. >> Reporter: TO ADDRESS THE 1345 01:19:13,887 --> 01:19:17,924 JUDGE, AND FLORES. EACH FOUGHT BACK TEARS 1346 01:19:17,924 --> 01:19:22,729 [ CRYING ] >> Reporter: DENISE WAS LAST TO 1347 01:19:22,729 --> 01:19:26,466 SPEAK, WITH ONE FINAL APPEAL TO PAUL FLORES -- RETURN KRISTIN TO 1348 01:19:26,466 --> 01:19:30,070 HER FAMILY >> IT IS CLEARLY TOO LATE FOR 1349 01:19:30,070 --> 01:19:34,474 US, BUT PAUL, IT IS NOT TOO LATE FOR YOU TO TELL THE TRUTH TO 1350 01:19:34,474 --> 01:19:38,211 FREE YOUR SOUL AND YOUR HEART FROM THE WEIGHT IT MUST BE 1351 01:19:38,211 --> 01:19:41,915 CARRYING YOU ARE, AFTER ALL, A HUMAN 1352 01:19:41,915 --> 01:19:46,286 BEING. >> Reporter: DURING THAT, 1353 01:19:46,286 --> 01:19:51,057 PAUL FLORES DIDN'T DO AS MUCH AS TURN HIS HEAD. 1354 01:19:51,057 --> 01:19:55,462 >> HE'S -- HE'S JUST SOULLESS, A SOULLESS CREATURE. 1355 01:19:55,462 --> 01:19:57,931 >> Reporter: THE JUDGE AGREED. >> WHAT THIS SENTENCE WILL 1356 01:19:57,931 --> 01:20:02,736 PROVIDE IS ACCOUNTABILITY, MR. FLORES 1357 01:20:02,736 --> 01:20:07,507 YOU HAVE BEEN A CANCER TO SOCIETY. 1358 01:20:07,507 --> 01:20:11,277 YOU ARE COMMITTED TO THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE THAT I CAN IMPOSE BY 1359 01:20:11,277 --> 01:20:15,015 LAW, AN INDETERMINANT TERM OF 25 YEARS TO LIFE 1360 01:20:15,015 --> 01:20:19,786 >> Reporter: IF IT WERE UP TO THE SMARTS, PAUL FLORES' 1361 01:20:19,786 --> 01:20:25,125 SENTENCE WOULD BE LONGER >> MY NEXT MISSION IN LIFE IS TO 1362 01:20:25,125 --> 01:20:28,928 ENSURE THAT THERE IS AN ENHANCEMENT FOR THOSE WHO MURDER 1363 01:20:28,928 --> 01:20:30,430 SOMEONE AND HARBOR THEIR BODY. >> Reporter: HOW WOULD THAT HELP 1364 01:20:30,430 --> 01:20:32,065 YOU? >> IT WOULD HELP US BECAUSE 1365 01:20:32,065 --> 01:20:35,268 THERE WOULD BE AN INCENTIVE FOR HIM TO COME FORWARD AND TELL US 1366 01:20:35,268 --> 01:20:38,438 WHERE KRISTIN IS IF THEY ADDED TEN YEARS TO HIS 1367 01:20:38,438 --> 01:20:42,709 SENTENCE, IT'S PROBABLE THAT HE MIGHT GIVE THIS A SECOND 1368 01:20:42,709 --> 01:20:46,846 THOUGHT. >> Reporter: ANOTHER MISSION -- 1369 01:20:46,846 --> 01:20:50,183 IN THE WAKE OF THEIR FRUSTRATION WITH CAL POLY CAMPUS POLICE, THE 1370 01:20:50,183 --> 01:20:53,386 SMARTS TOOK ACTION THEY HELPED PASS THE 1371 01:20:53,386 --> 01:20:57,157 KRISTIN SMART SAFETY ACT IN CALIFORNIA, REQUIRING CAMPUS 1372 01:20:57,157 --> 01:21:00,960 POLICE TO COORDINATE WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. 1373 01:21:00,960 --> 01:21:04,597 NOW, THEY WANT THAT EXPANDED >> WELL IT SHOULD BE NATIONWIDE. 1374 01:21:04,597 --> 01:21:07,801 WE'RE NOT TRAINING CAMPUS POLICE OFFICERS TO DEAL WITH HOMICIDES 1375 01:21:07,801 --> 01:21:12,238 OR KIDNAPPINGS >> Reporter: IN RESPONSE TO OUR 1376 01:21:12,238 --> 01:21:16,076 REQUESTS FOR AN INTERVIEW, THE CAL POLY ADMINISTRATION POINTED 1377 01:21:16,076 --> 01:21:18,945 OUT THAT THE INITIAL INVESTIGATION INTO KRISTIN'S 1378 01:21:18,945 --> 01:21:24,184 CASE TOOK PLACE UNDER DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP 1379 01:21:24,184 --> 01:21:27,854 THE ADMINISTRATION CALLED HER CASE "AN ANOMALY" AND SAID, 1380 01:21:27,854 --> 01:21:31,224 "TERRIBLE THINGS CAN, AND DO STILL HAPPEN IN 'SAFE' PLACES" 1381 01:21:31,224 --> 01:21:34,728 IN RESPONSE TO OUR SPECIFIC QUESTION ABOUT HOW CAMPUS POLICE 1382 01:21:34,728 --> 01:21:39,232 RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT KRISTIN'S SEX LIFE AND OTHER PERSONAL 1383 01:21:39,232 --> 01:21:43,503 DETAILS, THE UNIVERSITY SAID THAT "THIS SITUATION SHOULD HAVE 1384 01:21:43,503 --> 01:21:48,608 BEEN HANDLED MUCH DIFFERENTLY. IT IS NEVER APPROPRIATE TO 1385 01:21:48,608 --> 01:21:53,646 DESCRIBE A VICTIM AS PROMISCUOUS AND IT RUNS COMPLETELY COUNTER 1386 01:21:53,646 --> 01:21:57,917 TO OUR PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES." 1387 01:21:57,917 --> 01:21:59,519 >> SANGER SAYS DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY - 1388 01:21:59,519 --> 01:22:03,056 >> Reporter: CHRIS LAMBERT IS WORKING ON THE FINAL EPISODE OF 1389 01:22:03,056 --> 01:22:06,426 HIS PODCAST, VERY MUCH AWARE OF WHAT HIS CURIOSITY HELPED BRING 1390 01:22:06,426 --> 01:22:11,131 ABOUT. >> -- TESTIFY ANYWAY 1391 01:22:11,131 --> 01:22:13,933 I'VE BEEN ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED BY THE LOSS OF SOMEBODY I NEVER 1392 01:22:13,933 --> 01:22:17,671 EVEN GOT TO MEET AND I CAN'T IMAGINE HAD IT BEEN 1393 01:22:17,671 --> 01:22:23,109 MY OWN FAMILY MEMBER >> Reporter: TIME HAS NOT DULLED 1394 01:22:23,109 --> 01:22:28,848 THE SMARTS' MEMORIES OF KRISTIN. >> SHE JUST ALWAYS BELIEVED IN 1395 01:22:28,848 --> 01:22:31,518 HER FUTURE SHE JUST KNEW WHAT SHE WANTED TO 1396 01:22:31,518 --> 01:22:36,856 DO >> SHE HAD WONDERFUL HUGS, AND 1397 01:22:36,856 --> 01:22:41,661 SMILES SHE WAS A CHEERLEADER FOR OUR 1398 01:22:41,661 --> 01:22:45,398 OTHER TWO CHILDREN >> Reporter: LONG AGO, THE 1399 01:22:45,398 --> 01:22:51,237 SMARTS FOUND A WAY TO NAVIGATE THEIR LOSS TO TAKE THAT ADVICE, 1400 01:22:51,237 --> 01:22:54,441 AND TO BE PRESENT FOR ONE ANOTHER. 1401 01:22:54,441 --> 01:22:58,178 I'M GLAD YOU LISTENED TO THAT. >> WELL, I WASN'T HAPPY AT THE 1402 01:22:58,178 --> 01:23:00,513 TIME, BUT IN RETROSPECT IT WAS THE RIGHT THING -- RIGHT THING 1403 01:23:00,513 --> 01:23:03,116 TO HEAR. >> Reporter: A STRONG FAMILY, A 1404 01:23:03,116 --> 01:23:04,217 HAPPY ONE. THAT LOVE FUELS THE SMARTS, EVEN 1405 01:23:04,217 --> 01:23:06,753 THOUGH THEY STILL DON'T HAVE A DAUGHTER TO BURY 1406 01:23:06,753 --> 01:23:09,422 YOU KNOW, THERE'S THIS FEELING OUT THERE IN THE WORLD BY PEOPLE 1407 01:23:09,422 --> 01:23:14,728 WHO DON'T KNOW YOU, THAT NOW WE'RE AT THE END, YOU KNOW 1408 01:23:14,728 --> 01:23:19,065 "HE'S BEEN LOCKED UP YOU SHOULD BE OKAY NOW." 1409 01:23:19,065 --> 01:23:22,202 [ LAUGHTER ] >> IT'S NOT THE END. 1410 01:23:22,202 --> 01:23:24,337 >> Reporter: YEAH, AND THIS DOESN'T GO AWAY, DOES IT 1411 01:23:24,337 --> 01:23:27,540 >> NO. >> YOU KNOW AS A MOTHER, I FEEL 1412 01:23:27,540 --> 01:23:35,615 LIKE I HAVE A PIECE OF HER WITHIN ME. 1413 01:23:35,615 --> 01:23:38,218 SO IT'S -- YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S A DEATH THAT IS NEVER GOING TO GO 1414 01:23:38,218 --> 01:23:41,621 AWAY >>> THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION 1415 01:23:41,621 --> 01:23:43,490 OF "DATELINE." WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN SUNDAY AT 1416 01:23:43,490 --> 01:23:48,294 7:00, 6:00 CENTRAL, AND OF COURSE, I'LL SEE YOU EACH 1417 01:23:48,294 --> 01:23:50,964 WEEKNIGHT FOR "NBC NIGHTLY NEWS." 1418 01:23:50,964 --> 01:23:50,964 NEWS." 1419 01:23:50,964 --> 01:23:50,964 I'M LESTER HOLT.