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Investigators in California have completed a search of a residence linked to Paul Flores, the convicted murderer connected to the long-unresolved case of Kristin Smart’s disappearance. While the search did not yield her remains, authorities emphasize that the investigation continues with a focus on analyzing the evidence collected from the site.
This development comes from the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office, which announced on Saturday that detectives had finalized their search efforts at the East Branch Street home in Arroyo Grande. This location has been under scrutiny due to its association with Smart’s mysterious vanishing in 1996.
“We did not recover Kristin Smart,” the sheriff’s office conveyed in a statement. “However, detectives will thoroughly examine any evidence we have gathered to aid the ongoing investigation. Our office remains steadfast in our commitment to finding Kristin and reuniting her with her family.”
At this stage, officials have indicated that no further updates will be released.
Paul Flores has been found guilty of killing Kristin Smart, who was a college student in California at the time she disappeared over two decades ago. The case, which has captured national attention, continues to spur efforts to resolve the mystery surrounding her fate.
The development comes after authorities revealed earlier in the week that investigators had uncovered evidence suggesting possible human remains at the property, which is associated with Paul Flores’ mother, Susan Flores.
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson said during a news conference Friday that soil testing indicated compounds consistent with a decomposing human body.
“We believe that… human remains were there at one time, or still there,” Parkinson said. “We think there’s evidence to support human remains.”
Investigators with the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office can be seen searching a home connected to Kristin Smart’s disappearance. (San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office)
“I’m not going to go into the details, other than just to say with soil tests, it’s about the compounds in the soil that are related to a human, decomposing body,” he added.
The renewed search effort marked the latest development in the nearly three-decade-old case that has gripped California’s Central Coast.
Kristin Smart was a 19-year-old student at California Polytechnic State University when she disappeared in May 1996 after attending an off-campus party. Prosecutors later said Paul Flores killed her during an attempted rape in his dorm room.
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement investigators executed a search warrant at a home connected to the Kristin Smart disappearance. (San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office)
Paul Flores, now 49, was convicted of first-degree murder in 2022 and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison, but Smart’s body has never been found.
San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow previously said his office remains committed to locating Smart’s remains, adding that authorities will continue using every lawful tool available to bring answers to her family.
Despite the latest search yielding no confirmed remains, authorities say they remain committed to finding Smart and bringing her home to her family.