Kristin Smart’s parents given key to their hometown of Stockton
The parents of slain Cal Poly student Kristin Smart were given a key to their hometown of Stockton Thursday, seven months after Paul Flores was convicted of her murder.
Smart disappeared after an off-campus party in May 1996. Flores was found guilty by a Monterey County jury in October, and he is currently serving a 25-years-to-life sentence in North Kern State Prison as he pursues an appeal.
“For 27 years the Stockton community has grieved alongside Stan and Denise Smart at the tragic disappearance of their daughter, Kristin Smart,” Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln said during his State of the City address. “The loss of a child is a wound that never truly heals but the smart family turned their pain into policy.”
Lincoln thanked the Smart family for championing the 1998 Kristin Smart Campus Safety Act, which required campus and local law enforcement agencies to have written agreements on how they will investigate certain violent crimes on campus.
Then, Lincoln gave the Smarts a key to Stockton, the city they raised their family in.
“Today, we want to honor you, Stan and Denise, for your strength, your resilience, your faithfulness and hope as you fought for justice for your daughter,” Lincoln said. “Your city loves you, supports you and will never forget Kristin.”
The Smarts thanked every community member who helped and supported them since their daughter disappeared, including those in Stockton.
“To this day, the support we get from you is the strength that helps us move forward,” Denise Smart told the crowd. “Kristin would never give up on anything, and we had to follow that legacy and we refused to give up until there was justice.”
She encouraged the Stockton community to apply that same sentiment to the goals they see for their city.
This story was originally published May 19, 2023 at 8:00 AM.
