Kristin Denise Smart, a 19-year-old California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo student, was last seen on May 25, 1996 at about 2 AM. She and her friend Cheryl Anderson left a fraternity party fairly intoxicated. Paul Flores who lived in an adjacent dorm to Kristin walked the girls home. They dropped off Cheryl at her dorm and Paul promised to walk Kristin to her dorm room in Muir Hall. However she never made it home and has not been seen or heard from since. She did not have any identification, money, or extra clothing with her that night. At the time of her disappearance she was wearing a gray T-shirt, black shorts, and red Puma shoes. She was 6'1" and 145 pounds. She has blonde hair and brown eyes and often went by the nickname "Roxy."

With no other place to turn Cal Poly police questioned Paul Flores. The first two times he was questioned he answered the questions from the police. Suspiciously he had a black eye the day after Kristin Smart's disappearance. He first told police he got the bruise playing basketball, then in the next interview he said he got it fixing his car. To explain the discrepancies he later said that he made up the stories so that the police would think he was stupid for "not knowing" where he got it. After those two interviews he never spoke to officials again. And has taken the Fifth Amendment in court. Two months after Kristin disappeared, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff took three police dogs onto campus to search for clues in the case. The dogs immediately took them to Paul Flores' dorm room and mattress. Unfortunately there was no hard evidence to convict Paul. Paul dropped out of school soon after and moved out of the dorms. Police did nothing to stop him from moving his belongings before any kind of DNA tests or hair samples could be taken.

Since Paul left school he has been tracked to a Southern California residence. He has been in and out of jail for various crimes including driving under the influence. His employers have all let him go after hearing about his past. Even the US Navy refused to enlist him after hearing about the Smart case.

The Smart family charged a wrongful death case against Flores in 1996. Flores refused to testify and the Smarts were forced to drop the case. Kristin's body, weapon, or hard evidence has never been found to convict Flores or anyone else. They plan to refile the case when more evidence emerges.

The Smart family has since taken matters into their own hands. Outraged that Cal Poly didn't turn the case over to the sheriff's office for over a month after her disappearance the Smart's have called upon the FBI, Attorney General Janet Reno, and private detectives for help. Stan Smart still drives from the Smarts hometown of Stockton, California to San Luis Obispo once a month to search for evidence. Even 4 and a half years later the case remains active and there is $75,000 reward out for information that could locate her.

If you have any information you can call the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's office at (805) 781-4540 or email the Smart's at info@findkristinsmart.org.

Thanks to www.findkristinsmart.org

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