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Kristin Smart Search Takes Dramatic Turn Decades After Murder
May 6, 2026
Posted 3 hours ago by
San Luis Obispo Tribune / TNSThe mother of convicted killer Paul Flores was hit with a new search warrant nearly three decades after the disappearance of Kristin Smart. Authorities searched Susan Flores’ Arroyo Grande home on Wednesday as part of what investigators described as an ongoing effort tied to the case. The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast’s request for comment.
Smart, a 19-year-old student at California Polytechnic State University, vanished in 1996 after attending an off-campus party. Her body has never been recovered. Despite Flores’ 2022 conviction, officials say the investigation remains active because locating Smart’s remains is still the top priority. San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow told the New York Post that authorities will use “every lawful tool available” to bring Smart home and support her family. Dow added that his office is continuing to work alongside the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office to fulfill their “shared commitment” to the Smart family. Flores is currently serving a sentence of 25 years to life for first-degree murder and has continued to maintain his innocence. Read it at New York PostRead more at The Daily Beast.
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