Nearly three decades after Kristin Smart disappeared, investigators served a search warrant at the home of Paul Flores' mother, Susan Flores, in Arroyo Grande, California. The search follows the detection of volatile organic compounds linked to decomposing human remains in the area. Paul Flores, convicted in 2022 of murdering Smart in 1996, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison, but her remains have never been found.
Investigators used soil vapor sampling in 2023 to detect the compounds, prompting the latest search. The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the warrant was signed by a Superior Court judge and that the search would last two days. Sheriff Ian Parkinson and experts in ground-penetrating radar and soil science were present.
Kristin Smart, 19, vanished after a Memorial Day weekend party at Cal State San Luis Obispo. Prosecutors alleged she was killed during an attempted rape, with Flores being the last person seen with her. Ruben Flores, Paul’s father, was acquitted of accessory charges after prosecutors claimed Smart’s remains were buried on his property and later moved. The property searched Wednesday is different from Ruben Flores’ home.
Paul Flores has been attacked twice in prison and was ordered to pay over $350,000 to Smart’s family in 2024 for their incurred costs. The Sheriff’s Office stated it remains committed to bringing Smart home to her family.