Soil Tests at Susan Flores’ Arroyo Grande Home Show Signs of Human Decomposition; Search for Kristin Smart Intensifies

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson said Friday that soil testing conducted during a court-authorized search at Susan Flores’ Arroyo Grande home has produced positive results consistent with human decomposition, escalating a renewed push to locate the remains of Cal Poly student Kristin Smart, who vanished in 1996.

“We believe that … human remains were there at one time or still there,” San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson told reporters during a press conference. “I’m not going to go into the details, other than just to say with soil tests, it’s about the compounds in the soil that are related to a human, decomposing body,” Parkinson said.

Despite the findings, investigators stressed they have not recovered Smart’s remains. “I think it’s safe to say that we have not recovered Kristin yet,” Parkinson said. “But our search goes on, and I don’t know how long we’re going to be there.”

In a separate remark, Parkinson said, “We believe, based on what we’re looking at, scientific evidence, we believe that human remains were there at one time,” though he emphasized they cannot confirm whether the results are linked to Smart.

Investigators have spent two days executing a search warrant at the residence in the 500 block of East Branch Street, beginning Wednesday, May 6.

Since then, teams have collected soil samples in the front and back yards of the Flores property and a neighboring parcel, and deployed ground-penetrating radar (GPR) in the yard and inside the home, according to KSBY.

Parkinson confirmed that crews are looking for compounds in the soil related to human decomposition and said GPR readings are helping scientists pinpoint areas for potential DNA testing.

“We plan to be there until we can walk away, either finding Kristin or all the evidence we can find, and moving to the next step,” said Parkinson, “We are not leaving that house until we have checked everything.”

The sheriff said Susan Flores has long been a person of interest and remains so. In the meantime, she is not allowed to return home while the warrant is active. 

Parkinson noted that the home has been searched at least twice before, including with GPR, but said today’s tools are more advanced. He also said investigators believe Kristin’s body has been moved several times, underscoring why previously searched locations may be revisited.

The latest operation echoes earlier forensic findings at another family property. In 2021, archaeologists who searched the Arroyo Grande home of Paul Flores’ father, Ruben Flores, found what prosecutors described as a soil disturbance roughly the size of a casket and the presence of human blood. The blood was too degraded to obtain usable DNA.

Prosecutors accused Ruben Flores of helping his son bury Smart and later move her remains. He was charged with accessory after the fact and acquitted by a jury in 2022.

Wednesday’s search was carried out by the Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the District Attorney’s Office. District Attorney Dan Dow previously identified the location as Susan Flores’ residence and said his office helped secure judicial authorization for the warrant.

“While those responsible for Kristin’s death—and those with knowledge of her whereabouts—could provide answers at any time, we remain firmly committed to using every lawful tool available to locate Kristin’s remains and to support her family until she is brought home,” said Dow.

Smart, a 19-year-old Cal Poly freshman, disappeared over Memorial Day weekend in 1996 after walking back from a party. Fellow student Paul Flores told police he last saw her near Grand Avenue and Perimeter Road on campus. She was never seen again, and her remains have not been found.

After a decades-long investigation, Paul Flores was arrested in 2021 and convicted of first-degree murder in 2022. He was sentenced in March 2023 to 25 years to life in state prison. His conviction was affirmed by the Second District Court of Appeal in October 2025, and the California Supreme Court denied review in January 2026.

Detectives have long said they believe some members of Paul Flores’ family helped conceal the crime. Over the years, investigators have served multiple warrants at properties linked to his parents, Ruben and Susan Flores.

Officials say the current search reflects law enforcement’s continued commitment to finding Smart’s remains and providing answers to her family after nearly three decades.

Authorities have not announced any arrests or new discoveries beyond the soil test results. Anyone with information, no matter how small, is urged to submit tips anonymously to San Luis Obispo County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-549-STOP (7867).