SAN LUIS OBIPSO, Calif. — On the office wall of Arroyo Grande attorney James Murphy hangs a framed cutout from People magazine.
In the magazine article, Murphy is quoted as saying, “We’re coming for you, Paul. We’re not going to let you get away with it.”
Now, a quarter century after the publication of the article and 26 years since the disappearance of then-Cal Poly student Kristin Smart, Murphy said he “couldn’t be happier” to see Paul Flores found guilty of first-degree murder.
Ruben Flores, who was accused of helping hide Smart’s body after her disappearance, was acquitted of accessory after the fact by his jury.
“If you live by the sword, you die by the sword. So if you believe in the American system of justice, then you have to accept it when it cuts both ways,” Murphy said. “The most important thing to accomplish was to get Paul held responsible and that was done.”
Murphy was originally hired by the Smart family in 1997 as part of a civil suit against Paul and Ruben Flores, and he thanked District Attorney Dan Dow for continuing the case against the Flores men, along with prosecutor Chris Peuvrelle and podcaster Chris Lambert, who renewed public interest in the case.
Murphy said he does not have “a millionth of an ounce of empathy” for Paul Flores, calling him a “vicious killer,” while maintaining that the elder Flores is complicit in Smart’s disappearance.
“Everybody looked and hunted and searched, and all the while, Ruben had her body under his deck,” Murphy said. “That’s (Paul Flores’) karma now to be convicted of these crimes.”
While Murphy was pleased with the jury’s conviction of Paul Flores, he said Ruben Flores’ jury should have found him guilty of helping hide Smart’s body.
“It seems obvious and apparent that Ruben did have the body on his property for a long period of time and moved it,” Murphy said.
Meanwhile, other San Luis Obispo County residents said they were glad to see Paul Flores convicted by the jury.
Patty Welsh, who has lived in SLO County for the last 23 years, said she has been following the case even since before she moved to Arroyo Grande.
“I’m glad they got a serial rapist off the streets,” Welsh said.
Cynthia Brown, an employee of Bill’s Cleaners, said she was glad to see Ruben Flores acquitted.
Brown, a seven-year Arroyo Grande resident, said Flores often had his suits for the trial cleaned at her place of work.
“(Ruben) doesn’t seem like a man that would do anything like that,” Brown said.
Brown said Ruben Flores is “a really nice man,” and that she did not believe he had it in him to aid a murder.
“My assumption was that his son begged him, and you’d do anything for your kids,” Brown said. “He doesn’t seem like a man who would do anything like that.”
Murphy said he encourages law enforcement to further prosecute Paul for the alleged rape of two women who testified in the murder trial.
‘I’m busy being excited and being grateful and being happy for my clients, and we’ve now assured Paul a Christmas that he’ll never forget,” Murphy said.
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