The trial against the men accused in the 1996 murder of Kristin Smart was delayed again Friday because of an evidence issue that “could not be resolved,” a Monterey County Superior Court judge said.
Paul Flores, 45, is accused of killing the Cal Poly student and hiding her body with the help of his father, 81-year-old Ruben Flores.
Angie Carrizel, Paul Flores’ ex-girlfriend, finished her testimony about 15 minutes after court convened on Friday.
Monterey County Superior Court Judge Jennifer O’Keefe ordered an hour-long recess because of an issue that needed to be resolved with upcoming evidence.
When court returned from recess, O’Keefe told the court the issue needed more time to resolve and would resume Monday morning.
“If we had known that you’d only hear 15 minutes of testimony this morning we wouldn’t have brought you in,” O’Keefe told the juries, “but sometimes things happen outside of your control.”
The specifics of the evidence issue that caused the delay are unclear.
Ex-girlfriend of murder defendant finishes testimony
Carrizel testified Thursday that she walked toward the avocado trees in the backyard of Ruben Flores’ Arroyo Grande home during a visit in the early 2000s.
At that point, Carrizel said, she was redirected by someone in the Flores family away from the avocado grove through the side of the house and toward the front of the house.
The mood changed after she walked toward the avocado grove, she said.
After being redirected, Carrizel said Ruben Flores was “rude” to her.
“It didn’t seem like he liked me,” she told the court Friday.
She testified there were dogs under the “whole deck” under the lattice in the yard.
After the brief visit to Ruben Flores’ home, Carrizel said she and Paul Flores planned to go to the home of his mother, Susan Flores, for dinner.
Harold Mesick, Ruben Flores’ attorney, asked Carrizel if she was dressed nicely for the “dinner party,” and Carrizel replied she was dressed “just normal.”
“Do you think they were worried you might step in some dog poop?” Mesick asked.
“I don’t know,” Carrizel responded.
Carrizel was excused from court on Friday, and witness testimony is expected to resume Monday.
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This story was originally published August 26, 2022 11:33 AM.
