Search warrant served at home connected to Kristin Smart’s killer

Law enforcement served a warrant at the Arroyo Grande home of Paul Flores’ mother Wednesday morning, continuing the yearslong search for the remains of murdered Cal Poly San Luis Obispo student Kristin Smart. The news was first reported by the “Your Own Backyard” podcast, which has followed the case for years.

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Around 2 a.m. on Memorial Day weekend 1996, 19-year-old Smart headed back to her residence hall after attending a party. Smart was accompanied by three fellow students. Two peeled off before reaching her dorm, walking back to their own residences. The third, Paul Flores, later told police he dropped her off on campus at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Perimeter Road in San Luis Obispo. She was never seen again, and her remains have not been located. 

From the start of the investigation, police believed Flores had likely sexually assaulted and killed her. But it took over two decades before they finally felt they had enough evidence to arrest him on suspicion of murder. Flores was convicted of murder in 2022 and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.

Detectives have long believed Paul Flores’ family members helped him cover up the crime. They have served multiple warrants connected to the property owned by Flores’ parents, Susan and Ruben Flores. Ruben Flores was tried for being an accessory to Smart’s murder, but he was acquitted by a jury; Susan Flores has not been charged in connection with the crime.

In 2021, the sheriff’s office searched an Arroyo Grande home that belonged to Ruben Flores, focusing on the back deck area with ground-penetrating radar and cadaver dogs. Prosecutors at the time of Paul Flores’ trial said they believed Smart’s body was buried at that property, about a 20-minute drive from the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo campus, and was moved decades later as the investigation neared an arrest.

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San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Tony Cipolla confirmed to the “Your Own Backyard” podcast that a search warrant was served on the 500 block of East Branch Street around 7 a.m. on Wednesday. Photos released by the sheriff’s office show investigators looking through a cluttered garage and in the home’s backyard, which has a concrete patio. The news release confirmed the warrant is connected to the search for Smart and said that no further information will be released at this time. SFGATE’s request for more details from the sheriff’s office was not returned before the time of publication.

“The Sheriff’s Office remains committed to bringing Kristin home to her family,” the department said Wednesday.

This breaking news story has been updated.