California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) has apologized to Kristin Smart’s family for the first time since she disappeared from college campuses 27 years ago.
The Stockton native disappeared on Cal Poly’s campus in 1996, and after campus police refused to file a missing persons report, the school informed her family that she had just gone camping.
In March, Paul Flores was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the student’s murder.
The Polytechnic has now apologized to the family. President Jeffrey D. Armstrong wrote, “We are so sorry for what the Smart family has endured.” What they have been through is heartbreaking beyond imagining, and I feel for them in ways that words cannot express.
“Although this is a different government than it was in 1996, we recognize that things should have been done differently – and personally I wish they had.”
Kristin Smart disappeared from the Cal Poly campus in 1996, and after campus police refused to file a missing persons report, the school informed her family that she had just gone camping. Earlier this year, Paul Flores was convicted of her murder
Now, for the first time, the Polytechnic has apologized to the family. President Jeffrey D. Armstrong wrote, “We are so sorry for what the Smart family has endured.” What they have been through is heartbreaking beyond imagining, and I feel for them in ways that words cannot express.
Armstrong continued, “Kristin’s story is something that will always stay with us and is something that weighs heavily on our hearts” and that the school “is committed to doing everything we can to ensure the safety of all of our students now and in the future.” .” ‘
“While we can never control what a person with bad intentions does, we constantly work to make sure this doesn’t happen again at Cal Poly,” he wrote.
“Cal Poly places the highest priority on the safety of its campus community members.” “The university has a robust program dedicated to providing public safety services to all of our students, staff and visitors.”
Smart disappeared in 1996. The case remained unsolved for decades, but a 2020 true crime podcast rocked local police.
Flores, now 46, was also a student at California Polytech University in San Luis Obispo.
Though police never found her remains, they believe Flores raped and then murdered her in his dorm room.
Smart left an off-campus party at around 2 a.m. on May 25, 1996, accompanied by Flores.
He claimed he accompanied her to her dorm, but she was never seen again.
In March, Paul Flores was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the student’s murder
Smart and Flores were both students at California Polytech University in San Luis Obispo. The 46-year-old Flores was then arrested. Though police never found her remains, they believe Flores raped and then murdered her in his dorm room
A missing persons report was filed three days later.
Friends said she was drunk and Flores repeatedly said he would accompany her home.
He was identified as a “person of interest” at the beginning of the case but has maintained his innocence to this day.
On Friday, the judge said he was a dangerous predator.
“This predatory behavior extends throughout your adult life,” Judge Jennifer O’Keefe said.
“You deserve to spend the day you left behind bars.”
‘Mister. Flores, you were a cancer to society.
Smart left an off-campus party at around 2 a.m. on May 25, 1996, accompanied by Flores. He claimed he accompanied her to her dorm, but she was never seen again. A missing persons report was filed three days later
Friends said she was drunk and Flores repeatedly said he would accompany her home
“They have lived freely in the community for 25 years” and continued to drug and assault women, she said, according to the San Luis Obispo Tribune.
Flores was ordered to pay his victims a total of $10,000 in compensation. He is also required to be registered as a sex offender for life because he assaulted and killed Smart “for the purpose of sexual gratification and coercion,” O’Keefe said.
Both Flores and his father Ruben have been charged in connection with their deaths. Prosecutors say Ruben helped his son by hiding Smart’s body under their backyard patio for years.
The couple are suspected of moving their remains when suspicions rose in 2020.
Flores was found guilty of murder in October last year.
A jury found Flores guilty of first-degree murder in October. A separate jury acquitted 81-year-old Ruben Flores of aiding and abetting.
Cal Poly’s full statement
First of all, I have to say that I cannot imagine the pain and hurt that Kristin’s family felt and still feels.
We are very sorry for what the Smart family had to endure. What they have been through is heartbreaking beyond belief and I feel for them in a way that words cannot express. Although this is a different government than it was in 1996, we recognize that things should have been done differently – and personally I wish they had.
On behalf of the leadership of Cal Poly, I can say that for us humans who live even in this community with families and human feelings, Kristin’s story is always with us and dear to our hearts. Your story continues to be part of the Cal Poly story and we are committed to doing everything we can to ensure the safety of all of our students now and in the future.
While we can never control what a person with bad intentions does, we constantly work to make sure this doesn’t happen again at Cal Poly. Cal Poly places the highest priority on the safety of its campus community members. The university has a solid program that aims to provide public safety services to all of our students, staff and visitors.
We comply with the Kristin Smart Campus Security Act and the Clery Act – we honor agreements to report relevant cases to local law enforcement and provide annual crime report statistics for public information.
The POST-certified Cal Poly Police Department is dedicated to maintaining our campus security and providing crime prevention education.
We have solid Title IX programming through the Civil Rights and Compliance Office (CRCO) and operate under federal law and CSU executive order mandates. This includes investigative programming as well as reconnaissance and preventive public relations.
After Kristin Smart’s disappearance, we created the Safer program to provide advocacy. confidential resources; and training, workshops and proactive outreach on sexual misconduct, domestic violence and stalking.
Departments across campus work closely together to investigate potential public safety issues on the physical campus, such as: B. Lighting and access to address and prioritize issues as they arise.
And as with all aspects of our campus community, we continually review all of these programs and procedures for continuous improvement.