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After discovering a body during a large-scale weekend search, San Luis Obispo Police Department investigators said they are treating the disappearance of a 26-year-old SLO woman as a homicide case.
Investigators announced that they found the body of an unidentified female in a creek during a search of Prefumo Canyon on March 25. The search was conducted in connection with the case of Kristen Marti, who was reported missing on Jan. 18. In a March 26 statement, the SLOPD did not confirm whether the body was Marti's.
"An autopsy will be performed to determine the identity of this person as well as the cause of death," the statement said. "Based on the circumstances surrounding this investigation, it is being investigated as a homicide at this time."
According to investigators, Marti was last seen on Jan. 9 in the 1800 block of Prefumo Canyon Road. According to the SLOPD, Marti was spotted in a parked maroon-colored sedan with a male of unknown age.
Police also said they identified a male who was believed to be the last person to see Marti before her disappearance, calling him a "person of interest." They did not release the individual's identity due to the ongoing investigation.
The March 25 search of Prefumo Canyon consisted of 45 volunteers and six K-9 search teams. Participating agencies included the SLOPD and the SLO County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Team, among others.
Anyone with information on Marti's disappearance is encouraged to contact the SLOPD at (805) 781-7311 or Crime Stoppers at (805) 549-STOP. Δ