Since Cal Poly student Kristin Smart disappeared nearly 24 years ago, people throughout the community have volunteered their time to help bring awareness to the case.
After new developments were announced Wednesday morning, they say they have more hope than ever that the Smart family will have justice.
"I really feel like this might be the year we bring her home," said Jennifer Hemphill-Logsdon, an advocate with Warriors for Kristin.
On Wednesday, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office served four search warrants at the homes of Paul Flores and his family members. Smart disappeared on her way back to her dorm after an off-campus party in May 1996. Flores was one of the last people to see her and has been called a "person-of-interest" in the case.
Sandee Hunt-Burns, a social media manager for the Facebook and Instagram page "Find Kristin Smart," says increased interest in the case has been reflected in the number of group members on Facebook.
"The growth has been exponential. On Facebook alone, we've doubled in just a few weeks," she said.
The group has more than 22,000 members as of Wednesday afternoon and there were more than a thousand comments on posts regarding the warrants served Wednesday morning.
Another local advocate for the Smart family is Agnes Marie Inman. She works with the Kristin Smart Foundation and says at two recent vigils hosted in Smart's honor, there were more than 400 people in attendance.
"They were completely different groups of people, so its definitely growing," said Inman of the support for Smart's case.
