San Luis Obispo County

STOCKTON, Calif. - There may be a break coming in the unsolved Kristin Smart case from 1996.

Denise Smart, the mother of the Cal Poly student who disappeared 23 years ago, told the Stockton Record that the FBI told her to "be ready" and that she may want to get away for a while.

Kristin Smart was 19 years old when she went missing during her freshman year at Cal Poly University.

Smart had attended an off-campus house party and disappeared after being walked back to her Santa Lucia residence hall by Paul Flores and two other students. Smart's case has remained unsolved ever since.

A podcast hosted by Chris Lambert from Orcutt, titled "Your Own Backyard," follows Lambert's own investigation into the case and sparked renewed interest throughout the community. A billboard was erected in Arroyo Grande spreading awareness of her disappearance as well.

The public information officer for the San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Office reported that they do not comment on active investigations.

We have not received any more details or comments from the Smart family.