Paul Flores, 45, who walked Smart from the party and previously was named the"prime suspect," was arrested and charged with her murder last year.
In his closing argument, defense attorney Robert Sanger told the jury,"there is no evidence of a murder so that's really the end of it." The prosecutor, San Luis Obispo County Deputy District Attorney Chris Peuvrelle, tried to show a pattern of behavior by Flores that began with Smart. Two women, Sarah Doe and Rhonda Doe, testified during the trial that they were drugged and sexually assaulted by Flores in 2008 and 2011, respectively.
Sanger argued there was no evidence that Smart was raped or that Flores attempted to rape her and jurors should not consider the testimony of Sarah Doe and Rhonda Doe.