Kristin Smart’s remains not found at house belonging to killer’s mother following search 30 years after her death

ARROYO GRANDE, Calif. — Authorities did not find the remains of Kristin Smart, a 19-year-old college student who went missing in 1996, officials said Saturday after finishing a search of a home tied to the man convicted of killing her.

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office said it completed a search of Susan Flores’ property in the Central Coast town of Arroyo Grande, more than 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Paul Flores, her son, was convicted in 2022 of killing Smart, whose body has never been found.

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The San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Office conducting a search on Susan Flores’ property in Arroyo Grande on May 8, 2026.Andy Johnstone for CA Post

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Authorities didn’t find the remains of Kirstin Smart at Flores’ house.AP

Authorities declined to provide additional information. Authorities said this week that evidence suggested human remains were present at the home and scientists specializing in human decomposition and soil took samples from the ground.

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Authorities claimed last week that evidence suggested human remains were present at the house.Andy Johnstone for CA Post

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A San Luis Obispo Sheriff officer uses a Ground Penetrating Radar to scan the property.San Luis Obispo County Sheriff
“The Sheriff’s Office remains fully committed to finding Kristin and bringing her home to her family,” the agency said in a statement.

Smart went missing from California Polytechnic State University in May 1996. Prosecutors alleged that she was killed during an attempted rape and that the last person she was seen with was Paul Flores, a fellow student. She was declared legally dead in 2002.

Flores was convicted in October 2022 of Smart’s murder and sentenced the following year to 25 years to life.

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Authorities taking soil samples form the yard of a neighboring home on May 7, 2026.AP

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Paul Flores was convicted of killing Smart in 2022.AP

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The decades-old case has captivated the public, fueled in part by a podcaster who helped investigators by bringing forward additional witnesses. Chris Lambert of the “Your Own Backyard” podcast first reported the search of the home.