Kristin Smart arrived at Cal Poly in the fall of 1995, excited to start college life.
As a freshman, she was just on the cusp of adulthood.
And while Kristin was exploring her independence, her ties to home remained strong.
She called her parents, Stan and Denise Smart, every week.
Which is what she did on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend in May of 1996. Her parents weren’t home, so Kristin left a voicemail on their answering machine.
They didn’t know then that it would be the last time they’d hear from Kristin.
Because before long, their phone rang again. It was the Cal Poly campus police.
They informed the Smarts that their daughter was not at school and hadn’t been seen for days.
Kristin’s father raced to the college campus, hoping that by the time he arrived, Kristin would have already returned.
That did not happen.
By the following Tuesday, an official missing person’s report was filed.
The campus was buzzing about the missing freshman — and what happened at an off-campus party.
For the Smarts, time has been torture. This all happened more than a quarter century ago.
And now, for the first time since the arrest and conviction of their daughter’s killer, Stan and Denise Smart sit down with Josh Mankiewicz for a network-exclusive interview.
To find out what happened to Kristin Smart, you can watch our full episode “Justice for Kristin Smart” now.
You can also watch on Peacock TV or listen to the podcast.
Loved ones remember Kristin’s sweet, kind soul and love of adventure.
Plus, learn more about the Kristin Smart Scholarship, which honors her legacy and memory.
