I deeply dislike this current 'true crime' media trend that makes infotainment out of people's suffering. Even when sometimes it can be useful to renew police interest in cold cases.
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Podcaster Chris Lambert renews interest into the Disappearance of Kristen Smart case, develops new leads
- Thread starter nilbog
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Yeah that was a bit strange to say the least. Like she had to get up at 4:30 for her lifeguard job thing. Thats like almost a dead giveaway.
Hope they find the evidence needed to put that guy behind bars. Everything seems to point to him. Nuts.
Also thought the unpatented DNA detecting device they talked about in one of the episodes sounded a little hokey. Didn't look it up but it struck me as odd.
I listened to Bear Brook after reading this post. All the stuff about genetic genealogy was incredibly interesting! Crazy how the same scientist helped to find the Golden State killer using what she learned on that case.
Currently on season 2 of In the Dark, which is also quite good. Will probably jump on Up and Vanished after. I listened to Cold before, and I would highly recommend it. Really interesting, very well researched and has a good message too.
Also thought the unpatented DNA detecting device they talked about in one of the episodes sounded a little hokey. Didn't look it up but it struck me as odd.
I listened to Bear Brook after reading this post. All the stuff about genetic genealogy was incredibly interesting! Crazy how the same scientist helped to find the Golden State killer using what she learned on that case.
Currently on season 2 of In the Dark, which is also quite good. Will probably jump on Up and Vanished after. I listened to Cold before, and I would highly recommend it. Really interesting, very well researched and has a good message too.
I can understand the sentiment, and I do recognize the morbidity in my own fascination with this kinda stuff. For what it's worth, this podcast was made with the support of the Smart family. Most of the ones that want to do the victims justice reach out to the families at the heart of it and treat the subject with respect, avoid making it all about the killer, etc.
Anyone listen To Live and Die in LA? I'm about 75% way through. Not sure I really like it. Seems a bit exploitive? And on top of that i think it's going to simply end up reaching the most obvious conclusion despite forced attempts at curve balls but I guess I'll see.
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Been a pretty big day for this case. Detectives say they have served search warrants in four different areas across California and Washington State in connection to the Kristen Smart case. Paul Flores was detained for an hour. The house with the yard many believe Kristen was buried has been taped off.
I see your point. Stuff like Serial obviously stirs up stuff for the victim's families and isn't fair to them, but in this case the family is firmly supportive of the podcast and if anything, this has yielded more results in the past year then even the decade preceding. Other ones like Root of Evil are almost therapeutic for the victim's family... hell, that one ended ON a group therapy session.
Fair, but this sort of thing has existed in some popular form since at least the Victorian Age, it's only a current trend insofar as podcasts have an incredibly low barrier for entry (you can literally catch up on them just driving to work, for free) so with a genre as popular as this they've become more prevalent.
I have noticed a genuine push from newer-ish podcasts to specifically be about closing old cases. "Murder Squad" just helped solve one and it's only been around for like six months?
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Just started Bear Brook and yeah this is a good one. Thanks for the recommendation.
Glad you enjoy it also.
Definitely check out Someone Knows Something, especially seasons 2 and 5. The mother of all true crime podcasts in my book.
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As a change of pace, folks also need to listen to A Very Fatal Murder.
"The podcast follows fictional investigative reporter David Pascall (voiced by David Sidorov) in search of the perfect murder to create an award-winning podcast about. He is assisted by ETHL (the Extremely Timely Homicide Locator), an MIT-created computer programmed to find "the most interesting, violent, culturally relevant murder cases in America". "
"The podcast follows fictional investigative reporter David Pascall (voiced by David Sidorov) in search of the perfect murder to create an award-winning podcast about. He is assisted by ETHL (the Extremely Timely Homicide Locator), an MIT-created computer programmed to find "the most interesting, violent, culturally relevant murder cases in America". "
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Yes they searched all of their properties. Hasn't been much news since then.
I have a sister who disappeared many years ago and is now part of a cold case, and I look at it as a double edged sword. When I see stuff like this thread, I can't help but feel that renewed interest from ANYONE would be a godsend. At the same time, if I dig on the internet too deep and start reading armchair detectives speculating on how my sister died, it does hurt and makes me generally uncomfortable. A lot of people take shit too far.
Thank you for that. I was young when she disappeared and can really only remember her through pictures. I can only imagine how much worse it is for those who have vivid memories of those they've lost.
I should clarify on my last post that the majority of stuff I see from such topics (including this thread) makes me very thankful that we have this global resource that can connect people, memories, and ideas in an effort to solve cases. The optimist in me thinks that it helps more than it hurts.
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More search warrants today.
https://www.ksby.com/news/local-new...n-connection-with-kristin-smart-disappearance
https://www.ksby.com/news/local-new...n-connection-with-kristin-smart-disappearance
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Very. Also important to note that Paul Flores has officially been named the prime suspect, for the first time in 25 years.
I really hope her family and everyone working the case is getting close to a point where they can get some closure on this.
I believe Paul was arrested recently on some weapons possession charge as well. I'd be curious to see what comes from the search. I may be misremembering the podcast but I would assume that *if* he did it with the help (cover) of his parents then they likely exhumed the remains years ago and moved them elsewhere. I know they're weirdly defiant about selling their home but it just seems like a base they would have covered years ago before the renewed public scrutiny.
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Day 2 of the search at Ruben Flores' house, they seem to be concentrating on an area below the back deck: https://www.ksby.com/news/local-new...nvestigators-focusing-on-area-below-back-deck
Into episode 3 of the podcast. This shit is nuts. So, essentially we know who murdered her, but campus and local police didn't take her missing seriously until after giving the murderer plenty of time to get rid of evidence. Fucking insane. Mother fucker was literally at a police station with a black eye and scratches right after she went missing. Fuck me.
EDIT: They found and lost an earing with a red smudge finger print on it on the property where he joked with a friend about having her!?!?
EDIT: They found and lost an earing with a red smudge finger print on it on the property where he joked with a friend about having her!?!?
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Into episode 3 of the podcast. This shit is nuts. So, essentially we know who murdered her, but campus and local police didn't take her missing seriously until after giving the murderer plenty of time to get rid of evidence. Fucking insane. Mother fucker was literally at a police station with a black eye and scratches right after she went missing. Fuck me.
EDIT: They found and lost an earing on the property where he joked with a friend about having her!?!?
The corruption level is crazy high in this case. The Flores family were friends with local police at the time.
Saw this interview with the mother:
www.ksby.com
Some of the interesting things to note are that while she maintains innocence she lets slip some very curious turns of phrase that are sure to be dissected:
I mean maybe she is just godawful at speaking but the way she words these responses is like literally how suspects in crime procedurals answer when the plot needs to progress and the investigators reignite their suspicions as the music changes.
also Lambert not contacting her or Ruben seems like a massive, boneheaded oversight.
Susan Flores, mother of 'prime suspect' in Kristin Smart case, speaks out in first media interview
Susan Flores, the mother of Paul Flores, the sheriff's prime suspect in the investigation into the disappearance of Kristin Smart, spoke to KSBY News on Tuesday for her first-ever media interview.
www.ksby.com
Some of the interesting things to note are that while she maintains innocence she lets slip some very curious turns of phrase that are sure to be dissected:
I mean maybe she is just godawful at speaking but the way she words these responses is like literally how suspects in crime procedurals answer when the plot needs to progress and the investigators reignite their suspicions as the music changes.
also Lambert not contacting her or Ruben seems like a massive, boneheaded oversight.
Your post is old but I think it's a very good point and something I've dealt with before.
I will say though, I think there's different levels. A podcast like "my favorite murder" with girls giggling and cracking jokes about people who had their families destroyed by a heinous crime feels very bad. As does "Last Podcast on the Left" for often similar reasons. I will say though, things like Serial, S-Town, or this feel, more like a documentary or a piece of journalism, rather than a goofy romp about a murder.
Paul and Ruben have been arrested.
After 24 Years, Two Suspects Have Been Arrested in the Disappearance of College Student Kristin Smart (msn.com)
After 24 Years, Two Suspects Have Been Arrested in the Disappearance of College Student Kristin Smart (msn.com)
I have chills all over my body. I am feeling happy for her family to hopefully get some peace. I can't believe this.
It'd be great if they made a plea deal and just told police where her body was. I assume they'll continue to be lying scum, though.