The family of a Central Coast college student who was murdered in 1996 is suing Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, claiming that university police bungled the case.
Kristin Smart disappeared in May of 1996 after she was returning to the Cal Poly campus. Classmate Paul Flores was considered a person of interest in the case for decades.
After investigators uncovered new evidence, Flores was arrested in 2021. In 2022, he was convicted of the killing and is currently serving a life sentence in prison.
In the just-filed lawsuit, the family’s attorneys contend Cal Poly Police didn’t take reports of her disappearance seriously at first, and allowed some key evidence to be destroyed.
They also contend the university failed to fully investigate reports that before the murder, Flores had harassed other students and staff members.
The suit asserts that the mistakes prevent justice from being served for decades.
The lawsuit doesn’t specify an amount the family is seeking.
