The case of a 19-year-old college student who vanished three decades ago has taken a somber turn as authorities searched the California residence linked to her murderer.

Paul Flores is serving a 25-year sentence for the killing of Kristin Smart. Despite his conviction, the whereabouts of Smart’s remains continue to elude investigators.

On Wednesday, police executed a search warrant at a property in Arroyo Grande, currently home to Flores’ mother, Susan.

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office led the operation, expressing their dedication to reuniting Kristin with her family. They stated, “We remain committed to bringing Kristin home to her family. No further information is available at this time.”

The search operation was initially reported by the “Your Own Backyard” podcast, which has been instrumental in providing investigators with new witness testimonies to aid in locating Smart’s remains.

She went missing from California Polytechnic State University in 1996. She was declared legally dead in 2002.

Prosecutors alleged she was killed during an attempted rape and that the last person she was seen with was Flores, a fellow student.

Both Flores and his father Ruben were arrested in 2021, with prosecutors alleging that her body was buried on Ruben’s property before being moved. 

Kristin Smart vanished in 1996 and her remains have never been found after she went missing from California Polytechnic State University

Authorities are seen here conducting a search of the garage of the property on Wednesday 

Both Flores and his father Ruben were arrested in 2021, with prosecutors alleging that her body was buried on Ruben’s property before being moved

Ruben was acquitted of accessory charges and the property searched on Wednesday is different from the one he lived in at the time of her disappearance. 

According to The Los Angeles Times, the search came about after scientists found volatile organic compounds in the soil in her neighbors’ backyard three years ago. 

That find, the outlet reported, could be an indication that there is decomposing human remains nearby. 

Podcaster Chris Lambert, who runs ‘Your Own Backyard’, was outside the home as the authorities carried out their search. 

He told The Tribune: ‘The Flores family owned this house at the time that Kristin went missing, and it was never very thoroughly searched.

‘It’s definitely overlooked. Ruben’s property was the one searched in 2021, which led to the trials.  

‘I would assume what they’re doing here is the same thing they did here, which is scanning the ground to look for anomalies underneath, where soil may have been disturbed, dug up, replaced or anything.

‘The clothing she was wearing that night was never found. The clothing that Paul wore that night was never recovered. And so those things could be here as well.’

Paul Flores is seen here in a 2006 file photo 

Flores said he walked Smart home from a party on the night she was last seen alive before parting ways

Investigators long said that Flores was the last person to see Smart alive, he told police he walked her home from the party before they parted ways.  

She was reported missing two days later by a friend but a search didn’t begin until days later due to the miscommunication between authorities.

During the investigation, four different search dogs trained to pick up the smell of human remains led police to Flores’ dorm room. No evidence was found in his room.

He had a black eye when investigators interviewed him. He told them he got it playing basketball with friends, who denied his account. 

He later changed his story to say he bumped his head while working on his car, according to court records.

The jury heard evidence that a grave was located beneath the deck of the home of Ruben, believed to have previously held Smart’s body. 

Prosecutors alleged she was killed during an attempted rape and that the last person she was seen with was Flores

Additionally, the jury heard from two women that, in the years following the murder of Smart, Flores drugged them and engaged in sex acts with them against their will and while they were so intoxicated that they were incapable of giving legal consent. 

Flores was unanimously found guilty of Smart’s first degree murder. 

In 2024, a judge ruled that Paul Flores 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 Smart’s body was. 

Flores’ attorney, Harold Mesick, said in 2024 that the defense did not know where her remains are. Flores maintains his innocence.

The county district attorney’s office said it was helping the sheriff’s office with the investigation.

District Attorney Dan Dow said: ‘While those responsible for Kristin’s death – and those with knowledge of her whereabouts – could provide answers at any time, we remain firmly committed to using every lawful tool available to locate Kristin’s remains and to support her family until she is brought home.’

A man suspected of burglary is now under arrest and facing multiple charges after he crashed his SUV amid a police chase in Oregon, as reported by officials.

Deputies from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office responded to a burglary alert on the 17000 block of Southeast River Road around 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

A concerned resident contacted 911 after reviewing security footage that showed a man entering their garage and making off with several items, according to the deputies.

Upon arriving at the scene, deputies were provided with images of the suspect and informed that he was driving a white Ford Explorer.

The burglary suspect was apprehended following the crash of his SUV during the pursuit in Oregon, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies later identified the suspect as Scotty Nicholas Oldfield. His vehicle was spotted by a deputy on Southeast Roethe Road before he sped off past the deputy.

Deputies began pursuing the vehicle and attempted to stop Oldfield. 

Oldfield eventually crashed into another occupied vehicle near Southeast Oatfield Road and Southeast Park Avenue and rolled the SUV he was driving before hitting an unoccupied parked vehicle.

The suspect was identified as Scotty Nicholas Oldfield. (Daniel Wagner via KPTV)

The driver of the other occupied vehicle declined medical treatment at the scene. 

Oldfield was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital to be treated for serious injuries.

When deputies searched Oldfield’s vehicle, they located suspected stolen items.

Oldfield was charged with several crimes, including second-degree burglary, first-degree theft, attempting to elude a police officer, reckless driving, reckless endangerment, DUII, identity theft, driving while suspended or revoked, third-degree assault (DUII) and criminal mischief.

A 911 caller had reported observing a man enter their garage and steal various items after reviewing home security footage. (Daniel Wagner via KPTV)

Investigators later learned that Oldfield had multiple outstanding warrants out of Oregon and Washington state for charges such as failure to appear, DUII, driving while suspended, false information, identity theft, assault, reckless endangerment, robbery, malicious mischief and criminal trespass.

Investigators believe Oldfield may have targeted additional victims. Anyone with information about Oldfield’s criminal activity is urged to contact the sheriff’s office.

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