Search for Christine Smart’s Body Continues
ARRYO GRANDE, Calif. — Officials shared on Saturday that they have not located the body of Christine Smart, the college student who vanished in 1996, following a search of the residence of the man convicted of her murder.
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office stated that their search of Susan Flores’ property in Arroyo Grande, situated over 250 miles northwest of Los Angeles, has concluded. Her son, Paul Flores, was convicted of her murder in 2022, but Christine’s remains have yet to be discovered.
Authorities did not disclose further information. Recently, they noted evidence indicating that human remains could be at the site, and specialists in human decomposition and soil analysis had gathered samples from the area.
“The Sheriff’s Office remains committed to finding Christine and bringing her home to her family,” the agency asserted in a statement.
Christine disappeared from Caltech in May 1996. Prosecutors claimed that she was murdered during an attempted assault and that she was last seen with Paul Flores, a classmate. She was declared legally dead in 2002.
Flores was convicted of her murder in October 2022 and received a 25-year prison sentence the following year.
This long-standing case has drawn public interest, partly due to a podcaster who contributed to the investigation by highlighting additional witnesses. Chris Lambert, host of the podcast “Your Own Backyard,” was the first to report on the search of the home.
