Trending Now - Three Decades Later, Kristin Smart Case Still Holds Mysteries
WHO:
US Magazine - Kristin Smart, a 19-year-old college student who went missing in 1996.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Paul Flores, convicted in 2022 of killing Kristin Smart; Susan Flores, Paul Flores' mother; Ian Parkinson, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff; Tim Nelligan, expert in soil vapor testing; Chris Lambert, podcaster of "Your Own Backyard."
WHAT:
ABC7 Los Angeles - Authorities concluded a search of Susan Flores' property without recovering the remains of Kristin Smart.
ABC7 Los Angeles - The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office stated that they will evaluate any evidence recovered to aid in the investigation.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Sheriff Ian Parkinson confirmed that soil testing indicated the presence of human remains at the property, stating, "We believe that, based on what we're looking at evidence-wise -- scientific-wise -- that human remains were there at one time -- or still there."
ABC7 Los Angeles - Authorities completed a search of Susan Flores' property, stating they did not find the remains of Kristin Smart.
ABC7 Los Angeles - The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that evidence suggested human remains were present at the home during the investigation.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Scientists took samples from the soil on May 7, 2026, from the neighboring yard of a home in Arroyo Grande, Calif., connected to Paul Flores.
The Guardian - San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson stated, "Until we have Kristin, everything is still wide open."
The Guardian - Sheriff Parkinson urged the public for patience amid the investigation, saying, "It will continue until we absolutely have no where to go."
The Guardian - Soil testing at a property linked to Paul Flores turned up evidence of human remains, according to San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson, who stated, "We can’t call it Kristin, but there’s evidence to support human remains – there at one time."
ABC7 Los Angeles - Paul Flores was convicted in October 2022 and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
ABC7 Los Angeles - San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson stated, "We can't call it Kristin, but there's evidence to support human remains."
ABC7 Los Angeles - Tim Nelligan, an expert in soil vapor testing, confirmed he was on the premises gathering samples from the yards of Flores and a neighbor.
US Magazine - Authorities revealed that they may have found human remains on the property belonging to Susan Flores.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Evidence suggests human remains were present at a home connected to Paul Flores.
ABC7 Los Angeles - The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff stated, "We believe that based on what we're looking at evidence-wise -- scientific-wise -- that a human's remains were there at one time -- or still there."
ABC7 Los Angeles - Paul Flores was sentenced in March 2023 to prison and has been physically attacked at least twice.
ABC7 Los Angeles - In 2024, a judge ruled that Paul Flores must pay just over $350,000 to Kristin Smart's family for costs incurred after her death.
WHERE:
US Magazine - The property linked to the possible human remains is owned by Susan Flores.
ABC7 Los Angeles - The search is taking place in Arroyo Grande, California, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of Los Angeles.
WHEN:
ABC7 Los Angeles - A search warrant was served on the home of Susan Flores on Wednesday.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Paul Flores was convicted in 2022.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Paul Flores was sentenced in March 2023.
ABC7 Los Angeles - A judge ruled in 2024 regarding restitution to Smart's family.
WHY:
ABC7 Los Angeles - The search was prompted by evidence suggesting human remains were present at the home connected to Paul Flores.
HOW:
ABC7 Los Angeles - Investigators utilized ground-penetrating radar technology to search the property.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Soil samples are being analyzed for human DNA at a local lab.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Scientists specializing in human decomposition and soil took samples from the ground during the search of the property.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Tim Nelligan, an expert in soil vapor testing, confirmed that his team has developed a methodology to assess soil vapor in relation to human cadaver decomposition.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Scientists specializing in human decomposition and soil took samples from the ground on May 7, 2026, from the neighboring yard of a home in Arroyo Grande, Calif., connected to Paul Flores.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Scientists took samples from the soil on May 7, 2026, from the neighboring yard of a home in Arroyo Grande, Calif., connected to the man convicted of killing Kristin Smart.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Scientists specializing in human decomposition and soil took samples from the ground during the search.
ABC7 Los Angeles - Soil vapor sampling involves collecting underground gas samples to detect volatile organic compounds associated with human decomposition.
(UPDATED May 10, 2026 11:13 UTC)
Authorities have concluded a search of Susan Flores' property in connection with the investigation into Kristin Smart's disappearance, but no remains were recovered. Sheriff Ian Parkinson confirmed that soil testing indicated the presence of human remains at the site, stating that evidence suggests they were there at one time or may still be present. Investigators used ground-penetrating radar technology during the search, and soil samples are currently being analyzed for human DNA at a local lab.
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(UPDATED May 10, 2026 05:56 UTC)
Authorities have completed a search of Susan Flores' property and confirmed that they did not find the remains of Kristin Smart. However, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office stated that evidence indicated human remains were present at the home during the investigation. Scientists specializing in human decomposition and soil collected samples from the ground as part of the search efforts.
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(UPDATED May 9, 2026 21:09 UTC)
Scientists recently collected soil samples from a yard in Arroyo Grande, California, linked to Paul Flores, as part of an ongoing investigation. San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson emphasized the importance of patience, stating that the search for Kristin remains open until they have conclusive evidence. Tim Nelligan, an expert in soil vapor testing, has confirmed that his team has created a new methodology to analyze soil vapor in connection with human cadaver decomposition.
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(UPDATED May 9, 2026 19:16 UTC)
Soil testing at a property linked to Paul Flores has revealed evidence of human remains, according to San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson, who noted that while they can't confirm the identity, there is support for the presence of human remains. Flores was convicted in October 2022 and is currently serving a sentence of 25 years to life in prison. Scientists specializing in human decomposition and soil collected samples from the neighboring yard of a home in Arroyo Grande, California, on May 7, 2026.
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(UPDATED May 9, 2026 15:13 UTC)
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson announced that there is evidence to support the presence of human remains, although he could not confirm the identity as Kristin. Meanwhile, Tim Nelligan, an expert in soil vapor testing, was on-site gathering samples from the yards of Flores and a neighbor. Scientists collected these soil samples on May 7, 2026, from a yard in Arroyo Grande, California, linked to the man convicted of killing Kristin Smart.
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(UPDATED May 9, 2026 13:21 UTC)
Authorities have revealed that they may have found human remains on the property owned by Susan Flores, the mother of Paul Flores, who was convicted in 2022 of killing Kristin Smart, a college student who went missing in 1996. The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff stated that evidence suggests human remains were present at the home, and scientists specializing in human decomposition are currently taking samples from the ground as part of the investigation. This search, which took place in Arroyo Grande, California, was prompted by findings indicating that human remains were likely at the location connected to Paul Flores.