Investigators Find Evidence ‘consistent With Human Remains’ At Home Linked To Kristin Smart’s Killer

Investigators person uncovered grounds “consistent pinch quality remains” during a hunt astatine a California location connected to nan man convicted of sidesplitting Kristin Smart, a 19-year-old assemblage student who went missing successful 1996, authorities said Friday.

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson said that investigators are receiving “positive results” from ungraded testing conducted astatine nan Arroyo Grande spot connected East Branch Street. But he emphasized that investigators person not recovered Smart’s remains.

Earlier this week, nan San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office served a caller hunt warrant astatine Susan Flores’ home, saying nan cognition was tied to nan disappearance of nan Polytechnic State University student. Flores’ son, Paul Flores, was convicted successful 2022 of sidesplitting Smart.

“We judge that based connected what we’re looking astatine grounds wise, technological evidence, that quality remains were location astatine 1 clip aliases still there,” Parkinson said. “So we can’t telephone it Kristen, but you know, we deliberation there’s grounds to support quality remains. We person not recovered Kirstin yet, but nan hunt goes on.”

According to investigators, ungraded study indicates that “human remains” were coming connected nan spot astatine immoderate point, though authorities cannot corroborate whether nan grounds is connected to Smart.

“I’m not going to spell into nan details, different than conscionable to opportunity pinch ungraded tests, it’s astir nan compounds successful nan ungraded that are related to a human, decomposing body,” he added.

Authorities said nan latest hunt was prompted by recently developed investigative leads and grounds that met nan ineligible period for different warrant astir 30 years aft Smart disappeared.

“The detectives obtained a hunt warrant based connected investigative leads and grounds to return to nan Branch Street reside of Susan Flores,” Parkinson said.

He noted nan spot had been searched doubly earlier without success, but said advances successful exertion are helping investigators revisit aged grounds successful caller ways. Authorities are again utilizing ground-penetrating radar astatine nan site.

“The GPR from 30 years agone is not nan GPR today,” Parkinson said. “It’s come, arsenic you imagine, for illustration everything advances, compartment phones aliases computers, truthful does nan science.”

When asked whether investigators had identified caller anomalies during nan search, Parkinson replied: “Yes. And we’re focused connected those and identifying what they are.”

“We made nan statement internally that we are not leaving that location until we are judge that we person checked everything,” he added.

Smart vanished connected May 25, 1996, aft attending an off-campus statement adjacent nan Cal Poly field successful San Luis Obispo. Paul Flores, who was believed to beryllium nan past personification seen stepping pinch her, was convicted of first-degree execution successful 2022 contempt Smart’s assemblage ne'er being found.

Prosecutors alleged Ruben Flores helped conceal Smart’s assemblage beneath nan platform of his Arroyo Grande location earlier nan remains were later moved. He was acquitted of accessory charges.

Parkinson said Friday investigators still judge Smart’s remains whitethorn person been relocated aggregate times complete nan years.

“Kristin has been moved, and we don’t cognize really galore times she’s been moved into wherever she’s moved,” he said.

The lawsuit gained renewed nationalist attraction done Chris Lambert and his podcast Your Own Backyard, which uncovered caller witnesses and inconsistencies successful nan Flores family’s accounts.

The hunt astatine nan spot will proceed done nan weekend, but Parkinson cautioned against drafting conclusions earlier nan investigation is complete.

“It’s not what we believe,” Parkinson said. “It’s what we tin prove.”