Justin Smith Pleads Not Guilty to Murder of Darlene Flynn

Justin Charles Smith entered a plea of not guilty today in his arraignment in Riverside Superior Court on murder charges in the death of Menifee resident Darlene Flynn.

Smith, 29, sat in court dressed in a red jump suit, his hands and feet shackled. Following his not guilty plea, judge Helios Hernandez set a felony settlement conference for Sept. 3. He also ordered a mental health evaluation of Smith within the jail system.

Smith is accused of the July 22 murder of Flynn, whose body was found in her backyard swimming pool. According to court records, she was beaten with a baseball bat. Smith was arrested after he was seen running from the house when police arrived at Flynn's home in the 28000 block of Stone Lane.

Smith is identified by police and Flynn's family members as an ex-boyfriend of Flynn. The 58-year-old woman gained national fame with her world-record collection of 15,000 shoes and shoe-related items, and Smith was seen on a television special featuring Flynn.

Family members of Flynn had no comment outside the courtroom today. Smith is being held on $1 million bail at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside.

Friends and family members said Flynn and Smith had been in a turbulent relationship for five years. In September 2012, Smith was convicted of grand theft. He was charged with stealing Flynn's 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass by forging her name to DMV transfer documents. After serving 13 days in jail, Smith was released on 36 months' summary probation under the terms that he have no negative contact with Flynn.

John Hall, spokesman for the Riverside County District Attorney's Office, said there could be more than one meeting during the felony settlement conference phase. All parties come together and evidence is gathered. The defendant has the option of changing his plea at any time during the FSC process. A pretrial hearing follows the FSC.

According to Hall, the trial itself could be more than a year away.