In the Kristin Smart case, key questions remain after 3 decades | CNN

The investigation into the 1996 disappearance of Kristin Smart has been characterized by decades of critical questions, starting with the whereabouts of her remains. Now, new questions are emerging as authorities have concluded their most recent search at the home of the mother of Paul Flores – the man convicted of Smart’s murder – and say they have not recovered Smart’s remains after new soil testing had returned signs of human remains. Will other locations be searched or searched again with new techniques? Will evidence they say they are still evaluating lead them in new directions? The quest for answers in the case has captivated the public’s attention ever since the college freshman vanished from California Polytechnic State University’s San Luis Obispo campus over Memorial Day weekend in 1996. A decadeslong investigation led to the trial and conviction in 2022 of Paul Flores for her murder. Still, key questions have stood in the way of the Smart family’s pursuit of some semblance of closure and their hope to “finally lay her to rest in the presence of those who love her.” The new search at the home of Susan Flores underscored a renewed commitment to finding a