SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.—Investigators digging for the remains of a California college student who vanished 20 years ago uncovered items that were being examined Thursday to see if they were related to her disappearance.
Officials didn’t reveal what they found at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where 19-year-old Kristin Smart was seen returning to her dormitory from an off-campus party on May 25, 1996.
A male student who said he dropped off Smart near her dorm is considered a person of interest, but he has never been arrested or charged, authorities say.
Smart’s parents, Stan and Denise Smart of Stockton, told The Tribune of San Luis Obispo on Wednesday that they were encouraged by the developments, despite previous fruitless searches over the years.
“We are mindful that with or without the hoped-for results from this week’s efforts, we are now on a path that will bring our family peace and comfort,” they wrote in an email.
