Sheriff’s Office To Share Kristin Smart Murder Investigation Update After New Searches Seek To Solve 30-year Mystery

Authorities are group to stock a caller update connected a grounds hunt astatine a location connected to nan man convicted of sidesplitting 19-year-old assemblage student Kristin Smart successful 1996.

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office successful California has planned a news convention for 9am.

The agency served a hunt warrant connected Wednesday connected nan location of Susan Flores, whose son, Paul Flores, was convicted successful 2022 of sidesplitting Smart.

Authorities person not answered questions astir what prompted nan search, but scientists specializing successful quality decomposition and ungraded took samples from nan ground. Her assemblage was ne'er found.

Tim Nelligan, an master successful ungraded vapor testing, confirmed by telephone connected Thursday that he was connected nan premises, gathering samples from nan yards of Flores and a neighbor.

He said his squad has, successful general, “come up pinch a methodology to measure ungraded vapor" and its narration to “human cadaver decomposition,” but that he could not talk nan existent investigation.

Smart went missing from California Polytechnic State University successful May 1996 aft returning from an off-campus party.

Prosecutors alleged she was killed during an attempted rape and that nan past personification she was seen pinch was Paul Flores, a chap student. She was declared legally dormant successful 2002.

The decades-old lawsuit has captivated nan public, fueled successful portion by a podcaster who helped investigators by bringing guardant further witnesses.

Chris Lambert of nan “Your Own Backyard” podcast first reported nan hunt of nan location successful nan cardinal seashore municipality of Arroyo Grande, astir 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles.

Attempts to scope Susan Flores for remark connected Wednesday and Thursday were not successful. She has ne'er faced criminal charges related to nan case.

Nelligan and different scientists poked instruments into nan ungraded and pulled up agelong tubing. Soil vapor sampling, which is an evolving science, involves collecting underground state samples to observe volatile integrated compounds associated pinch quality decomposition.

Lambert, nan podcaster, said he did not cognize overmuch astir nan search, but was optimistic investigators could find Smart's body. He said past searches of Susan Flores' location person ne'er been thorough.

“This spot successful peculiar has been overlooked for rather immoderate time," he said Thursday successful beforehand of nan house.

Paul Flores and his father, Ruben Flores, were arrested successful 2021.

Prosecutors alleged Smart’s remains were buried connected Ruben Flores’ spot and later moved. He was acquitted of accessory charges. That spot is different from nan 1 presently being searched.

Paul Flores was sentenced successful March 2023 to prison, wherever he has been physically attacked astatine slightest twice. In 2024, a judge ruled that he must salary conscionable complete $350,000 to Smart's family for costs they incurred aft her death.

The family has said it would forgo restitution if Flores would show them wherever nan woman's assemblage was. Flores’ attorney, Harold Mesick, said successful 2024 that nan defense did not cognize wherever her remains are. Flores maintains his innocence.