Judge denies adding rape charges in Kristen Smart’s case

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A judge has rejected the attorney general’s attempt to file a rape case against the man accused of killing Kristen Smart, a California college student who has been missing for 25 years, and the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s office has sought to add two rape counts — for crimes they say were. Committed in Los Angeles County after Smart’s disappearance — to the complaint against Paul Flores in Smart’s death, KEYT reported Wednesday. The judge ruled against the DA’s request and set a preliminary hearing in the murder case for August 2, according to the San Luis Obispo Tribune. Paul Flores, now 44, was the last person seen with Smart on May 25, 1996, in California. State Polytechnic University of San Luis Obispo, where they were both freshmen. Prosecutors said he killed Smart while trying to rape her in his bedroom after he agreed to take her home from a party, where she was drunk. Her body was never found. Paul Flores’ father, Robin Flores, pleaded not guilty to affiliation after the murder in Smart’s death. The father and son were arrested in April after investigators at the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department found “biological evidence” that Smart was once buried under the roof of Ruben Flores behind his home in Arroyo Grande. Lawyers for the Flores family have denied that their clients committed any wrongdoing. Paul Flores’ lawyer on Wednesday described the prosecution’s attempt to add the rape charges as a “publicity stunt,” according to KEYT.

San Luis Obispo, California. –

A judge has denied the attorney general’s attempt to file a rape lawsuit against the man accused of killing Kristen Smart, a California college student who went missing 25 years ago.

The San Luis Obispo District Attorney’s Office has sought to add two counts of rape — for crimes they say were committed in Los Angeles County after Smart’s disappearance — to the complaint against Paul Flores in Smart’s death, KEYT reported Wednesday.

The judge ruled against the DA’s request and set a preliminary hearing in the murder case for August 2, according to the San Luis Obispo Tribune.

Paul Flores, 44, was last seen with Smart on May 25, 1996, at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, where they were both freshmen. Prosecutors said he killed Smart while trying to rape her in his bedroom after he agreed to take her home from a party, where she was drunk.

Her body was never found.

Paul Flores’ father, Robin Flores, pleaded not guilty to affiliation after the murder in Smart’s death. The father and son were arrested in April after investigators at the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department found “biological evidence” that Smart was once buried under the roof of Ruben Flores behind his home in Arroyo Grande.

Lawyers for the Flores family have denied that their clients committed any wrongdoing. Paul Flores’ lawyer on Wednesday described the prosecution’s attempt to add the rape charges as a “publicity stunt,” according to KEYT.

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