By Ian Parkinson

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff

From time to time, cases investigated by our Sheriff’s Office draw attention well beyond the borders of our county. National media outlets, television documentaries, podcasts, and news programs shine a spotlight on our work, often revisiting cases years or even decades after the crimes occurred. While the headlines may come and go, the responsibility behind those stories remains the same: thorough investigations, accountability, and a commitment to victims and their families.

There is no question that one investigation in particular brought an unprecedented spotlight to our community. The disappearance of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart. Kristin vanished after a party in 1996, and for decades her family waited for answers, never giving up hope that the truth would one day come out. In 2022, her classmate Paul Flores was convicted of her murder and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. While that conviction brought a measure of justice, the Smart family continues their search for Kristin’s remains. Their perseverance is something I will never forget.

The lead detective on that case was Clint Cole. After the conviction, Clint found himself doing interview after interview with major national news organizations, explaining the painstaking work that finally led to accountability after more than 25 years. For most detectives, that would be a career-defining moment. It was for Clint. But it turned out to be just one chapter.

Now, Clint is back in the spotlight again — not for one case, but two — and the media buzz has started all over.

One of those cases involves the 2018 murder of Nancy Woodrum in rural Paso Robles. On May 5 of that year, Nancy went missing from her home, prompting an extensive six-month missing persons investigation by the Sheriff’s Office. In November 2018, a suspect, Carlo Fuentes Flores, was identified and brought in for questioning. He had been hired to paint Nancy’s deck in the weeks leading up to her disappearance. After a lengthy interview, he confessed and led investigators to Nancy’s remains in a secluded area off Highway 58 in the rural eastern part of the county. Clint was one of the lead investigators on that case as well.

This year renewed national interest in the Woodrum case has put Clint back on camera. In June, he was interviewed by the television show “Forensic Factor” on the Investigation Discovery Channel. In August, CBS Documentaries interviewed him for a program set to air in 2026. Also in 2026, NBC’s “Dateline” and ABC News’ “20/20” will each feature interviews with Clint focused on the Woodrum investigation. That’s a lot of airtime — but it’s also a reflection of the thorough, methodical work that went into solving a difficult and heartbreaking case.

The other case Clint has been working on is even older — and just as haunting.

In 1980, two kindergarten-aged girls, Teresa Flores and Martha Mezo, went missing from San Miguel in broad daylight. Their naked bodies were later discovered near Camp Roberts. Both girls had been strangled, and one was sexually assaulted. Despite years of investigation, no one was ever charged.

In November, the popular podcast “Crime Junkie” revisited the unsolved murders and interviewed — you guessed it — Clint Cole. That episode generated several new leads, breathing fresh life into a case that is nearly 50 years old.

After the Kristin Smart trial, Clint retired. But retirement didn’t last long. He came back out of retirement for two reasons: to try and find Kristin’s remains and give the Smart family some closure. And to try and solve the Mezo-Flores case and bring answers to families who have waited far too long.

Clint is, without question, a superstar in our department. His dedication, experience, and refusal to give up are inspiring. But I also like to think Clint represents something bigger. Every day, our detectives work quietly and relentlessly, often without cameras or headlines, doing everything they can to seek justice for victims and their families.

And that’s news worth sharing.