The Murderer of Kristin Smart Found After Nearly Thirty Years

They only had one suspect, but it took them years to prove his guilt.

Kristin Smart disappeared on 25 May 1996. She disappeared whilst walking back to her dorm at the California Polytechnic University. She had just left an off-campus party. 

For six years, it was as if the nineteen-year-old had vanished into thin air. With no news or sightings of her, she was declared legally dead in 2002. 

The police continued to investigate her case, especially looking at Paul Flores.

Kristin Smart

Kristin was born on 20 February 1977 in West Germany to parents Stan and Denise Smart. Both parents taught children of American service members when they were posted overseas. 

Later the family would move to Stockton, California, where their children attended the local school. Kristin graduated in 1995 and enrolled in the Polytechnic.

On 25 May, she attended a party leaving at 2 am with three other students, one of which was Flores. Being new to the area, Kristin was unaware of Flores's reputation with women.