SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (AP) — Law enforcement officials executed a search warrant Wednesday at a residence linked to the individual found guilty of murdering 19-year-old California Polytechnic State University student Kristin Smart nearly three decades ago.
Smart’s body has never been recovered, leading to her being legally declared deceased in 2002. Paul Flores received a conviction for her murder and was handed a sentence of 25 years to life behind bars.
According to a statement from the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office, the search conducted in Arroyo Grande on California’s central coast is part of the continuing investigation into Smart’s vanishing. Public records and podcast reporting indicate the residence belongs to Susan Flores, Paul Flores’ mother.
“The Sheriff’s Office remains committed to bringing Kristin home to her family,” officials stated. “No further information is available.”
The “Your Own Backyard” podcast, which played a crucial role in helping investigators solve the case by encouraging additional witnesses to come forward, broke the news of Wednesday’s search and confirmed the home’s ownership. Efforts to contact Susan Flores for a response were unsuccessful.
Smart vanished from California Polytechnic State University in May 1996. Legal authorities contended she died during an attempted sexual assault and that Flores, a fellow student, was the final person observed with her.
Both Flores and his father, Ruben Flores, faced arrest in 2021.
Prosecutors claimed Smart’s body was initially interred on Ruben Flores’ land before being relocated elsewhere. He was cleared of accessory charges. The property searched Wednesday differs from that location.
Paul Flores received his prison sentence in March 2023, where he has suffered physical assaults on multiple occasions.
A court ruling in 2024 ordered Paul Flores to compensate Smart’s family with more than $350,000 for expenses related to her death.
The family has indicated they would waive financial compensation if Flores revealed the location of Kristin’s remains. Defense attorney Harold Mesick stated in 2024 that the legal team has no knowledge of where her body lies. Flores continues to deny guilt.
