Convicted killer of college student Kristin Smart attacked at California prison for second time

COALINGA, California — Paul Flores, the convicted killer of college student Kristin Smart, was stabbed Wednesday in a California prison, the second time he was attacked by a fellow inmate in the past year, officials said.

Staff witnessed the stabbing in the Pleasant Valley State Prison recreation yard shortly before 3:30 p.m. and were able to end the attack using verbal commands, according to a statement from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

An injured Flores, 47, was transported to an outside medical facility for treatment and later returned to the jail in fair condition, officials said.

The inmate suspected in the attack, whose name was not released, was placed in restricted housing, the Department of Corrections said. The attack is being investigated as attempted murder.

Two weapons believed to have been made by inmates were recovered, the department said. No other staff or detainees were injured.

Flores was cut in the neck by another inmate in August in the courtyard of the same prison in Coalinga, central California. Flores was hospitalized and returned to prison two days later.

The man accused in that attack, Jason Budrow, has pleaded not guilty to crimes including attempted murder and assault by an inmate serving a life sentence.

Authorities did not mention possible motives for either attack.

Flores is serving a prison sentence of 25 years to life for the murder of Smart, a 19-year-old who disappeared from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo over Memorial Day weekend in 1996.

Prosecutors maintained that Flores killed Smart during an attempted rape in his dorm room at the university, where both were freshmen. He was the last person seen with Smart as he brought her home from an off-campus party. Her body was never found.

Flores was arrested in 2021, convicted in 2022 and sentenced last year.