Time is Now to Bring Her Home:

30 Years Since We Lost Kristin

On May 25, 1996, Kristin Smart was abducted from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Our hearts have been forever broken, and our lives irrevocably altered by that fateful Memorial Day weekend. For thirty years, we have lived with a pain no family should have to endure, as heartache, frustration, and setbacks have woven themselves into our everyday lives.

Our painful reality is that the perpetrator and his family continue to stand in the way of our daughter being returned to us. Yet even after three decades without all the answers, we are sustained by the compassion, strength, and grace of those who have stood beside us.

Our gratitude to the local law enforcement community

We want to express our profound gratitude to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department and their continued commitment to bringing Kristin home. Our gratitude also extends to the SLO District Attorney’s Office for their work in 2023 securing the murder conviction. Their unwavering dedication reminds us that she is never forgotten.

To the Central Coast community and those far beyond

Thank you for holding Kristin in your hearts. Whether you have stood with us from the very beginning or joined us along the way, your support has been a source of strength and comfort to our family.

The Justice for Kristin Fund & a new path ahead

The Justice for Kristin Fund was first established in 1996. This effort was specifically aimed at encouraging those with information to come forward and aid law enforcement in their efforts to locate and return Kristin.

Kristin loved the dawn of each new day and always had plans for the future. Sadly, her opportunity to live those dreams was violently taken away. Yet through the gift of scholarship, we have been able to carry Kristin’s dreams and aspirations forward through the lives of others. Through the Kristin Smart Scholarship, her memory continues to shine brightly, helping college‑bound women pursue the dreams Kristin was never given the chance to realize.

We hope you will consider honoring Kristin by supporting the Kristin Smart Scholarship, which has awarded over $100,000 in scholarship support over the past decade. We continue to pray for the day when we can finally lay her to rest in the presence of those who love her. Until that time, we are deeply grateful to all who have walked this long road with us and helped ensure that Kristin’s light continues to shine.

With deep gratitude,

-The Smart Family