Search of property linked to Kristin Smart’s 1996 disappearance finds evidence of possible human remains, sheriff says
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- Authorities investigating the 1996 disappearance of Kristin Smart have found soil test evidence suggesting human remains may have been or still are on a property linked to the case, according to San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson.
- The search is focused on the Arroyo Grande home of Susan Flores, mother of Paul Flores, who was convicted of Smart’s murder in 2021, although Kristin Smart’s remains have not yet been recovered.
- Investigators have used ground-penetrating radar and collected soil samples during a multi-day search, with Sheriff Parkinson emphasizing the search will continue until all evidence is exhausted.
- Susan Flores remains a person of interest but has not been charged with any crime; authorities are methodically pursuing all leads to locate Smart’s remains and bring closure to the case.
- Kristin Smart vanished in 1996 while a student at California Polytechnic State University and was declared legally dead in 2002; her body has never been found despite previous searches and trial evidence.
