A 19-year-old student vanished after a university party in California in 1996. A fellow student offered to walk her home, and she was never seen again.
Kristin Denise Smart was studying at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo when she disappeared on May 25, 1996. Six years later, on May 25, 2002, she was formally declared dead. The student who escorted her home that night was later charged with her murder.
The Night She Disappeared
Kristin was born in Augsburg, Germany, and moved with her family to Stockton, California, during her childhood. In 1995, she began studying at Cal Poly. Towards the end of her first year, she attended a birthday party at a fraternity house near her halls of residence.
On the evening of May 24, 1996, Kristin arrived at the party alone after her friend pulled out. Around 2am on Saturday, May 25, fellow students Cheryl Anderson and Tim Davis saw Kristin unconscious on a neighbour's lawn. They woke her and decided to walk her back to her dormitory. Another student, Paul Flores, joined them and volunteered to ensure Kristin reached her room.
As his dormitory was close to Kristin's, Paul assured Cheryl and Tom he would "get Kristin home safely." This was the last time Kristin was seen alive.
The Investigation
When questioned by police, Flores stated he walked Kristin to his own dormitory, Santa Lucia Hall, before she continued alone to her dorm, Muir Hall. Flores' testimony was the last confirmed sighting of Kristin.
She had no money or credit cards when she disappeared. It took a full week for Kristin to be reported missing, as the University Police Department initially assumed she had left on an unannounced break and delayed notifying local law enforcement. Her family had already contacted police earlier.
In October 1996, an earring believed to belong to Kristin was found at Flores' mother's property by a tenant. However, it was misplaced by law enforcement before it could be examined.
Arrests and Trial
On April 13, 2021, Flores and his father, Ruben, were arrested on suspicion of involvement in Kristin's disappearance. During searches, several "items of interest" were uncovered at Paul Flores' residence. Prosecutors said Kristin's remains had been buried beneath the decking of Ruben Flores' home before being moved. Cadaver dogs and ground-penetrating radar had uncovered biological evidence.
In July 2022, the father and son stood trial. Paul Flores was convicted of murder on October 18, 2022, and in March 2023, received a sentence of 25 years to life. His father was cleared of being an accessory.
Ongoing Interest
Kristin's case continues to captivate people. Facebook user Jennifer Ellsworth said: "I was a Resident Advisor in his dorm that year. Yah, he was an oddball. That summer, I was a dorm supervisor when people came to help search for her. It was a dark time on campus."
Another person shared: "Now in 2026, my neighbour four houses down still has a (this girl is) missing sign with her picture in their yard." A third commented: "Hopefully with the new search at his mom's house, something comes up!!!! Praying she is found."
