Welcome To The Crime Review!
This past week in court, forensic specialists breakdown the evidence found at Reuben Flores Arroyo Grande home, in connection with the Kristen Smart case. Tammy Daybell’s death was listed as asphyxiated, while her and Chad’s children claim their father was framed for everything. Meanwhile, Julius Jones’ October execution date fast approaches, while his lawyers try their best to get his 1996 murder charges overturned once in for all, with the help of a very unexpected person. Will Chad’s children stand by his side through it all, the way Barry Morphew daughters have? Will Paul Flores finally tell the truth about kristin Smart once and for all? I speculate on these questions and more in this week’s Crime Review.
Seriously, watching Kristin Smart finally get the justice she deserves in a court of law is some type of sweet victory. A forensic specialist in the Paul Flores trial testified this past week about the evidence that was discovered during a search of Reuben Flores’ home this past spring (AKA the final nail in Paul Flores’ coffin). The specialist in question explained the process that took place in order to excavate dirt from underneath the Flores’ back deck. Upon searching this location an area of suspicion was quickly found where a dark “stain” could been seen within the dirt. The dirt in this area visually was very similar to what one might find with a shallow grave site.
In addition to this, the police cadaver dogs also acted strange while on the property as well, and despite not actively alerting to areas of suspicion or to the smell of human remains, they did respond very “oddly” near the backyard.
The “stained” area of soil was completely excavated by the two forensic specialists that were present on sight the day of the search, and it was later discovered that this had in fact been the sight of a shallow grave. The two used small shovels to carefully dig further into the thin layers of soil under the deck, with each layer revealing even more staining, which became darker and more pronounced the deeper the hole became. It is believed by the forensic specialists that decomposition fluids were the cause of the ominous stain that was discovered within the soil under the deck.
The biggest aspect of this case that has always haunted me was the fact that none of this needed to happen. If it had been an accident why the cover up? If it wasn’t, Paul Flores could have already served his 25 years and could literally be trying to put his life back together at this point, but he thought he could escape the wheels of justice forever. Was he ever so wrong…. Now Flores is staring down at a half century (or more) prison term at middle age. I cannot think of anything less appealing then spending the majority of your last years in prison (let’s be honest if he goes away for 30 years he would be almost 80 by the time he got out, if he got out at all.) At this point, the best defense for Paul would be to make a deal with the police, trade leniency for the location of Kristin Smarts body. The plea deal he probably should of taken 25 years ago.
Recently, Chad Daybells’ children broke their silence on the charges currently pending against their father. Even when faced with the fact that their mothers death had been from asphyxia, each one of the Daybell children continue to support and stand by their father, Chad. However, I’m not sure if this attitude will continue once chads actual trial begins this fall, as his children already cannot answer for many of the odd or seemingly coincidental facts in this case. Like the fact that their step siblings bodies were found buried in the backyard. None of the Daybell children can explain why this would be the case, and claim that their father was hoodwinked by Lori Vallow, they even went as far as to say that Lori had purposefully framed him for the deaths of the children.
These comments actually have me wondering if Chad and his Lawyers are considering using this idea to defend his case in court. Because, if he still intends to publicly defend Lori i cant see his children continuing to believe he was framed, if he isn’t even willing to claim that. I have always wondered if this would come down to one of the pointing the finger at the other, however if both are equally guilty then i doubt we will see a divide in this Doomsday couple very soon, since pointing the finger at their partner could potentially backfire.
In other news, Julius Jones is currently awaiting his October execution date, and now his team of lawyers is getting help from a very unlikely person. If you are unaware, Jones has been incarcerated in Oklahoma for the past two decades, where he has lived on death row for a crime many believe he never committed at all.
Now, a family member of Jones’ alleged victim has come forward to help Jones’ defense team during their last days of appeals. This certainly isn’t the first times Jones’ case has been thrust into the spotlight either. Celebrities and attorneys and web sleuths have been dreaming for a Jones release for well over a decade.
The girlfriend of the man he had long been accused of murdering 22 years ago is now coming forward to say that she believes Jones to be Innocent. Claiming, that the case against Jones was “as weak as ever”. Jones’ defense team submitted a commutation application this past week. The communication appeal is packed with affidavits, testimonies and exhibits that aim to back up Jones’ claim of the last twenty years; that he is innocent. Included in this application is a recorded video of Howell’s girlfriend, talking about her belief that Jones didn’t kill her boyfriend, and points out that she now believes this due to learning new information that originally was suppressed in the original trial.
Update: On the 13th the state of Oklahoma decided that the communication of Jones should likely be upheld, but we still await a final decision.
Sources:
https://www.noozhawk.com/article/kristin_smart_case_crime_scene_investigator_search_flores_home
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/09/04/julius-jones-commutation/
Without A Trace 