Detective Clint Cole and Sheriff Ian Parkinson react to Paul Flores sentencing

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.- San Luis Obispo County Detective Clint Cole played a big role in the Kristen Smart murder case. After 26 years since Smart went missing, he says its good to finally be done. 

Clint says he took different tactics to make progress in the case.

“Instead of re-interviewing people that I knew had already been interviewed five, six, eight, ten times. I tried to take take stuff that was already in the case file focus on that and kind of live in what we already had. Bring it back to life. Because a lot of people were getting upset about having to be interviewed, you know, by Cal Poly, by the DA's office, by the FBI, in two rounds of sheriff's office investigators. And so that was kind of my goal, was to look for new information which we were able to discover and just kind of liven up what was already there," said Detective Clint Cole.

Both Cole and San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson want to thank the community for 
their patience during the Kristin Smart murder trial.

“The sheriff was amazing in this case. He never said no to anything. No Penny was lost on this case. Everything. Whatever we needed, he gave us. And to the Smarts, you know, so great people. I love them and can't imagine the shoes they've been in all these years. But once again, we were able to get them some sort of justice, which I think has been relieving to them," said Clint Cole.

Cole believes Paul Flores does not deserve parole.

“Of course, we would always like a little bit more, but that was the most that could be imposed under the law for first degree murder. But as far as parole, I hope Paul Flores never sees the light of day again," said Cole.