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Investigators in California found evidence of possible human remains at a home connected to the man convicted of killing Kristin Smart, according to officials.
In an earlier Facebook post, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office said investigators executed a search warrant at a property on the 500 block of East Branch Street in Arroyo Grande on Wednesday, which is related to Smart’s disappearance and her convicted killer, Paul Flores. His mother, Susan Flores, occupies the home, according to public records and a podcast that first broke news about the search.
“The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an additional investigation into the property in the 500 block of East Branch Street in Arroyo Grande. This investigation is related to the Kristin Smart disappearance. This activity is the result of a search warrant signed by a Superior Court judge,” the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a Facebook post. “The Sheriff’s Office remains committed to bringing Kristin home to her family.”
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson said during a news conference on Friday that investigators believe human remains were at the residence at one point, and could still be there.
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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)
“We believe that…human remains were there at one time, or still there,” Parkinson said. “We think there’s evidence to support human remains.”
“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,” Parkinson said.
However, Parkinson said Smart’s remains have not been recovered.
“I think it’s safe to say that we have not recovered Kristin yet,” he said.
Paul Flores, 49, was convicted of murdering Smart and received a 25-year-to-life sentence following a three-month trial in October 2022.
Smart was a 19-year-old student at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) when Flores killed her during an attempted rape at his dorm room, prosecutors said. Her body was left at an unknown location, leading investigators to continue searching. She first went missing in May 1996.
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San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow said in a statement that his office is also committed to finding Smart’s remains.
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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)
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a house connected to the disappearance of Kristin Smart. (San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office)
“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,” Dow said.
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A judge ruled in 2024 that Paul Flores must pay more than $350,000 to Smart’s family for expenses after their daughter’s death.
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Paul Flores was convicted in October for the 1996 killing of Kristin Smart, a California college student who disappeared.
The Smart family said it would stop pursuing the restitution payment if Flores revealed where their daughter’s body was discarded, but Flores’ attorney claimed that the convicted murderer doesn’t know where the remains are.
Susan Flores could not be reached for comment.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.