Murdered woman’s remains not found in search of California home, authorities say

Authorities have not found the remains of Kristin Smart, a 19-year-old college student who went missing in 1996, officials said Saturday after completing a search of a home linked 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 city 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.

Authorities declined to provide additional information.

Authorities said this week that there was evidence that human remains were present in the house and that scientists specializing in human decomposition and soil were taking samples from the ground.

“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 of Smart’s murder in October 2022 and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison the following year.

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.