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Kristin Denise Smart (born February 20, 1977, legally presumed dead 2002) is a missing person. She went missing at 2 a.m. on May 25, 1996 while attending California Polytechnic State University and has not been heard from since.
Kristin's disappearance
The night Kristin disappeared, she had attended a birthday party of a fellow student, which fell on memorial weekend. At approximately 2 a.m., she was found passed out on the lawn in the house next door by two students, Cheryl Anderson & Tim Davis, who were leaving the party. They decided to assist her home & walked her part of the way until another student who was at the party, Paul Flores, joined their group. Paul's dormitory was closer to Kristin's, whereas Cheryl & Tim's dormitories were in the opposite direction, so he offered to walk her the remainder of the way, allowing them to more conveniently go their separate ways. Paul walked Kristin as far as his dormitory, Santa Lucia Hall, and claims he left her to walk the rest of the way to her dormitory, Muir Hall, by herself. This was the last known sighting of her. She did not have any money or credit cards at the time she went missing.
Theories About Kristin's disappearance
The campus police originally and wrongfully suspected that Kristin had gone on a unannounced vacation, as was common among students over the holidays. It was because of this that the campus police were slow at reporting her as a missing person to local law enforcement.
Paul Flores, the person Kristin was last seen with, came under suspicion and investigation by police after her disappearance. Kristin's parents also suspect his involvement. He was originally questioned by the police at length, but since 1997 has pleaded the fifth amendment. However despite his house being searched twice, there is no solid evidence tying him to her disapeareance.
During the high profile Laci Peterson murder investigation, it came to investigators' attention that Peterson's husband Scott Peterson-- since convicted for the murder of Laci-- went to California Polytechnic State University at the same time Kristin went there. There was a brief initial inquiry into whether Peterson had any involvement. Peterson was on a list of individuals whom investigators felt warranted closer investigation at the time; however, after some investigation, nothing suggested that Kristin and Scott ever came into contact, and he was ruled out as a suspect. Peterson has publically denied any involvement in the case.
Kristin's disappearance remains essentially a unsolved case however, and no firm substanciated explanation for her disapeareance exists.
Kristin's Legacy/Case and Leads Today
Kristin's disappearance resulted in the Kristin Smart Campus Security Act being passed by the California State Legislature and signed into effect by then Governor of California Pete Wilson. The law required all colleges and educational institutions campus security to report all cases where there is a possibility violence may have been used against a student of the institution to the local police force including all missing person's cases.
Kristin Smart was declared legally dead in May 2002, 6 years after being missing.
Kristin's parents, Denise and Stan Smart, took a civil case of wrongful death against Paul Flores in 2005, but dropped it after Flores pleaded the fifth amendment.
The San Luis Obispo County police still review her case monthly. The FBI have her on file as a high priority missing person investigation, with a reward of $75,000 for information leading to finding her or resolving her case.
A local businessman who is a friend of the Smart family, Terry Black, has recently offered a 100,000 dollar reward for Kristin's body in this case.
Recently Paul Flores's mother Susan Flores and her boyfriend Mike McConville filed a lawsuit against Kristin Smart's parents.
External links and Sources for Article
- FBI Missing Person Report on Kristin Smart
- San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department Report on Kristin's Disappearance
- North American Missing Persons Network Report on Kristin's Case
- findkristinsmart.org official website relating to Kristin Smart's disappearance.
- sonofsusan.com a website that has information relating to Kristin's disappearance, evidence collected and witness statements suggesting Paul Flores and his family are involved in Kristin Smart's disappearance.
- The Charley Project: Kristin Smart
- Reader's Room Article on Kristin's disappearance
- Article about the investigation into Scott Peterson's possible connection with Kristin Smart's disappearance.
- News articles about Kristin's case and at the bottom of the page an article about the Kristin Smart Campus Safety Act 1998
"Kristin Smart"