Suspect Is Male University Student from Same School as Deceased Female Student
Suspect's Father Also Arrested Together
[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] The prime suspect in the disappearance of a female college student that occurred 25 years ago in California, USA, has been arrested.
According to the Associated Press on the 13th (local time), an American man named Paul Flores (44) was arrested by police on the same day on suspicion of murdering Christine Smart, a female student at California State Polytechnic University in 1996.
Rubin Flores (80), Paul Flores' father, was also detained on charges related to the case.
After searching the elder Flores' residence last month, the police discovered evidence related to the murder. However, it is reported that Christine Smart's body has not yet been found.
A police official stated, "This case is not over until we return Christine to her family."
The police did not specify what exact evidence was secured.
The AP reported that the police used ground-penetrating radar and cadaver dogs during the search of Flores' father's house.
Christine Smart's family expressed mixed feelings, saying they had waited a long time for the suspect's arrest but felt bittersweet.
Smart disappeared in May 1996 when she was a 19-year-old college freshman, after leaving a party off-campus and returning to her dormitory. Paul Flores, the suspect, was a male student at the same school and was the last person to see Smart alive. It was revealed that Flores had offered to escort Smart home. Flores testified to investigators that he parted ways with Smart one block away from the dormitory.
Flores had been a suspect since shortly after the incident, but the investigation made little progress, leaving the case unsolved for a long time.
However, in recent years, new witnesses have come forward, and investigators tracked Flores' cellphone and text messages, leading to a search of the Flores family home, which provided clues toward resolution.
In particular, musician Chris Lambert took an interest in the case and introduced Smart's disappearance on a podcast website, which helped bring new witnesses forward.
Meanwhile, while the case remained unresolved, California lawmakers passed legislation urging universities to quickly share information about missing students with the police.
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