On Oct. 18, 2022, the verdict was announced – Paul Flores was found guilty of the 1996 murder of Kristin Smart, who was at the time a 19-year-old Cal Poly freshman. Mustang News followed the case over the years, sharing hope with the community that the Smart family would one day receive justice.
The Your Own Backyard podcast, created by Arroyo Grande local Chris Lambert, not only revived the case but aided thousands in understanding what happened in the weeks, months and years following Kristin Smart’s 1996 disappearance.
Mustang News interviewed Lambert and Ruben Flores’ attorney Harold Mesick in a special feature documentary reflecting on the trial, one year after the verdict.
Special thanks to Nico Vinuela, along with all the graduated reporters who contributed to Mustang News’ coverage of the Smart case over the decades.