Suvechha Sarkar
In May 1996, in the city of Stockton, California, the lives of Merle Stanley, AKA Stan, and Denise Louise Smart were changed forever. Their 19-year-old daughter, Kristin Denise Smart, was a vibrant college student who suddenly vanished after attending a party. In the following years, their world was filled with relentless searches and hopes for justice. NBC’s ‘Dateline: Justice for Kristin Smart’ delves deeper into the investigation that brought the killer to light after more than two decades, and how the case impacted her loved ones. It also features interviews with her parents, friends, and officials who ultimately helped serve justice.
Merle Stanley and Denise Smart’s Lives Turned Into a Nightmare When Kristin Suddenly Vanished
Kristin Denise Smart enrolled at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in 1995 in San Luis Obispo, California. She was originally from Stockton, California, where her parents, Merle Stanley, AKA Stan, and Denise Louise Smart, brother Matthew, and sister Lindsey resided. However, their lives were altered entirely when Stan received a call from the university campus police that Kristin was not at college. On May 24, 1996, Kristin went to a party, and she was reportedly last seen in the early hours of the following day, around 2 am. Investigation revealed that Kristin was last seen with a student, Paul Flores. During questioning, Paul first claimed that he and Kristin parted ways a few feet from her dorm. However, during his second interrogation, he changed his account and claimed to have seen her with another stranger.
Despite multiple witness accounts of Paul being seen with Kristin at the party and canines finding signs of human decomposition in his dorm room, officials were unable to arrest him. Her parents, Stan and Denise, spoke tirelessly to any person possible on campus to try and find their daughter. When Paul stopped answering questions to the investigators, they reached out to his parents, Susan and Ruben Flores, for answers, but it was of no avail. By 1997, Kristin’s parents had even put up a billboard declaring rewards for finding their daughter. Unfortunately, all the efforts failed to return Kristin to them, and she was legally declared dead on May 25, 2002. The case went cold until Chris Lambert, a local resident, met Stan and Denise to seek permission for a podcast to amplify Kristin’s story in 2018.
Authorities reopened the case, and Chris helped them with tips that he received regarding Paul. By 2020, officials executed a search warrant at Paul’s new home in San Pedro. It uncovered horrific videos where he sexually assaulted women who were passed out. In 2021, they received another tip from a previous tenant in Ruben’s property about an off-limits deck area. On March 15, 2021, they discovered a freshly disturbed area at the property with stains reportedly consistent with human decomposition. When the results came back positive for human blood, Paul and Ruben were arrested on April 13, 2021. While Paul was charged with first-degree murder, Ruben was reportedly charged with accessory after the fact.
Fueled by Love and Loss, Merle and Denise Sought Answers and Reform
In April 2021, Stan and Denise filed a lawsuit against Ruben, where they accused him of removing Kristin’s remains and moving them to another location. Later, Paul’s mother, Susan, and her boyfriend, Mike McConville, were added to the suit. During the same trial with two separate juries on October 18, 2022, Paul was convicted of first-degree murder, and Ruben was found not guilty of his charge. Paul was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. During the sentencing, Denise appealed to Paul to return her daughter to her family, stating, “It’s clearly too late for us, but Paul, it isn’t too late for you to tell the truth to free your soul and your heart from the weight it must be carrying. You are, after all, a human being.” While speaking about not getting her daughter back, she said, “He’s just a soulless, a soulless creature.”
Speaking further on the matter, Denise stated, “My mission in life is to ensure that there is an enhancement for those who murder someone and harbor their body. It would help us because there would be an incentive for him to come forward and tell us where Kristin is. If they added 10 years to this sentence, it’s probable that he might give this a second thought.” Stan and Denise even worked tirelessly in the wake of the loss of their daughter to help pass the Kristin Smart Safety Bill of 1998, which requires the campus police to coordinate with local law enforcement. Remembering his daughter, Stan emotionally mentioned, “She had wonderful hugs and smiles. She was a cheerleader for our other two children.”
Although Paul is currently serving his time in prison, Stan feels, “It’s not the end.” In January 2024, the Smart family filed a lawsuit against Cal Poly, accusing the university of wrongful death, negligence, and negligent infliction of emotional distress. They alleged that the campus failed to act on several reports from female students about Paul’s alleged stalking and harassment, which could have prevented Kristin’s murder. The loss of their child still bears heavily on Stan and Denise, because they have not discovered Kristin’s remains to this day. Expressing her grief into words, Denise said, “You know, as a mother, I feel like I have a piece of her within me.” She further added, “It’s never going to go away.”
Merle and Denise Spend Their Time Surrounded by the Love of Their Family
In the early days after Kristin’s disappearance, Denise had received some advice that later helped the family move forward: to be present for one another. She and Stan have remained steadfast at each other’s sides, offering comfort, support, and an unspoken understanding. Stan’s life has been one of hard work and service long before the tragedy touched his family. He completed higher education at San Jose State University and Boston University. He began his career in 1968 as a Chemist at the Chevron Asphalt Company/Standard Oil and served there till 1972. One year later, Stan became a Teacher at Rancho Romero School before moving on in 1974 to work as a Teacher/Administrator with the US Army in Germany until 1976.
Following that, Stan took on the role of a Head Counselor at Lindhurst High School and served there till 1979. He then worked as the Principal at Marysville Joint Unified School District until 1985. He joined Vintage High School as the Principal in 1993 and moved on in 2000. Stan served in his final role as Director of Student Services/Secondary Education for Napa Valley Unified School District until 2006, before eventually retiring to focus on his personal life. In her life, Denise has always focused on her family and has a strong voice that speaks out about political issues on her social media. In May 2023, Stan and Denise received the Key to the City of Stockton, which was an honorable recognition for their pursuit of justice for their daughter for over 27 years.
During that moment, Stan and Denise also received a standing ovation, serving as an acknowledgment of their strength. Currently, both of them cherish their precious time with their children, Matthew and Lindsey, and their grandchildren. They often travel to different parts of the country to meet them and their extended circle of relatives and even friends. They seek out new experiences, whether it be traveling to Anchorage, Alaska, or even to the city of Vancouver. Amid everything, they always carry Kristin’s memory close to their heart. Their love for her remains an unshakeable presence in every family gathering and in every moment of their reflection.
Read More: Susan and Ruben Flores: Where Are Paul Flores’ Parents Now?
