Jury begins deliberating fate of defendant Paul Flores in Kristin Smart murder trial

SALINAS, Calif. — After hearing 11 weeks of evidence and a set of fiery closing arguments, jurors on Tuesday began deliberating whether to convict Paul Flores for the 1996 murder of Cal State San Luis Obispo student Kristin Smart.

“Paul Flores murdered her and buried her under his father’s deck. It is that simple,” San Luis Obispo County Deputy District Attorney Chris Peuvrelle said in his closing arguments in a Salinas courtroom.

Flores’ attorney, Robert Sanger, finished his closing arguments by telling jurors that “there is no evidence of a murder — so that is really the end of it.”