New evidence points to human remains at home linked to Kristin Smart's murder

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OAKLAND, Calif. - A Southern California sheriff on Friday announced evidence suggests human remains were present at a property connected to a man convicted of killing 19-year-old college student Kristin Smart, who went missing in 1996.

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson could not confirm whether the remains are those of Smart, whose body has never been found. He also declined to state whether authorities plan to seek a warrant to start digging on the property, which belongs to the mother of Paul Flores, who was convicted in 2022 of killing Smart.

Ongoing search

Local perspective:

Sheriff’s deputies on Wednesday served a search warrant at the home, located in Arroyo Grande, northwest of Los Angeles. Authorities have declined to say what prompted the search, but scientists specializing in human decomposition and soil reportedly took samples of the ground.

"We believe that based on what we’re looking at evidence-wise — scientific evidence — that a human’s remains were there at one time — or are still there," Parkinson said during a press conference. "We can’t call it Kristin, but there’s evidence to support human remains."

Smart went missing from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in May 1996, after returning from an off-campus party. Prosecutors later alleged that the last person she was seen with was Paul Flores, and she was killed during an attempted rape. She was declared legally dead in 2002.

Family of Kristin Smart sues university

The family of a California college student who vanished nearly three decades ago sued the school on Thursday, alleging it caused Kristin Smart?s murder through negligence.

"We remain hopeful that this current search will be successful and look forward to the outcome. Our family greatly appreciates the efforts, dedication, and commitment of Sheriff Ian Parkinson, Detective Clint Cole, the San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Department, and the technical experts assisting with the execution of this search," the Smart family said in a press release.

Susan Flores is barred from returning to the property until the search has concluded. Parkinson said it’s unclear how long the investigation will need access to the property.

"We are not leaving that house until we’re sure we’ve checked everything," Parkinson said. 

In addition to conducting soil tests, the investigators are using ground-penetrating radar, which can detect anomalies in the ground. Ground-penetrating radar had been used in a previous search, in 1996, but advances in the technology have helped yield new results.

Suspicions and sentences

The backstory:

Paul Flores and his father, Ruben Flores, were arrested in 2021. Ruben was later acquitted of accessory charges.

Prosecutors alleged Smart’s remains were buried on Ruben Flores’ property before being relocated. That property is different from the one currently being searched.

Paul Flores was sentenced in March 2023 to prison. A judge ruled the following year that he must pay more than $350,000 to Smart's family for costs they incurred after her death.

The Smart family has said it would forego the restitution in exchange for Flores revealing the location of Kristin Smart’s body. Flores has maintained his innocence. His attorney, Harold Mesick, had previously stated the defense did not know where her remains are.