KRISTIN Smart, a freshman at California Polytechnic State University, was last seen alive in May 1996.
Over 25 years later, she is still missing but presumed dead, leading to the murder trial of Paul Flores and his father, Ruben Flores.
Who is Paul Flores?
Paul Flores, 45, was reportedly the last person to see 19-year-old Kristin Smart alive before she mysteriously vanished in May 1996.
At the time, the two were both students at California Polytechnic State University.
Shortly after Smart's disappearance, Flores, who was later identified as a "person of interest" in the case, was questioned by police about the encounter but denied any involvement in the case.
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Flores then went on to lead a relatively quiet life but made headlines in February 2021 after he was arrested on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the Los Angeles Times.
A few weeks later, investigators were given the green light to use cadaver dogs to search his father's home, which led to his arrest in April 2021 in connection to Smart's death.
At the time, he was charged with murder, and his father, who is now 81 years old, was then booked on suspicion of accessory relating to murder.
When is Paul Flores' trial?
Opening statements for Flores' trial began on July 18, 2022, in Salinas, California.
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The Flores men were first ordered to trial by a San Luis Obispo Superior Court judge after he had a "strong suspicion" during a 22-day preliminary hearing that the pair had committed the crimes, according to Fox News.
Flores and his father have since pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
What happened to Kristin Smart?
Six years after Smart was reported missing, she was declared legally dead.
Since there are no remains, it is hard to say what actually happened to the college freshman.
However, prosecutors argue that she was killed by Flores during an attempted rape, according to The New York Times.
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