Probation department deems Paul Flores medium risk for reoffending

April 7, 2023

Prior to Paul Flores’s sentencing last month for the 1996 murder of Kristin Smart, the San Luis Obispo County Probation Department deemed the convicted killer a medium risk for reoffending. [KSBY]

The probation department prepared a pre-sentencing report that found, if released, Flores would have a 23% chance of recidivating within a year. The report cites Flores’s disciplinary and criminal history, as well as patterns of alcohol abuse and sexually predatory behavior, including allegedly drugging and raping women.

When interviewed in jail, Flores showed no remorse; denied committing the murder; stated investigators and witnesses lied about him; and claimed he never brought a girl to his room while attending Cal Poly.

“The defendant displayed an utter lack of remorse for his reprehensible, aberrant behavior and he continues to maintain his innocence,” the pre-sentencing report states. “He maliciously murdered Kristin Smart, callously disposed of her body, and witness testimonial accounts during trial alleged sexual victimization of other women since the murder of Kristin Smart.

“The defendant has deprived closure to the Smart family by withholding the location of Kirstin’s remains. The Smart family’s only solace is that the defendant has been removed from society where he can no longer prey and victimize women.”

Flores had multiple convictions between 2000 and 2016, including DUI, driving with a suspended license and public intoxication. Flores said he started consuming alcohol at age 17 or 18. He would primarily drink alcohol socially. On occasion, Flores would drink excessively, leading to alcohol related arrests and convictions, he said. 

Interviewers asked Flores if he had ever been suspended or expelled from school. Flores said he had not, but sheriff’s deputies discovered several notices of school suspensions for him.

Flores told the probation officers there is a lien on his San Pedro home for legal fees. He also said he is more than $200,000 in debt and has no retirement fund.

The probation report details certain instances of women claiming Flores either raped them or tried touching them inappropriately. Prosecutors never charged Flores with any of the rapes, but a Monterey County judge allowed testimony from some of the women during Flores’s murder trial. 

Additionally, the report details the enormous amount of pornographic material found on devices belonging to Flores. When searching his home, investigators found numerous homemade pornographic videos depicting Flores digitally penetrating, sodomizing and having sexual intercourse with unconscious females. Investigators found many of the videos on an external hard drive and computer saved in a folder called “practice,” which also contained child pornography. 

“It appeared that Paul was obsessed with sexual conduct involving intoxicated and under the influence females,” the pre-sentencing report states. “There were numerous rape fantasy videos, videos depicting sexual intercourse with intoxicated females, and videos depicting sexual intercourse with unconscious females.”

Late last month, authorities transferred Flores from SLO County Jail to North Kern State Prison, where prison staff will determine where he will serve his sentence of 25 years to life for the murder of Smart.