'Moment of speechlessness': Brother of Kristin Smart talks new developments in sister's disappearance

WALTER: 19-YEAR-OLD STOCKTON NATIVE KRISTIN SMART DISAPPEARED ONE NIGHT, AS SHE HEADED BACK TO HER DORM ROOM FOLLOWING AN OFF-CAMPUS PARTY IN MAY OF 1996. SMART, WHO ATTENDED CAL POLY UNIVERSITY, WAS DECLARED LEGALLY DEAD IN 2002 KRISTIN’S YOUNGER BROTHER MATT SAYS EVERY MEMORY OF HER, HOLDS -- SAYS EVERY MEMORY OF HER HOLDS A SPECIAL PLACE IN HIS HEART. >> THE TYPICAL THINGS THAT DEFINE FAMILY THAT YOU HOLD SO DEARLY ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU MOST IMITMATELY MISS, THE MOMENT YOU REALIZE THAT PERSON’S GONE. WALTER: 25 YEARS LATER, A PODCAST ON THE CENTRAL COAST HAS ATTRACTED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE TO THE UNSOLVED CASE, WHICH HAS LED TO NEW INFORMATION AND NEW TIPS. >> IT’S REALLY SHIFTED IT FROM ONSOLVED TO ONGOING, AND THE ERA OF BEING LOST AT SEA AND WONDERING WHERE LAND IS ON THE HORIZON TANGIBLY MIGHT BE THERE. WALTER: TWO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN THE CASE, INCLUDING THE BOY SHE WAS LAST SEEN WITH AND HIS 80-YEAR-OLD FATHER FOR ACCESSORY TO MURDER. MATT TRIED TO PUT INTO WORDS WHAT IT FELT LIKE TO GET THAT PHONE CALL. >> A MOMENT YOU’VE WAITED NINE THOUSAND SUNRISES AND SUNSETS FOR. IS IT A MOMENT OF EUPHORIA. IS IT MOMENT OF ELATION. -- IS IT A MOMENT OF EUPHORIA? IS IT A MOMENT OF ELATION? IT’S REALLY A MOMENT OF SPEECHLESSNESS. THERE’S NO FEELING LIKE IT TO GET THAT PHONE CALL, TO HEAR THAT NEWS. WALTER: KRISTIN’S BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED. MATT SAYS, AT THIS POINT, THEIR HOPE IS TO ONE DAY SOON, BRING HER HOME. IN THE MEANTIME, WHILE THEY’VE RECEIVED SO MUCH SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY OVER THE YEARS, ONE BURNING QUESTION REMAINED. >> HOW ARE WE GOING TO HONOR THE LEGACY AND MEMORY OF THIS LOST FAMILY MEMBER? HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THAT JUSTICE? WALTER: WALTER MAKAULA, KCRA 3 NEWS. EDIE: WHILE THE SUSPECTS ARE NOW BEING PROSECUTED, THE FAMILY HAS FIGURED OUT HOW TO HONOR KRISTIN AND GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AT THE SAME TIME. THEY’VE CREATED A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM TO HELP YOUNG WOMEN IN THE

After 25 years, two people were charged in April with the murder of Kristin Smart. The 19-year-old Stockton native disappeared one night as she was headed back to her dorm room following an off-campus party in May of 1996.Smart, who attended Cal Poly University at the time was declared legally dead in 2002.Her younger brother Matt said every memory of her holds a special place in his heart. "The typical things that define family that you hold so dearly are the things that you most intimately miss the moment you realize that person's gone," Matt Smart said. Twenty-five years later, a podcast on the Central Coast attracted millions of people to the unsolved case which has lead to new information and new tips. "It's really shifted it from 'unsolved' to 'ongoing' and the era of being lost at sea and wondering where land is on the horizon, tangibly might be there," Matt said. Two people have been arrested in the case, which include Paul Flores, the then boy she was last seen with, and his now 80-year-old father, Ruben Flores, for accessory to murder. Matt tried to put into words what it felt like to get that phone call. "A moment you've waited 9,000 plus sunrises and sunsets for. Is it a moment of euphoria? Is it a moment of elation? It's really a moment of speechlessness," Matt said. "There's no feeling like it to get that phone call to hear that news." Kristin's body was never recovered. Matt said at this point, their hope is to one day bring her home.In the meantime, while they've received so much support from the community over the years, they want to honor her legacy and also help other young women in the community by offering them scholarships. Eligibility details and how to apply can be found here.

Smart, who attended Cal Poly University at the time was declared legally dead in 2002.

Her younger brother Matt said every memory of her holds a special place in his heart.

"The typical things that define family that you hold so dearly are the things that you most intimately miss the moment you realize that person's gone," Matt Smart said.

Twenty-five years later, a podcast on the Central Coast attracted millions of people to the unsolved case which has lead to new information and new tips.

"It's really shifted it from 'unsolved' to 'ongoing' and the era of being lost at sea and wondering where land is on the horizon, tangibly might be there," Matt said.

Two people have been arrested in the case, which include Paul Flores, the then boy she was last seen with, and his now 80-year-old father, Ruben Flores, for accessory to murder.

Matt tried to put into words what it felt like to get that phone call.

"A moment you've waited 9,000 plus sunrises and sunsets for. Is it a moment of euphoria? Is it a moment of elation? It's really a moment of speechlessness," Matt said. "There's no feeling like it to get that phone call to hear that news."

Kristin's body was never recovered. Matt said at this point, their hope is to one day bring her home.

In the meantime, while they've received so much support from the community over the years, they want to honor her legacy and also help other young women in the community by offering them scholarships.

Eligibility details and how to apply can be found here.

'Moment of speechlessness': Brother of Kristin Smart talks new developments in sister's disappearance

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