Kristin Smart case: What happened to Cal Poly student? Who killed her? Parents and prosecutors open up

The disappearance of Kristin Smart, a 19-year-old Cal Poly San Luis Obispo freshman, on May 25, 1996, remains an unsolved mystery

Published on: Aug 16, 2025, 08:08:22 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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The disappearance of Kristin Smart, a 19-year-old Cal Poly San Luis Obispo freshman, on May 25, 1996, remains an unsolved mystery. Dateline is revisiting the case in a two-hour episode titled ‘Justice for Kristin Smart’, airing Friday on NBC. The program will feature Kristin’s family, investigators, and prosecutors.

The official synopsis for the episode reads: “Kristin Smart, a freshman at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, vanishes during Memorial Day weekend in 1996."

"Kristin’s parents open up about their frustration with the school’s handling of the investigation — and their over-25-year journey to getting answers.”

What happened to Kristin Smart?

Kristin Smart was last seen intoxicated and walking back to her Muir Hall dorm from an off-campus party with fellow student Paul Flores. She suddenly vanished. Her body was never found.

On October 18, 2022, Paul Flores was found guilty of the murder, and his father, Ruben Flores, was acquitted of 'accessory after the fact'.

"Today, our criminal and victim justice system has finally delivered justice for Kristin Smart, for the Smart family, and for our San Luis Obispo County community," San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow said at the time.

“We thank the Smart family and our community for the tremendous trust and patience they placed in the investigation and prosecution of this terrible crime.”

Kristin's mother, Denise, told Dateline that she was ‘immediately fearful because that is just not her’.

“Even though we had this feeling that something was wrong, I don’t think we could grasp at that moment how bad it could be,” Kristin’s friend Vanessa Shields said, as seen in the preview.

2019 podcast

The case broke open with renewed efforts in 2019, spurred by the Your Own Backyard podcast and new witness testimony, leading to searches with ground-penetrating radar and cadaver dogs.

Smart was legally declared dead in 2002, her family suing Cal Poly in 2024 for negligence, claiming delayed action enabled the crime.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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