Decades after a brutal slaying that shook the Redwood City community, Michael James Flores, now 70, has been denied parole, the San Mateo County District Attorney's office announced. In 1998, Flores was handed a draconian sentence of 171 years to life for the first-degree murder of Michelle Redmond, who was savagely killed with a hammer while her 4-year-old son awaited her return in the car. The parole hearing, attended by deputy district attorneys from the Homicide Unit, marked yet another chapter in a case that, according to a San Mateo Co DA post, reflects a grim consequence of the state's three strikes law.
Michael James Flores (70) denied parole following a hearing attended by one of our DDAs assigned to the Homicide Unit. Flores was convicted in 1998, sentenced to 171 yrs to life for beating a women to death with a hammer while her 4 yr old was waiting in the car. 3 strikes case. pic.twitter.com/6xxJhWAFdU
— San Mateo County District Attorney (@SanMateoCoDA) July 26, 2024
Redmond's death on October 5, 1995, at the hands of Flores was a horrifying act, coming after an argument between the two, as reported by Deputy District Attorney Jack Grandsaert. Flores, a repeat offender with a history of violent crimes, including rape, robbery, and assault, struck Redmond at least 28 times with a ball-peen hammer. The attack did not only claim the life of Michelle Redmond, it left a scar on those who knew her, especially her sister Monica Hardeman, who told reporters, "We wanted justice, and we got it," in sentiments captured by an SFGate article.
Yet, it's not just the heinous nature of the crime that has kept Flores behind bars. His past is littered with convictions, stretching back 22 years before the murder. After being found guilty of multiple felonies across the nation, Flores served 11 years of a 22-year sentence for a robbery and rape incident in San Bruno before his eventual conviction for Redmond's murder. His extensive criminal record has made him a prime candidate for enforcement of California's stringent three-strikes law.
Additionally, Flores awaits trial in Los Angeles for another slaying dating back to 1981, per the SFGate news report.
