Kristin Denise Smart Missing May 25, 1996

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Kristin Denise Smart, missing from San Luis Obispo, Californa, USA on May 25, 1996
Date of birth: February 20, 1977
Age: 19 years old
Height and Weight: 6'1, 145 pounds
Caucasian female. Dark blonde hair, brown eyes

She was last seen with Paul Flores who walked her home from a party that night, Kristin´s family thinks he is responsible for her missing and thinks that he killed her, Kristin Smart has not been found and is still out there missing, her family thinks she is dead but if she is still alive she may be hold hostage somewhere.

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May 25, 1996
California Polytechnic State University
San Luis Obispo, California

KRISTIN DENISE SMART






DESCRIPTION


Date of Birth: February 20, 1977 Hair: Dark Blond
Sex: Female Eyes: Brown
Height: 6'1" Race: White
Weight: 145 pounds



THE DETAILS

Kristin Denise Smart was last seen at approximately 2:00 a.m., May 25, 1996, as she was walking back to her dorm room on the California Polytechnic campus, San Luis Obispo, California from an off-campus party. Kristin was accompanied by a fellow student who stated that he left her a block from her Muir Hall dorm to go to his dorm. Kristin did not return to her room and has not contacted family or friends since that time. She did not have any identification, money, or extra clothing when she disappeared.

If you have seen Ms. Smart, or have any information as to her present whereabouts, contact the Los Angeles Field Office of the FBI at [phone]. You may also contact the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department at [phone].


REMARKS

Smart was last seen wearing a grey half T-shirt, black surfing shorts, and red "Puma" athletic shoes. Her hair is straight and shoulder length.


REWARD

A reward of $75,000 is being offered for information that helps locate Kristin. Anyone who has seen Kristin Denise Smart or has any information as to her present whereabouts is strongly urged to contact their local FBI office.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Individuals with information concerning this case should take no action themselves, but instead immediately contact the nearest FBI Office or local law enforcement agency. For any possible sighting outside the United States, contact the nearest United States Embassy or Consulate.

[Admin]

Kristin Denise Smart

Community invited to join in celebration of Kristin Smart



By Raul Vasquez
mustang daily staff writer

Next week marks the anniversary of the disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart, and her family wants to celebrate her life and keep hope alive.

A “Celebration of Life” in honor of Kristin Denise Smart will be held Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 959 Valley Road in Arroyo Grande.

Smart disappeared in May 1996 while en route to her dorm. On May 25, 1996 Smart walked home from an off-campus party at 2 a.m. She was last seen 50 yards away from her dorm, Muir Hall. She was reported missing on May 28 by her father and a fellow student.

“As we mark the fifth anniversary of her disappearance, we are hoping to take a stop along this nightmarish journey to remember Kristin and celebrate her life and all that she meant to her family and friends,” said Denise Smart, Kristin’s mother.

Her mother hopes to shift the emphasis from the crime and the suspect to the memory of Kristin, the person.

In honor of Smart’s love of Hawaii and her passion for the sea, dress at the celebration will be casual Hawaiian. Guests are invited to bring a photo of Smart or a written memory or message for a book of memories.

The event is open to the community and is a chance for Cal Poly students to learn more about Smart. Cal Poly students who remember their fellow classmate are invited to attend and share their memories.

“By keeping her memory alive, we keep hope alive,” Denise said. “We want her to be remembered.”

The Smart family sees this event as an opportunity to remind the community, especially students who weren’t at Cal Poly in 1996, that their daughter is still missing.

“We don’t want something like this to happen again,” Denise said. “We can’t forget that this happened.”

Although five years have passed since her disappearance, the Smart family said that it was time to celebrate her life and to share her with the community.

Copyright 2001, Mustang Daily, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

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Case Handled By:

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children - 1-800-843-5678

KRISTIN SMART






Case Type: Endangered Missing
DOB: Feb 20, 1977 Sex: Female
Missing Date: May 25, 1996 Race: White
Age Now: 31 Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
Missing City: SAN LUIS OBISPO Weight: 145 lbs (66 kg)
Missing State : CA Hair Color: Brown
Missing Country: United States Eye Color: Brown
Case Number: NCMA1062418
Circumstances: Kristin was last seen on May 25, 1996. Her nickname is Roxy. FOUL PLAY IS SUSPECTED.


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Kristin Denise Smart





Born Feb. 20, 1977

Died Missing since May 25, 1996; Declared legally dead 2002 (aged 19)

Education Student at California Polytechnic State University
Occupation Student
Parents Stan and Denise Smart
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, San Luis Obispo and has not been heard from since.

Contents [hide]
1 Kristin's disappearance
2 Theories about Kristin's disappearance
3 Kristin's legacy/case and leads today
4 Footnotes
5 External links and references



[edit] Kristin's disappearance
The night Kristin disappeared, she had attended a birthday party of a fellow student, which fell on Memorial Day weekend. At approximately 2 a.m., she was found passed out on the lawn of the next door house by two students, Cheryl Anderson and Tim Davis, who were leaving the party. They decided to assist her home and 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 and Tim lived off campus in the opposite direction, so Paul 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 (even though Muir Hall is closer in distance than Santa Lucia, and even then the dorms are approximately 50 yards apart). This was the last known sighting of her. She did not have any money or credit cards at the time she went missing.


[edit] Theories about Kristin's disappearance
The campus police originally suspected that Kristin had gone on an 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. Shortly after Kristin's disappearance, Flores' dorm room was searched by dogs specially trained to detect human remains, and the dogs independently paid particular attention to his mattress and waste bucket, although no physical evidence was recovered. Flores' house was searched twice but no evidence was recovered either. Although Flores remains a suspect, there is no conclusive evidence that he was involved in Smart's disappearance.

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 publicly denied any involvement in the case.

Kristin's disappearance remains essentially an unsolved case however, and no firmly proven explanation for her disappearance exists.


[edit] 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 that 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 her disappearance.

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 Sheriff's Office still reviews 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 reward for Kristin's body in this case.

In 2005, Paul Flores's mother Susan Flores and her boyfriend Mike McConville filed a lawsuit claiming loss of employment, harassment and emotional distress[1] against Kristin Smart's parents and a family friend who operates a website tracking Flores.

Within days of Kristen's disappearance, Susan Flores had concrete poured in the back yard of her home located at 529 East Branch Street, Arroyo Grande, Ca. In June 2000, a search warrant was executed and Ground Penetrating Radar was used. The radar showed some indications under the concrete but the concrete was not dug up.

In 2007, 11 years after the disappearance of Kirstin Smart, Susan Flores' backyard was dug up but showed up inconclusive

[Admin]

A REWARD OF UP TO $75,000
is available for information leading to the location of Kristin Smart

KRISTIN DENISE SMART

AGE: 19 yrs HEIGHT: 6' 1" WEIGHT: 145 lbs

HAIR: Blonde EYES: Brown ADDRESS: Stockton, CA.






Kristin is a Cal Poly student and uses the nickname of "Roxy". Kristin Smart was last seen walking to her dormitory residence on Saturday, May 25, 1996 at approximately 2:00 a.m. in the company of Paul Flores, a 19 year old male student. Flores has refused to speak with or cooperate with the Sheriff's Department regarding the disappearance of Kristin Smart.
If anyone has information regarding Kristin Smart, please contact the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department at 805-781-4500. Contact Crime Stoppers at 800-549-7867 to report information anonymously.

[Admin]

MySpace URL:

www.myspace.com/find_kristin



Find Kristin Smart's Interests
General


SUSAN FLORES YARD FINALLY DUG UP:

Eleven years after Cal Poly freshman Kristin Smart disappeared, her family has finally ruled out one of the long-rumored locations of her body.

Officials involved in a lawsuit between the Smart family and the family of Paul Flores - the last person known to have seen Smart on May 25, 1996 - spent Tuesday afternoon searching the backyard of an Arroyo Grande home for evidence of her whereabouts.

Nothing turned up in the search, said Denise Smart, Kristin's mother, from her home in Stockton.

“We have spent 11 years trying to eliminate that home as a possible resting place for Kristin,” she said. ... “At this point we are 90- to 95-percent sure she is not there.”

Over the years, there has been speculation that Kristin Smart's body was buried in the backyard of the Flores home in the 500 block of East Branch Street, and a lawsuit filed about a year ago by Susan Flores against the Smarts created an opportunity to search the yard.

Susan Flores, who lives in the Branch Street house, is Paul Flores' mother.

The search was conducted as part of Flores' civil suit and did not involve police or the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department, said Mark Connely, the Smarts' attorney in the suit.

About five years ago, the Smarts filed a wrongful death suit against Paul Flores, but that case has different attorneys and is still pending.

Tuesday's search came as part of the discovery proceedings in the lawsuit filed by Susan Flores, Connely said.

Jeffry Radding, Flores' attorney, had no comment about the search or the case when reached at his San Luis Obispo office Tuesday evening.

A preliminary search in 2000 at the property was inconclusive, Denise Smart said. But when the Flores lawsuit was filed, attorneys negotiated an agreement for a second investigation of the backyard. Ground-penetrating radar was brought in about seven weeks ago, she added.

The radar search had “compelling findings,” Denise Smart said, so Tuesday's dig was negotiated.

However, the digging found no evidence to indicate that Smart was buried there, Connely said.

“As much as we wanted this nightmare to end today, we were able to eliminate something that has been hanging over our heads for 11 years,” Denise Smart said.

She said she is grateful to the attorneys, on both sides, for being able to agree on Tuesday's search.

There is “a sense of relief that this is crossed off,” she added.

Kristin Smart was 19 years old when she disappeared in 1996. She was last seen after midnight walking with Paul Flores back to campus after an off-campus party.

Flores, also 19 at the time, told law enforcement that he and Smart parted ways near his dorm and that she returned to her room in Muir Hall alone.

When a grand jury was convened in the case in October 1996, Flores refused to answer questions, invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. He has never been charged in the case.

In 2001, a San Luis Obispo County Superior Court judge declared Smart dead, which allowed her family to pursue a wrongful-death lawsuit. That case is held up in San Luis Obispo County court awaiting the release of information from the county sheriff's office.

The department has not released that information because investigators still consider the disappearance an active criminal case.

Meanwhile, Paul Flores has had other run-ins with the law.

Flores has three drunken-driving convictions and a probation violation since Smart's disappearance. He served time in 2000 at Santa Barbara County Jail for driving drunk in Santa Maria, and was sentenced again to county jail for drinking while on probation.

In December 2005, he was again stopped for drunken driving in Los Angeles County.

The Web site www.sonof susan.com, which has closely chronicled the Smart case and Flores' legal troubles, reports that Flores was convicted this year of a fourth DUI in Los Angeles County.

A search of jail records shows a Paul Ruben Flores, 30, arrested in Los Angeles County for felony DUI on Feb. 28.

Flores was released April 26, said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Dana Camarillo.

Malia Spencer can be reached at 739-2219 or mspencer@santa mariatimes.com. Staff writer Luis Ernesto Gomez contributed to this report.

May 23, 2007


Let's Take a Moment to Reflect on "Ten Years"

As most of us ring in 2006 with joy and hope I cannot help but feel a slight sadness. Alas the arrival of 2006 will mean that it has been 10 years since Kristin's disappearance. Imagine that for one moment. Ten years not knowing where your daughter lies. Ten years without your sister. Ten years missing your dear friend.

In ten years Kristin has missed out on graduating from college, choosing a career, a potential olympic career, marriage, starting a family and spending holidays with her loved ones.

Meanwhile, the prime suspect in this case has been allowed to abuse our legal system using the very same rights our constitution provides to protect us to evade the law and keep the details of May 25, 1996 a secret.

This holiday season and new year, please keep Kristin in your thoughts and daily prayers. We miss her, we love her and we need her found.


KRISTIN'S VITAL STATS AT TIME OF DISAPPEARANCE"

.. Name: Kristin Denise Smart

.. Missing Since: May 25, 1996 from San Luis Obispo, California

.. Classification: Endangered Missing

.. Date Of Birth: February 20, 1977

.. Age: 19

.. Height: 6'1"

.. Weight: 145-160 lbs.

.. Hair Color: Dark Blonde

.. Eye Color: Brown

.. Race: White/caucasion

.. Gender: Female

.. Distinguishing Characteristics: Had a tan at the time of her disappearance.

.. Clothing: Grey half T-shirt, black shorts, and red "Puma" shoes.

.. AKA: "Roxy", "Scritter"

.. NCIC Number: M-932737590

.. Case Number: 960610965


Music

Six Quick Facts about Kristin's Disappearance:

Here are the six quick facts to quickly let people new to the case understand just how disgusting this case really is.

* Legal counsel for Paul Flores on more than one occasion have offered to plea bargain, i.e; lead investigators to Kristin's body in exchange for a reduced charge. Kristin's parents agreed the first two times, but Paul's counsel failed to respond.

* At the deposition held in November, 1997, Paul's father, Ruben, walked into a room where Denise was sitting alone and chose this opportunity to laugh in her face.

* Paul only knew Kristin for a few hours. He happened to be at a party just off campus that Kristin attended.

* Cadaver dogs trained to pick up the 'scent of death' led their handlers to the mattress in Paul Flores' dorm room in Santa Lucia Hall, room 128.

* An extended member of the Flores family telephoned Mrs. Smart and sympathetically asked her how she was doing and whether or not she was crying. When Denise said that 'yes, she was crying a lot, the woman respond, "well, the reason that I am calling is just to let you know that we don't care that your crying."

* Sheriff's Statement - "Our office has used its finest detectives and all leads lead to Paul Flores. Paul Flores is the only suspect. Until Paul Flores tells us what happened that night, this case will not be solved."

Copyright 1996-2005 Dennis Mahon, www.sonofsusan.com reposted with what I imagine would be his verbal consent considering we share a common goal to bring Kristin home.


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Status: Single
Hometown: Fresno, Ca
Body type: 0' 0"
Religion: Christian - other
Zodiac Sign: Pisces
Education: High school


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Lincoln High
Stockton,California
Graduated: 1995
Student status: Alumni
Degree: High School Diploma


1991 to 1995


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On May 25, 1996, Kristin Denise Smart was a freshman student at California Polytechnic State University near San Luis Obispo, California, and was 19 years of age.

She was last seen just before 2:00 a.m. walking to her dorm room with Paul Flores, a 20 year old male student who reportedly had just met Kristin at an off-campus party a few blocks away.

Both had reportedly been drinking alcohol. Flores has said that he separated from Kristin near his dorm room, and reported that she walked the short distance to her dorm room alone. Kristin did not return to her room and has not contacted family or friends since that time. She did not have identification, money or extra clothing when she disappeared.

Flores was reportedly seen with a black eye later in the day on May 25. When questioned about Smart's whereabouts by authorities, Flores claimed that he continued walking to his own dormitory and last saw Smart on Grand Avenue shortly after her other friend departed. Flores told several different stories to law enforcement regarding how he received his injury.

Flores has since refused to speak with or cooperate with the Sheriff's Department regarding the disappearance of Kristin Smart. Flores is the prime suspect in Smart's disappearance, but authorities do not have enough evidence to charge him in the case. Foul play is suspected due to the circumstances involved.

****WHO TO CONTACT IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION LEADING TO THE WHEAREABOUTS OF KRISTIN SMART***

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department
Detective Dave Kenny
[phone]

OR

Federal Bureau Of Investigation
Los Angeles Office
[phone]

[Admin]

Holding on to hope for Kristin Smart
By: Brigette Barbosa
Issue date: 5/19/06 Section: News>>Campus







It's 2 a.m., early Saturday morning. You're drunk and walking home from an off-campus party. The beat of the night's music still rings in your ears while thoughts of upcoming midterms, essays and work days have momentarily floated from your mind. It's only Saturday - you can stress about it tomorrow. For now you are perfectly content with simply making it home to your nice, safe bed in your nice, safe room. But what if something terrible happened and you never made it that far? What if the world started a new day - without you?

Kristin Denise Smart never made it to her room in Muir Hall on the morning of May 25, 1996. Almost 10 years later, her family and friends are still left without answers.

"To be honest we're still pretty raw, but what keeps us going is our younger children, who aren't young anymore, they're old goats too," said Smart's mother, Denise Smart. "They were both Olympic-trial swimmers and graduated with honors, and both did what you never thought a family could do after something like this. The saddest part is we know Kristin is not here to share that with them. Nothing can change that. To have to deal with it for 10 years is like adding insult to injury."

Smart left a party in the early hours of that Saturday with fellow students Cheryl Anderson and Tim Davis. Moments after the trio began their trek back from the party, which was just 75 yards away from Cal Poly, they were joined by Paul Flores. Davis and Anderson parted at separate intervals from the rest of the group and Flores continued alone with Smart. After that, the facts are fuzzy and Flores remains the only suspect.

"They use the term 'she disappeared,' which she did not, because she would have called us," Denise Smart said. "She was not disconnected from her family. There were times she thought she didn't make the right decision. What's really special is she never gave up. She was the proverbial optimist. Like every other college freshman she had expectations and dreams." Denise Smart emphasized how her daughter was just like other students in a new environment with new situations.

"The hardest part for the family is one, their daughter is still missing, and two, the idea of society moving on makes their skin crawl," said Dennis Mahon, a friend of the Smart family.

Mahon sends this message to Cal Poly students and the community: "Burn this fact into your head and your natural heart will take over: Legal council for Paul Flores offered up a plea bargain to the state of California to take the charges down to an infraction (which is less then a misdemeanor) and they would lead investigators to Kristin's body. Twice the Smarts have agreed to this, but have never heard back. If people can understand that plea bargain they can get fired up."

Ten years, no body, no solutions, and no peace exist for the Smart family. Blame has been placed on the Cal Poly campus police and university officials for years. When the campus police first investigated the case, they did not share information or initially ask for help from the local police department - a move that some community members and family friends claim destroyed all chances of finding Smart's body and bringing justice to a suspect.

"This is a classic example of the system failing so badly on the campus that all key evidence on the case has been lost," Sacramento political consultant Terry Black said. "That area is driven by the university itself and they have an undue influence over what goes on in that town. They always denied that (the system's failing) because it exposes them legally and it exposes their lack of ability to protect their students."

Black is convinced that, if given the right push, the informants will come forward. He is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the location of Smart.

"Nothing is going to be accomplished without a reward. Absolutely nothing has come of it and the family has suffered enough," Black said. He added that anyone who speaks out with accurate information will be completely protected.

Many friends of the Smart family cite the lack of communication between campus and local police as a main reason why Smart was never found.

"The only reason this case is still pending is because the Cal Poly campus police went wrong. That's it," said Sharolette Wilson, a long-time Smart family supporter. "The single biggest reason is because of what Cal Poly did. There has never even been an apology from the campus police, and they have been arduous in their behavior. At some point the community needs to scream about this."

"I am not aware that we have mishandled the case as the family has concluded, or suspected," said Robert Detweiler, Cal Poly's interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. He said there has never been an apology from the university to the Smart family because "we don't know we did anything wrong."

Detweiler will represent Cal Poly in upcoming interviews with other media outlets, such as the LA Times and The San Luis Obispo Tribune, as focus turns toward the 10th year since Smart's disappearance. He began working at Cal Poly in 1998, and said he does not have any first-hand information about the Smart case, but learned from Mahon and faculty on campus about the incident.

"The most significant outcome of the case for us was to heighten our education programs with both WOW Week, to get the campus community and especially female students to take safety programs, and the SAFER program, which is attributed largely to the trauma the campus faced," he said. SAFER stands for Sexual Assault Free Environment Resource program and is part of the Women's Center program on campus.

SAFER will be donating approximately $500 to the Kristin Smart Point of Hope Overlook in Shell Beach. No memorial dedicated for her resides on campus, though discussions have circulated around the idea in past years, Detweiler said.

"By national standards this is quite a safe community," he said. "But that doesn't help you if you're the family of a victim." Detweiler understands that no matter how safe the community, incidences of this nature can and do occur.

"It's a tragedy and I wish we could bring it to a close. We feel bad for Denise Smart and all her family," he said. "I did go on behalf of the university to a remembrance service in Pismo Beach about five years ago, and I expressed our sorrow on our behalf." He said Cal Poly tries its best to cooperate with every aspect of the case.

Bill Watton, Cal Poly's chief of police, said student awareness and safety is a major focus for the campus police. "We aggressively go out and enforce alcohol violations," Watton said. "Every sexual assault on this campus has been alcohol related." Watton said a lack of experience and understanding of the effects of alcohol contributes to these incidences.

Watton was not part of the campus police force 10 years ago and said he is not aware of any members of his force that were. "It is quite different then it used to be," he said.

Campus police must agree to report cases involving violent crimes and missing persons to the local authorities as a result of Smart's case. The Kristin Smart Act, as the law is commonly referred to, went into effect Jan. 1, 1999. It was a direct result of the way Kristin Smart's case was originally handled by campus authorities. Watton said his staff is not afraid to ask a neighboring agency for help.

Residential hall officers often put on skits and meetings to get information about safety out to incoming students. Watton said ways of dispersing information about personal safety to students is helpful, and encourages students to let him know of any ideas that can help his staff reach students in a better way.

"The most important thing is never travel anywhere without someone you know," Denise Smart said. "The reality is we are all stronger together and do have to look out for each other. That one little thing would have saved Kristin's life that night."

The Kristin D. Smart Hope and Awareness Fun Run on Saturday is geared toward remembering Smart and conveying a message of safety to the entire community.

"The run means healing. It means awareness that these kinds of things can and do happen in the community," Wilson said. "Come to the run, pay the fee, and participate; and while on the run think about what you can do as an individual to help. We can't ever stop forgetting because these things do happen. The Smart family are people of great faith. They have a strong spiritual component to their family and that's what has helped them over the years."

Funds from the Fun Run go toward the Kristin Smart Point of Hope Overlook at Dinosaur Caves in Shell Beach. Community organizations, individuals and businesses are rallying together to support this cause.

Kennedy Club Fitness in Arroyo Grande will play host to a bounce house, live band, barbecue, raffle for the participants and other events to encourage family involvement and community awareness.

Denise Smart said she and her family will be present at the Fun Run. The event will take place at the New Hope Church parking lot in Arroyo Grande. Registration is open to everyone starting at 8:30 a.m. and the run starts at 9 a.m.

Smart may be gone, but not in the hearts and minds of her family and the people committed to sharing her story. Denise Smart sent a message to her daughter Kristin and the community as the 10-year mark approaches:

"Honey, we haven't given up. We want to tell her that we love her and that we haven't given up. She made things happen you would have never thought could happen. Remember those commercials that ask, 'Do you know where your child is tonight?' No one wants that for their child."

[Admin]

KRISTIN SMART
MISSING PERSON




Kristin Denise Smart
Date of Birth: February 20, 1977
Sex: Female Race: White
Height: 6'1" Weight: 145 pounds
Hair: Dark blonde Eyes: Brown

On May 25, 1996, Kristin Denise Smart was a freshman student at California Polytechnic State University near San Luis Obispo, California, and was 19 years of age. She was last seen just before 2:00 a.m. walking to her dorm room with Paul Flores, a 20 year old male student who reportedly had just met Kristin at an off-campus party a few blocks away. Both had reportedly been drinking alcohol. Flores has said that he separated from Kristin near his dorm room, and reported that she walked the short distance to her dorm room alone. Kristin did not return to her room and has not contacted family or friends since that time. She did not have identification, money or extra clothing when she disappeared.

A reward of $75,000 is being offered for information regarding the whereabouts of Kristin or which leads to the criminal prosecution of any person involved in her disappearance. Persons with information about Kristin or Paul Flores should contact Detective Dave Kenny of the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department at [phone] or the Federal Bureau of Investigation at [phone]. Persons may also call CrimeStoppers at [phone].


Copyright © SLO Sheriff Dept.

[Admin]

Thursday, September 18, 2008
Reported by: Stacy Daniel





Missing Cal Poly student Kristin Smart will be forever remembered by those who never even had the chance to meet her.

Smart was reported missing on May 25, 1996. She was last seen with Paul Flores, whom law enforcement still consider a person of interest.

Kristin seems to have vanished into thin air. Her body has never been found and no charges have ever been filed. In 2002, the Smart family decided to have Kristin declared legally dead.

Denise Smart said her daughter chose to go to school at Cal Poly because she loved this area and the ocean. And the ocean is exactly where Denise goes when she wants to feel close to her daughter.

Sign maker Tom Reding carves out a spot to place a permanent reminder of the life Kristen Smart never got a chance to live. Two plaques will join two others on the edge of Dinosaur Caves Park in Shell Beach in an area known as "Kristin's Point of Hope."

Reding said, "This is the best spot actually, I think in the even this park. They did well."

Kristin's mother drove all the way down from the Bay Area to be among the first to see the plaques put in place.

"It's a great way to honor our daughter," Denise said. "There's not a lot that we can do for her, but this seems to be what gives us the greatest sense of peace."

Looking out from Kristin's Point of Hope, Denise can't help but wonder where her daughter is.

Denise said, "Our daughter is a place she doesn't deserve to be. It's not a place of honor or respect, and we don't have a place to go."

Until now, the Smarts didn't have a place to go where they could feel close Kristin. Looking out at the beautiful blue ocean her daughter loved so dearly, Denise finds inspiration and hope that she will one day get the answers she and her family so desperately seek.

"We haven't given up hope, and they haven't given up hope, and that's probably what most important," said Denise.

Denise met with investigators Thursday morning to discuss her daughter's case. She remains hopeful she will one day get justice for Kristin and bring her home to rest in peace.

"Things are not over, and things are still happening - as incredible as it seems - 12 years later," said Denise.

Investigators still consider the Smart case open, and they continue to follow all leads regarding her disappearance.

[Admin]

By Scott Smith
Record Staff Writer
May 25, 2006 6:00 AM
STOCKTON - It was 10 years ago today that Kristin Smart, an athletic, tall and vibrant 19-year-old woman from Stockton vanished from a college campus in San Luis Obispo.





Her disappearance touched off a nationwide story, and hundreds traveled to help find her. Even more have posted their own theories on Web sites speculating what happened after she left a drunken party at California Polytechnic State University.

Still, no arrests have been made, and she has never been found.

A decade after this high-profile case, Smart's family and friends still hope to find her. They've hired psychics, searched fields and even acted as their own detectives, interviewing Smart's friends, acquaintances and people who knew the No. 1 suspect.

"It's a tough time every year when May rolls around," said Smart's father, Stan Smart, who wants justice. "It's really important to find our daughter and bring her remains home."

Missing
Kristin Denise Smart was last seen on campus in the early-morning hours of May, 25, 1996, after staggering away from a house party in the coastal hill town of San Luis Obispo.

Paul Flores, then 19, a fellow student whom Smart first met that night, was to walk Smart to her campus dorm at Muir Hall on the way back to his own dorm.

By morning, her roommate - worried Smart hadn't come in - reported her missing. Flores showed up later that day with a black eye when he met friends to play basketball.

At first giving police conflicting stories, Flores quickly stopped talking and asserted his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. That's been his stance ever since.

Flores and his attorney could not be reached for comment this week in Southern California. Investigators make guarded comments about Flores, saying he's at the center of a "very active" case.

"He has not been excluded as a suspect. Let's put it that way," said San Luis Obispo County Undersheriff Steve Bolts.

Aside from his black eye, cadaver dogs early in the investigation led police to a mattress in Flores' dorm room, but he has adamantly refused to answer questions.

He dropped out of college shortly after Smart disappeared and has a drunken-driving record. In December, Flores was arrested in Los Angeles again on suspicion of driving under the influence, and this time he could go to state prison if he's convicted.

Asked why Flores hasn't been arrested in connection with Smart's disappearance, Bolts said he couldn't comment.

"We believe there is knowledge that somehow Paul Flores has, or may have, that he may be willing to share," Bolts said.

Stan Smart, frustrated with the faltering investigation, said Flores' attorneys have twice suggested a deal in which Flores would lead them to the body in exchange for a significantly reduced charge. Both offers fell through.

"It makes me further believe that he's the one," Smart said.

Persistent pressure
Family and friends refuse to let Kristin Smart's memory fade.

Over the weekend, about 250 people gathered for the Kristin Smart Hope and Awareness Run near San Luis Obispo, marking a decade of frustration and unanswered questions. The money will help post signs asking the public for information.

Matt Smart, Kristin's brother, who lives in Stockton and sells pharmaceuticals, recalled his big sister as a powerful swimmer whose eyes brightened at the thought of travel. Matt Smart, 26, was 16 when his sister vanished.

An online video shows the Smarts playing together on a tropical beach in Jamaica and riding a cruise ship through the icy passages of Alaska. Another scene shows Kristin Smart graduating in 1995 from Lincoln High School.

She was in her first year at Cal Poly when she vanished. Smart was declared legally dead in 2002, despite the fact that her body has never been recovered.

Gov. Pete Wilson in 1998 signed the Kristin Smart Security Act into law, requiring campus police to report cases involving violence or missing students to local police. Smart's family faulted Cal Poly officers for failing to investigate the case early on.

Kristin Smart's death brought together a family that was already close, Matt Smart said.

Kristin Smart's mother, Denise, teaches English language learners at Lincoln Unified. Her youngest child, Lindsay Smart, is now 23.

Stan Smart recalled driving down to Cal Poly to collect his daughters belongings from the Sheriff's Department and bicycle from the campus dorm where she once lived.

"You're supposed to bring your child home - not her possessions," Stan Smart said.

Fervent supporter
Few have thrown themselves into the hunt for Kristin Smart like Dennis Mahon.

The Charlotte, N.C., man isn't related to Smart and never knew her. He learned about the missing Stockton girl while searching for another girl from his hometown who vanished on vacation with her family in San Francisco.

Mahon, 45, maintains an elaborate Web site dedicated to Smart. He once held a vigil in front of Paul Flores' family home in Arroyo Grande demanding answers until Flores obtained a restraining order.

Mahon, a former homeless shelter manager who now works at Wal-Mart, spent 12 days in jail for continuing to harass Flores. He's agreed to take down the Web site when Flores begins to cooperate with law enforcement.

"These girls, I'm just not going to abandon them, that's all," he said.

There's a good reason cases like Kristin Smart's draws such strong public reaction, said Andrew Edelman, a criminal justice professor for the University of Phoenix in south Florida.

"Any event that rattles our sense of safety and security gets society's attention," Edelman said. "I think it shocks."

Cases like Smart's are alarming because men are expected to protect women and hold them in high esteem. Parents send their adult children to college campuses believing they're safe. Complacency sets in, Edelman said.

It's particularly devastating when there's no closure, he said.

What's next?
In retirement, Stan Smart said he'll spend time with his family and search for Kristin. He predicts more treks down to San Luis Obispo, like before, when somebody thinks they know where she is. He's done making the talk-show circuit.

He's thrashed through the surrounding hills looking for her, too often uncovering the remains of dead animals and never finding his daughter.

"I'm not sure if we ever will. You know, they can't do anything more than what they've done to her. She can't be hurt any longer."

Contact reporter Scott Smith at [phone] or [e-mail]

[Admin]

The search for Kristin Smart never ends for her family
Monday, May 29, 2006 Share Email Print Comment
By MARSHA DORGAN, Register Staff Writer
For the past 10 years, the Smart family has died a little each day.

It was on Memorial Day weekend 1996 that their 19-year-old daughter Kristin Smart disappeared. For the past decade the family has been waiting for that moment when they can bring her body back for a proper burial.
Kristin, a freshman at Cal Poly University in San Luis Obispo, was last seen in the early morning hours of May 25, 1996, after she left an off-campus party.

Investigators believe Paul Flores, 19, also a student at the university, was the last person to see Kristin alive. She met him at the party, and the two walked together back to their dorm rooms, which were in separate buildings. Flores has always maintained he left Kristin around 2 a.m., when they reached his dorm room. He said she continued to walk the short distance to her room alone. Detectives still consider Flores as a possible suspect.
For Kristin's parents, Denise and Stan Smart, and her siblings, Matt, 27, and Lindsey, 24, the ordeal has been almost more than they can bear.

Stan was principal of Vintage High School at the time their daughter went missing. In 2000, he assumed the duties of Napa Valley Unified School District director of student services. He retires on June 30.
"A little part of our lives dies each day. People lose someone they love each day, but it shouldn't be your children," Denise Smart said. "There is a hole in our heart that never goes away. It's not easy to move on when you don't know where your child is."

The Smarts have long since given up hope their daughter will be found alive.

"But to think of her somewhere in an unmarked, unknown grave ... no greater pain for a parent," Denise said.

Stan Smart is frustrated the case has not been resolved. "We don't have any idea where she is," he said.

Stan spent the first three summers after his daughter's disappearance combing the area around the college looking for Kristin's body.

"It's very hilly, steep, wooded terrain. And we don't have any idea where to search. If we just had some direction, we could get a large number of people to search, but where do you look? It is unusual that a hiker hasn't come across her body," Smart said. "We still go down to San Luis Obispo and continue to search. We have to. But it just eats you alive."

Like the police, the Smarts believe Flores knows details about what happened to Kristin. But he's not talking. Other than making a few initial statements to police when Kristin disappeared, over the past 10 years, Flores has refused to talk to investigators. He has never denied any involvement in Kristin's disappearance.

"I know he killed our daughter. Kristin had been drinking that night. I think he took her to his dorm room and tried to rape her. She may have fought back, and he hit her in the head or choked her," Stan said.

"He was alone in his dorm room that night. His roommate was in San Francisco. I believe he wrapped Kristin's body in a blanket and took her out the window -- his room was on the ground floor," he said. "I think he put her body in a nearby Dumpster, and she ended up in the landfill."

Smart said sheriff's investigators checked the landfill, but found nothing.

"Now the landfill has been closed because it has been declared a hazmat. They have covered the entire fill with a layer of dirt," he said.

On one of their trips to San Luis Obispo after their daughter's disappearance, Denise confronted Flores at the gas station where he worked.

"I introduced myself to him. I said, 'Paul, it's a terrible accident. We need your help to find Kristin. Please tell us what you know,'" Denise said. "He went inside and locked himself in a closet. He knows where she is and that it's a place where she doesn't want to be, and certainly a place we don't want her to be."

Flores is represented by an attorney hired after the Smart's filed a wrongful death suit against him.

"We are not suing for money, but for information. He knows where she is, and he needs to tell us," Stan said. The next hearing is set for early June.

Twice, Flores' attorneys have presented plea bargains to the Smarts.

"In return for information about Kristin, Paul wanted to be assured he would not get any jail time. But the deals fell through," Denise said. "I know he did it, and he needs to be punished."

From the very beginning, the Smarts have been unhappy with the way law enforcement has handled the investigation.

"She disappeared early Saturday morning, and the campus police didn't notify us until Monday night. They said she could have just taken off," Denise said.

By the time campus police got around to searching Flores' dorm room, he had left for the summer and taken all of his belongings.

"We wanted other law enforcement called in right away. I wanted the FBI involved because I believe Kristin was kidnapped," she said. "But all we ever got was that the case was in good hands with the campus police."

About a month after Kristin's disappearance, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's investigators were called in.

They searched Flores' dorm room with cadaver dogs. The dogs picked up the scent of corpse on the edge of Flores' mattress and the telephone on the adjacent nightstand.

In 1999, Gov. Pete Wilson signed what is commonly called the Kristin Smart Law, requiring universities and colleges to notify local law enforcement immediately if a violent crime may have occurred.

The current provost for the university, Robert Detweiler was not at Cal Poly when Kristin disappeared. He came in 1998.

"I am familiar about the Smarts' concern. I have checked with people who were here when it happened. The university believes campus police acted professionally and appropriately. We have cooperated with law enforcement from the beginning, Detweiler said. "As tragic as this is, the case has impacted the university to become more concerned in educating students, especially freshmen, about safety and sexual assault. It made us more attentive to the issue of alcohol abuse."

The Smarts are also frustrated that the sheriff's department is not working closer with them.

"They do not communicate with us about the case. We're not getting any information. They are accusing us of leaking information to the media. They have told us a task force made up of an officials from the FBI, the sheriff's and district attorney's office has been assigned to investigate Kristin's case. They are to work on it until the case is resolved," Denise said. "However, we do not have contact with them. I would just think law enforcement would keep us better informed."

During the past 10 years, one of the bright spots in the Smart's life as been Dennis Mahon.

Mahon, who is from Charlotte, NC, came to California to search for Kristen Modafferi. The 19-year-old, who is also from Charlotte and a North Carolina State University student, was last seen on June 23, 1997, leaving a San Francisco coffee shop.

After Mahon arrived in San Francisco, he became interested in the Kristin Smart case and started putting information about her on his sonofsusan.com Web site. Mahon used to park outside the Flores' home in Arroyo Grande and also took photos of Paul Flores during his court appearances.

"His Web site has kept Kristen's case alive. We are very thankful," Denise said.

However, Mahon's involvement in the Kristin Smart case is the main reason law enforcement has been stingy in releasing information to the family, San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Undersheriff Steve Bolts said.

"They have been very involved and very appreciated of Dennis Mahon, his Web site and the information he puts on it. We have asked Dennis and the Smarts to remove the information because it's inaccurate. We will not participate in providing information to them that ends up being incorrect," Bolts said. "Every time we give them information they think they are doing the right thing by putting it on the Internet. If it was accurate information, we would not have this problem. But Dennis puts his own spin on it.

"We cannot maintain the credibility of the investigation if we can't validate the information on the Web site. So we don't share information with the Smarts," Bolts said. "If they would agree not to share information, we would meet with them on a daily basis if they wanted. But they have declined."

In addition to the loss of her daughter, Denise struggles with the image that she believes the media has painted of Kristin the night she disappeared.

"There were all kinds of stories portraying Kristin to be the drunk girl who didn't make it home from the party. I'm no Polyanna. I know college kids drink. But I don't want people to get the wrong message about my daughter. She was the girl who walked home with the wrong person. The message is we need to look out for one another," Denise said. "I know the police report said she was drunk. But wasn't as if she was passed out, lying over a beer keg. I just don't want her to be victimized again. Kristin is the one who knows what happened that night. And she is not here to tell us."

As another anniversary passes of their daughter's disappearance, Stan, Denise, Matt and Lindsey refuse to give up hope that the case will be resolved and Kristen will be put to rest with dignity.

"Someone asked me if I heard that they found Kristin's body would I be happy?" Stan said. "No, I wouldn't be happy. Yes, there would be some closure. But it's never a happy situation when you have to bury your child."

Attempts by the Register to contact the Flores' family were unsuccessful. Paul Flores' parents, Susan and Ruben, have divorced and live in Arroyo Grande. Both have unlisted telephone numbers. Paul Flores is living in Lawndale with his ex-brother-in-law.

[Admin]

Kristin Denise Smart
Born Feb. 20, 1977
Died Missing since May 25, 1996; Declared legally dead 2002





Kristin Denise Smart was last seen at approximately 2:00 a.m., May 25, 1996, as she was walking back to her dorm room on the California Polytechnic campus, San Luis Obispo, California from an off-campus party. Kristin was accompanied by a fellow student who stated that he left her a block from her Muir Hall dorm to go to his dorm. Kristin did not return to her room and has not contacted family or friends since that time. She did not have any identification, money, or extra clothing when she disappeared.

The campus police originally and wrongfully suspected that Kristin had gone on an 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. Shortly after Kristin's disappearance, Flores' dorm room was searched by dogs specially trained to detect human remains, and the dogs independently paid particular attention to his mattress and waste bucket, although no physical evidence was recovered. Flores' house was searched twice but no evidence was recovered either. Although Flores remains a suspect, there is no conclusive evidence that he was involved in Smart's disappearance.

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 publicly denied any involvement in the case.

Kristin's disappearance remains essentially an unsolved case however, and no firmly proven explanation for her disappearance exists.

[Admin]

Ten years after Kristin Smart's disappearance, no one surrounding her case has felt anything near closure.

Not Smart's family, who remember her as a loving and persistent 19-year-old, excited to be attending college at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. They assume she is dead and buried somewhere, but cannot be certain.

Not Paul Flores, a 1995 graduate of Arroyo Grande High School, who was the last person to see the young woman alive and who remains under investigation in her disappearance. Flores is out on bail facing a fourth drunken-driving conviction and continued scrutiny for his actions the night Smart vanished.

Not detectives from the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department, who still believe they can crack the case.

And not Dennis Mahon or Terry Black, two men working to keep the Kristin Smart case from fading. Mahon maintains a Web site and has written a book. Black is offering a $100,000 reward to anyone with information leading to Smart.

Each of these lives was altered early on May 25, 1996, after Flores walked with Smart and another student from an off-campus party onto campus.

Flores and Smart apparently met at the party, where both had been drinking. The third student broke off from Flores and Smart about 2:30 a.m.

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Flores, then 19, told law enforcement he and Smart parted ways near his dorm, and that she returned to her Muir Hall dorm room alone.

Police say there's no proof Smart ever returned to her room. Her roommate reported her missing May 27. Smart's clothing, toiletries and identification were undisturbed.

Cal Poly police first interviewed Flores on May 28. He sported a black eye from what he claimed was a basketball mishap. A friend of Flores later told police the young man had arrived at the pick-up game bruised.

Campus police appear to have made a crucial mistake early in the investigation. Officers failed to secure Flores' room at Santa Lucia Hall until after he vacated the dorm for the term.

The Kristin Smart case was soon after turned over to the Sheriff's Department.

More than a month after Smart's disappearance, cadaver dogs searching the dorm honed in on Flores' room. Once inside, the dogs zeroed in on his mattress.

During a grand jury hearing convened in October 1996, Flores refused to answer questions, invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. He has never been charged in the young woman's disappearance.

Later searches of Flores' family home in Arroyo Grande turned up nothing substantial. Psychics, national talk show hosts and local media all tried in vain to discern Smart's location.

San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Judge Roger Piquet later declared Smart dead as of May 25, 2001, so her family could pursue a wrongful-death lawsuit against Flores.

Suspect

That civil case, which alleges “Flores violently assaulted and murdered Decedent Kristin Smart and disposed of her body in an unknown location, presumably in San Luis Obispo,” returns to court June 9.

The civil suit has been repeatedly delayed since the Smart family filed it in 2002. The Sheriff's Department still considers its investigation open, and has refused to release any evidence to the Smarts' attorneys.

Denise Smart, Kristin's mother, said she has mixed feelings about the criminal case staying open.

“As long as it's still open, there's hope,” she said. “But I'm frustrated by the lack of progress.”

An educator living in Stockton, Denise Smart said the slow reaction from Cal Poly police damaged the case.

“It was way over their head,” she said. “When Kristin's roommate reported her missing, they didn't even go check on her. It was a total failure to respond.”

In 1998, Gov. Pete Wilson signed a state law named after Smart, requiring universities and colleges to notify local law enforcement quickly if a violent crime may have occurred.

“I know that members of the Smart family have complained that our police did not respond properly,” said Cal Poly Provost Bob Detweiler. “I wasn't here at the time, but I can find no evidence of us handling the case inappropriately. Because of Kristin's disappearance, we have beefed up our emphasis on alcohol awareness and sexual assault awareness on campus.”

Since they took over the case, sheriff's deputies have focused on Flores, who is now a 29-year-old living in Lawndale in Los Angeles County.

“Paul Flores is the only person of interest that we have not excluded as a possible suspect,” said Undersheriff Steve Bolts. “We've got several avenues we're pursuing that I can't really discuss. The case remains very active.”

Bolts said Detective Dave Kenny is spending the majority of his time working on the Smart case. Kenny declined comment.

Bolts had no estimate of how many hours have been spent on the case.

“It's one of those cases that has the potential to be resolved,” Bolts said. “We are reasonably certain that she's deceased, and we're optimistic that her remains will be found some day.”

Bolts would not comment on a specific theory about Smart's disappearance.

“There's no evidence to exclude an intentional homicide,” he said.

Since Smart went missing, Flores has racked up three drunken-driving convictions and a probation violation. Flores served time in 2000 at Santa Barbara County Jail for driving drunk in Santa Maria, and was sentenced again to County Jail for drinking while on probation.

On Dec. 20, 2005, he was again flagged for drunken driving, this time in Los Angeles County. He is free on $100,000 bail while the case works its way through the courts.

Flores could face prison time if convicted, said Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Paulette Paccione. The case returns to court June 29 for a preliminary hearing.

Flores has rejected a plea deal in the latest drunken-driving charge that would have landed him in jail for a year, Paccione said.

“He wants to fight the case,” she said.

Bolts has several theories on Flores' battles with alcohol.

“I think it's reflective of a chemical dependency that may be at the root of Kristin's disappearance,” Bolts said. “It also may be a product of a guilty conscience.”

Denise Smart said Flores has negotiated in the past with law enforcement. She is certain Flores knows her daughter's whereabouts.

“Do we know what he did? No. Do we know he knows where she is? Yes,” Denise Smart said. “He's kind of making his own prison. But for us there's no punishment we feel would be enough. Where she is is not where she wants to be and it's certainly not where we would want her to be.”

Bolts wouldn't comment on any negotiations between law enforcement and Flores.

“Even if there were negotiations,” he said, “they are privileged and are not presumed by us to be evidence.”

Attempts to reach Flores were unsuccessful. Calls to his criminal and civil attorneys were not returned. His parents, Susan and Ruben, have separated and live in Arroyo Grande.

Outside both of their homes is a printed flier with this message:

“Notice: Please respect the privacy of the occupants of this residence. They have chosen to resolve their legal matters in the courtroom, not the media.”

A man who emerged from Susan Flores' home last week snapped several pictures of a visiting reporter, but declined comment.

The activists

Dennis Mahon of Charlotte, N.C., has spent years tracking the case. Mahon's Web site, www.sonofsusan.com, includes his short book on Smart's disappearance and a log of Flores' legal troubles.

Mahon used to park outside the Flores' home in Arroyo Grande and took to photographing Paul Flores during his court appearances.

For his diligence, Denise Smart considers Mahon “a saint.”

The Flores family sees it different. They have a restraining order against him.

“It's a matter of not abandoning Kristin,” Mahon said. “My Web site is geared toward getting Flores to cooperate with the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department. The crime is in the cover-up.”

Terry Black, a Sacramento investor and political consultant, recently offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the location of the missing woman or her remains.

Black, who believes Smart's body could be buried on the Nipomo Mesa, said he has provided police several tips received through his hotline.

“I just would like to see closure to the family, and sometimes money is the only thing that motivates people to come forward,” Black said. “My sole concern is retrieval of the body. I'm not in the blame or punishment role here.”

Persistence

Denise Smart remembers her daughter's persistence and discipline above all else.

An avid swimmer who stood more than 6 feet tall, Smart cared deeply about her health, Denise Smart said.

“Before it was cool to be fit, she exercised and watched what she ate,” Denise Smart said. “She never had egg yolks.”

The young woman loved Hawaii and even managed to graduate high school early to work as a camp counselor there.

Originally accepted at UCSB, Smart decided to switch schools shortly before her freshman year. The prospect of transferring from her communications program into Cal Poly's elite architecture school was a lure.

Denise Smart said her daughter also would have been content to work in TV.

“She thought Joan Lunden had just about the best job in the world,” Denise Smart said.

Ten years later, Denise Smart is still acutely aware of how her daughter's life was cut short.

“She was a very loving and compassionate type of person, and it's hard to have lost her,” Denise Smart said. “Her friends are now getting married and having children.”

Matt Smart was just 16 when his sister disappeared.

“In a moment, your life is turned upside down,” he said. “You go from watching the news on TV to being on the news. From reading the newspapers to being in the newspapers.”

His sister's disappearance inspired him to take life seriously at a young age, he said. Matt Smart threw himself into swimming competitions, eventually making it to the 2000 U.S. Olympic trials.

Now a pharmaceutical representative, he tries to live well every day. Still, his sister's disappearance lingers.

“It's one thing to have a death in the family,” he said. “It's another thing to not know what happened. You can't allow it to eat at you.”

Tana Coates, attorney for the Smart family, said she is heartened that police continue to investigate.

“I'm sure Denise thinks of this as if it were yesterday,” Coates said. “It's so important to keep the public's interest. It's a terrible mystery. The family would appreciate closure. Let's hope that happens.”

Kristin Smart would have turned 29 this past February.

Quintin Cushner can be reached at 739-2217 or [e-mail].

May 21, 2006

[Admin]

Thursday, January 26, 2006
Suspect in Kristin Smart Disappearance in Trouble Again









Ten years ago this coming May 2006, Kristin Smart attended an off campus party where she’d never return home again. Kristin was last seen with a young man named Paul Flores. Flores has not cooperated in any shape or form since the disappearance of Kristin. He has been the only suspect from the very beginning. In the days shortly after Kristin’s disappearance, a cadaver sniffing dog alerted inside the apartment of Paul Flores. Not long after this indication, Paul’s family retained legal counsel and he was allowed to move from the campus with no further questions asked.

Kristin’s disappearance was one that not taken lightly by many in the community in San Luis Obispo, California. Her name has appeared in various broadcasts about others who have become missing in that area. All wondering if there was a connection, but later ruled out because Paul Flores was the only one, and the fact the others would later have a known suspect. A suspect that later was brought to justice, unlike Kristin Smart’s murderer.

A dear friend of mine, Dennis Mahon and crusader for Kristin Smart gave me the news last night that Paul Flores has had yet another brush with the authorities. Dennis Mahon has traveled to the West coast on several occasions, searching for answers as to where Kristin Smart is believed to be hidden. It is Dennis’ observation and that of Denise and Stan Smart (Kristin’s parents) that Kristin died either at the party or afterwards, and her body was disposed of by Paul Flores and his family. They go on to say that there is a high probability that her remains are located underneath a concrete slab poured the very next day on the Flores property after Kristin vanished.

Police have been under great scrutiny for calling off an excavation of that property a few years back. The incomplete excavation has possibly left Kristin forever alone, and never to be found for a proper burial because of police mishandling. Another fact remains about the family of Paul Flores. They refuse to move from the house, nor let police any where near them. This leaves us to wonder what all they are hiding.

My mother and I traveled all the way to San Luis Obispo, California last year to support the community rally that asked for an excavation of the Flores property. Some people thought we were nuts to go this far, but I had a mission. I believe that diligence and determination is what brings justice often times for these people who have fallen victim to a crime. We sat through the court hearing with Dennis and the Flores. I was there when the judge felt as if Dennis and the Smarts were terrorizing the Flores by asking for answers, and when they took Dennis to jail.
I then drove his car down a freeway on the other side of the United States to make the plans to carry out this rally without the leader. We did it and it was one of the best and most memorable trips I’ve ever made.

The point of this, is that it is simply unacceptable that Paul Flores is allowed to roam the streets. He has been arrested numerous times since the disappearance of Kristin. What young woman will be his next victim? What will it take before the police finally indict this person and bring him to justice?
If we can arrest a man who is pushing for answers for a victim who no longer has a voice and we can file a law suit saying that we’ve caused them pain and suffering because of a website and public outcry. What do we do and say for Kristin whose family has had to lie down every single night since May of 1996 not knowing where she is or if she’ll ever be home?
What does that say about our justice system? I was not surprised to hear Flores has been arrested again. The one arrest I wait to hear about is the one for which he is indicted for the disappearance and murder of Kristin Smart. With the grace of God, that will happen SOON.