Nearly three decades after the disappearance of Kristin Smart, a 19-year-old college student whose case has haunted California’s Central Coast, investigators have uncovered what they describe as “positive results” in the search for her remains. The renewed search, which began in early May 2026 at the Arroyo Grande home of Susan Flores—the mother of convicted killer Paul Flores—has brought a surge of hope, frustration, and reflection to a community that’s waited far too long for answers.
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson confirmed at a Friday news conference that soil testing at the East Branch Street property yielded results “consistent with human remains presence.” While the sheriff was careful to emphasize that Kristin Smart herself has not yet been recovered, the findings mark a significant development in a case that has seen countless twists, dead ends, and heartbreaks since Smart vanished on May 25, 1996.
“I would say yes, they’re fruitful, we’re getting some positive results,” Parkinson told reporters, according to The Los Angeles Times. But he was quick to temper expectations: “I think it’s safe to say that we have not recovered Kristin yet.” The search, he stressed, will continue “until we can walk away, either finding Kristin or all the evidence we can find and moving to the next step.”
This latest operation was prompted by newly developed leads and evidence that met the legal threshold for a search warrant—nearly 30 years after Smart’s disappearance. The property has long been linked to the investigation, but this is the first time excavations have been carried out in the backyard, thanks to advances in forensic technology. “The GPR from 30 years ago is not the GPR today,” Parkinson explained, referencing the ground-penetrating radar now being used alongside sophisticated soil analysis designed to detect compounds associated with human decomposition.
Authorities are also employing experts in human decomposition and forensic soil science, some of whom have been involved in the case for years. According to The Los Angeles Times, soil engineer Tim Neiligan and other scientists have previously conducted soil vapor sampling in the neighborhood, detecting volatile organic compounds possibly linked to decomposing human remains. The technology has only improved since then, offering investigators new hope that long-buried secrets might finally be unearthed.
The search at Susan Flores’ home is both a continuation and a culmination of decades of investigative work. Kristin Smart, a Stockton native and freshman at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), disappeared after attending an off-campus party near the San Luis Obispo campus. Paul Flores, who was also a student at Cal Poly at the time, was the last person seen with Smart as they walked back toward campus. Prosecutors later alleged that he killed Smart during an attempted rape in his dorm room.
Despite the absence of Smart’s body, Paul Flores was convicted of first-degree murder in 2022, following a closely watched trial that had to be moved out of San Luis Obispo County due to extensive publicity. He was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison but continues to maintain his innocence and is appealing the sentence. His father, Ruben Flores, was charged with helping conceal Smart’s body for years but was acquitted of being an accessory after the fact.
Throughout the investigation, authorities have chased leads that suggested Smart’s remains had been moved multiple times. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that cadaver dogs alerted to Paul Flores’ dorm room shortly after Smart disappeared. Investigators also testified about a six-foot-by-four-foot anomaly beneath a deck at Ruben Flores’ Arroyo Grande home, where soil samples tested positive for human blood. However, no remains were ever recovered, and authorities now believe the body may have been relocated more than once.
“Kristin has been moved, and we don’t know how many times she’s been moved, where she’s moved,” Sheriff Parkinson said, as reported by KEYT. The sheriff also confirmed that new anomalies have been discovered through ground-penetrating radar at Susan Flores’ property. “Yes,” he said when asked directly, “and we’re focused on those and identifying what they are.”
The search has not just been a matter of technology and toil—it’s also a deeply personal journey for those involved. The Smart family released a statement on May 8, 2026, expressing cautious optimism and gratitude: “We remain hopeful that this current search will be successful and look forward to the outcome. Our family greatly appreciates the efforts, dedication, and commitment of Sheriff Ian Parkinson, Detective Clint Cole, the San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Department, and the technical experts assisting with the execution of this search. Finally, we continue to feel the tremendous support of the local community and all the people far beyond the Central Coast who provide us with great strength to continue this journey to bring Kristin home.”
The community’s support is visible in many ways, from billboards near Cal Poly urging “Help bring her home” to the steady stream of volunteers, journalists, and podcasters who have kept the case in the public eye. Chris Lambert’s podcast, “Your Own Backyard,” reignited interest in the cold case by uncovering new witnesses and inconsistencies in the Flores family’s accounts. His reporting also brought to light chilling details, such as a former tenant at Susan Flores’ property who found a turquoise earring months after Smart disappeared and reported hearing a digital watch alarm beeping at 4:20 a.m.—the same time Kristin’s watch alarm was set for her early morning lifeguard shift. No watch was ever found, and the earring, reportedly collected by investigators, was never booked into evidence.
Susan Flores remains a person of interest in the case, though authorities say they have no lawful reason to detain her at this time. Sheriff Parkinson noted that, as with Paul’s father Ruben, Susan could face prosecution as an accessory if evidence emerges connecting her to the concealment of Smart’s remains. The search warrant currently in effect prevents occupants from returning to the home while the investigation continues.
As the search stretches on with no clear end date, Sheriff Parkinson emphasized the painstaking nature of the work: “It’s a methodical step each time we get something, we go in another direction. We get something, we pursue that.” He added, “It’s not what we believe, it’s what we can prove.”
For the Smart family, law enforcement, and the wider community, the search for Kristin Smart is about more than solving a crime—it’s about finding peace, closure, and perhaps, at long last, bringing Kristin home. The days ahead remain uncertain, but with every new test and every positive result, hope endures.