In a shocking turn of events, Jason Buro, the man convicted of killing his girlfriend and notorious serial killer Roger Kibby (the “I5 Strangler”), has attacked Paul Flores, the man convicted of killing Kristin Smart. The incident took place at Pleasant Valley State Prison in California, less than a year after Flores was sentenced for Smart’s death.
Tracy Walder, a former CIA officer and FBI agent, finds the motive behind the attack perplexing. “I think in his mind [Buro] is appalled probably by how many people that they killed,” she says. This statement is particularly chilling given that Buro himself is imprisoned for taking a life.
Buro, already serving a life sentence for his girlfriend’s murder in 2010, was handed another life sentence for Kibby’s death in 2021. He admitted to planning Kibby’s murder for months, strangling him after they became cellmates. Buro claimed his motivation was to avenge Kibby’s seven victims.
This act raises unsettling questions about vigilante justice within the prison system. Walder contemplates, “I have to wonder if this really is Justice, because they’re not serving out their kind of full sentences and sort of rotting away in prison…they’re being killed years after.”
The attack occurred as Flores was being transferred from the prison yard to the medical clinic. Walder notes that this transitional period, often depicted in prison break scenarios, is when security is most vulnerable. “Guards have their own guards down because there’s so many other pieces of the puzzle going on,” she explains.
This incident has brought the tragic case of Kristin Smart back into the spotlight. Smart, a 25-year-old college student, disappeared in 1996 after attending a party with Flores near the Cal Poly campus. The case remained unsolved for decades until the 2021 arrest of Paul Flores and his father, Ruben Flores.
Paul Flores was found guilty of murder, while his father was acquitted of accessory charges. Following the attack, Flores was hospitalized in serious condition for two days.
The fact that Buro was able to carry out this attack within a maximum-security prison raises serious concerns about security protocols. Walder finds this aspect especially disturbing. “I do think it probably required a little bit of planning on his part…to get in the same cell as him to manufacture a weapon…in my opinion, probably took time,” she states.
The use of a “manufactured weapon” further underscores the security breach. Walder highlights how everyday items can be transformed into lethal weapons in prison, citing examples like sharpened plastic and broken mirror fragments.
The attack on Flores prompts a crucial question: Are other inmates at risk? Walder believes everyone within the prison system is inherently vulnerable, particularly those convicted of crimes deemed morally reprehensible by the inmate population, such as child molesters.
While Buro’s self-proclaimed Satanist beliefs and “666” tattoo might seem alarming, Walder emphasizes that prison authorities are more concerned with gang affiliations. These affiliations dictate how inmates are housed and managed to prevent conflicts.
The incident has prompted calls for charges to be filed against Buro. While prison officials have recommended prosecution, no charges have been filed at this time.
As for Buro’s future, solitary confinement seems inevitable, at least in the short term. However, as Walder points out, even prisoners have rights. Subjecting an inmate to indefinite solitary confinement could be deemed “cruel and unusual punishment” under the Eighth Amendment.
The brutal attack on Paul Flores inside a maximum-security prison reveals a chilling undercurrent of vigilante justice and raises serious questions about institutional security. It serves as a stark reminder of the complex and often dangerous realities that exist within the prison system.
