Paul and Ruben Flores Make First Court Appearance in Kristin Smart Killing Paul Flores was charged with murder in connection to Smart's 1996 disappearance and his father, Ruben Flores, was charged as an accessory Paul Flores, left, and his father Ruben Flores, right, appeared in court Thursday after being charged in connection with Cal Poly student Kristin Smart’s 1996 disappearance. Paul Flores is charged with murder and Ruben Flores has been charged with accessory. (San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office photos) By Matt Fountain for The San Luis Obispo Tribune April 15, 2021 | 1:03 p.m. Two days after their arrests in the 1996 disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart, Paul and Ruben Flores appeared in San Luis Obispo Superior Court on Thursday morning to be arraigned on charges of murder and accessory, respectively.