‘Arrangements’ being made for Scott Peterson in Kristin Smart preliminary hearing
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - The defense in the preliminary hearing for Paul and Ruben Flores says it's made arrangements to transport Scott Peterson from San Quentin State Prison to San Luis Obispo so he can testify as part of preliminary hearing in the Kristin Smart murder case.
Peterson was sentenced to death in 2005 for murdering his wife Laci and their unborn child. The death penalty was overturned last year but his conviction stands.
The Flores defense team says Scott Peterson and Kristin Smart knew each other while both were students at Cal Poly before she disappeared in May 1996.
Thursday's session was the final day of hearings this week.
Former Cal Poly campus police investigator Lawrence Kennedy returned to the witness stand Thursday and was asked by defense attorneys about the initial investigation into the disappearance of Kristin Smart after Memorial Day weekend in 1996.
Kennedy was on the stand for the better part of Wednesday's hearing.
Defense attorneys representing Paul and Ruben Flores questioned him on why Cal Poly police and other agencies didn’t pursue other potential suspects with links to Kristin Smart and instead shifted their attention on Paul Flores as the only suspect in Smart’s disappearance.
Kennedy was asked if investigators followed up on dozens of "so-called" Kristin Smart sightings and tips locally and across the state. Kennedy countered, saying investigators did chase those leads and nothing panned out or led to any breaks in the case.
Before the lunch break, Kristin Smart's next door neighbor in the Muir Hall dormitory was called and she described their brief friendship.
She said she was with Smart earlier in the night before Smart went to the infamous party the night she disappeared. She said Smart went to the party on Crandall Way on her own after the two split up for the night. She testified Smart was completely sober when they parted ways and that was the last time she saw her.
Paul Flores is accused of killing Smart, who disappeared 25 years ago after the off campus party.
Flores is accused of killing Smart during an attempted rape in his Cal Poly dorm room back in May 1996. Investigators believe Ruben helped conceal Smart's body. Detectives have never found her remains.
The preliminary hearing is expected to last at least three to four weeks. At the end, a judge will rule if there is enough evidence for the case to go to trial.
Friday is scheduled to be an off day for the preliminary hearing, so the case will resume Monday morning.
Digital communication is limited during this preliminary hearing. We will continue to bring you updates throughout the entire hearing.
