Naman Shrestha
In the episode titled ‘Justice for Kristin Smart’ of NBC’s ‘Dateline,’ the primary focus is on the mysterious disappearance and murder of 19-year-old Kristin Smart in May 1996. However, the documentary also explores how the detectives zeroed in on Paul Flores and his father, Ruben Flores, both of whom were linked to the teenager’s killing. Meanwhile, Susan Flores also found herself under scrutiny as the investigators searched and inspected her property.
Susan and Ruben Flores’ Lives Took a Dark Turn When Their Son Was Charged With Murder
During the course of their marriage, Susan and Ruben Flores welcomed their son, Paul Flores, into the world. However, their marriage deteriorated with time, and they ended up separating. Ruben was reportedly employed at a phone company, while Susan was in the banking industry before landing a job as a Teaching Assistant in a primary school. She then reportedly worked in real estate. According to reports, she also worked multiple jobs at some point. When their son was studying at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California, Susan began working as a Teaching Assistant again.
The lives of the Flores family turned upside down soon after Kristin Smart, a 19-year-old student at Cal Poly, vanished after an off-campus party, which was also attended by Susan and Ruben’s son. At the time, the couple was separated and lived in different properties. As the suspicions against the family arose, the authorities searched Susan’s residence at East Branch Street in Arroyo Grande, California, in March 1997, but no evidence of foul play was found. Three years later, her property was searched yet again on the morning of June 19, 2000. This time, they also dug up the backyard but couldn’t find any evidence.
In 2007, another small area of Susan’s backyard was searched without any result. By then, she was in a relationship with Michael McConville AKA Mike. Susan, Ruben, and Mike denied having anything to do with Kristin Smart’s disappearance and murder. Over a decade later, in March 2021, when the authorities thoroughly searched Ruben’s house at 710 White Court in Arroyo Grande, the detectives found biological evidence under the ground beneath his deck, with the help of cadaver dogs and ground-penetrating radar. Finally, on April 13, 2021, the authorities had gathered enough evidence to arrest Ruben and Paul for their alleged involvement in Kristin’s killing. While Paul was charged with murder, his father was charged with being an accessory after the fact. However, Susan and her boyfriend, Mike, were not charged in the case.
Susan and Ruben Flores Supposedly Still Live Separately in Arroyo Grande
Both Ruben and Paul Flores pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. Not long after, the former was released on $50,000 bail, but was ordered to wear an electronic ankle bracelet. Soon after his bail, the family of Kristin Smart filed an intentional infliction of emotional distress lawsuit against Ruben on April 22. The lawsuit also alleged that his estranged wife, Susan, and her boyfriend, Mike McConville, also helped Paul and Ruben get rid of Kristin’s remains from Ruben’s house in February 2020, a few days after a search was conducted at the property.
Ruben’s trial for the murder of Kristin commenced on July 18, 2022. Although he stood trial with his son, Paul, his case was presented to a separate jury. At the time, Ruben was facing a 3-year imprisonment sentence if convicted. However, three months of back-and-forth between the prosecution and defense later, on October 18, Ruben was found not guilty of accessory after the fact and was acquitted of his charges. Meanwhile, Paul was convicted of the first-degree murder of Kristin Smart. After the verdict, Ruben expressed his concern for his convicted son and claimed that “there is no evidence against anybody.”
Ruben added, “It’s too bad the system works that way, on feelings instead of facts.” He also stated that he felt bad for the Smart family, who had been searching for the truth for decades. After the trial, Susan and Ruben seemingly strayed off the spotlight and returned to their respective lives, while also following the hearing of their son, Paul. From what we can tell, Susan and her boyfriend, Mike McConville, continue to reside in Arroyo Grande, California. Meanwhile, Ruben also leads a private life in the same town in San Luis Obispo County, California.
Read More: Where is Paul Flores Now? Update on Kristin Smart’s Killer
