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ARROYO GRANDE, Calif. — In a recent development regarding the long-standing case of Kristin Smart, authorities have provided updates on their latest search efforts at a property linked to Paul Flores, the man found guilty of her 1996 murder. Despite his conviction, Smart’s remains have yet to be discovered.
This week, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the residence of Susan Flores, Paul’s mother. While officials remain tight-lipped about the reasons for the search, they enlisted experts in human decomposition and soil analysis to collect ground samples from the site.
Tim Nelligan, a specialist in soil vapor analysis, confirmed via phone on Thursday that he was actively involved in collecting samples from the properties of both Flores and an adjacent neighbor. He explained that his team has developed techniques to evaluate soil vapors that may indicate human decomposition, though he refrained from discussing specifics related to the current case.
Kristin Smart vanished in May 1996 from California Polytechnic State University after attending a party off-campus. Prosecutors argued that she was murdered during an attempted sexual assault, with Paul Flores, the last person reportedly seen with her, as the perpetrator. She was officially declared deceased in 2002.
The case, which has spanned decades, continues to grip public attention, partly due to contributions from a podcast that brought new witnesses to light. Chris Lambert, the creator of “Your Own Backyard,” was the first to report on the recent search activity in Arroyo Grande, a community located roughly 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles.
Attempts to reach Susan Flores for comment Wednesday and Thursday were not successful. She has never faced criminal charges related to the case.
Nelligan and other scientists poked instruments into the soil and pulled up long tubing. Soil vapor sampling, which is an evolving science, involves collecting underground gas samples to detect volatile organic compounds associated with human decomposition.
Lambert, the podcaster, said he did not know much about the search, but was optimistic investigators could locate Smart’s body. He said past searches of Susan Flores’ home have never been thorough.
“This property in particular has been overlooked for quite some time,” he said Thursday in front of the house.
Paul Flores and his father, Ruben Flores, were arrested in 2021.
Prosecutors alleged Smart’s remains were buried on Ruben Flores’ property and later moved. He was acquitted of accessory charges. That property is different from the one currently being searched.
Paul Flores was sentenced in March 2023 to prison, where he has been physically attacked at least twice. In 2024, a judge ruled that he must pay just over $350,000 to Smart’s family for costs they incurred after her death.
The family has said it would forgo restitution if Flores would tell them where the woman’s body was. Flores’ attorney, Harold Mesick, said in 2024 that the defense did not know where her remains are. Flores maintains his innocence.