Thursday marked the twenty-first anniversary of the disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart. Smart, who was a freshman at the time, went missing after walking home from an off-campus party in 1996. She was legally declared dead in 2002.
Last September, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s office and the FBI revived the case and began excavating specific sites near the “P” landmark on a hill behind Cal Poly’s campus. The sites were marked significant by FBI dogs trained to detect human remains. The sheriff’s office said forensic analysts are still reviewing “items of interest” they found during the excavation.
In an emailed statement Friday, Sheriff Ian Parkinson said the case remains a priority and they communicate with the Smart family on a regular basis.
“We continue to respect the confidentiality of this active investigation,” Parkinson said.
The sheriff’s office declined to elaborate further.