New search warrant in Kristin Smart case, decades after 19-year-old disappeared

Murder Files Unsealed · May 7, 2026 · 32m · transcript

This episode details the decades-long investigation into the 1996 disappearance of Kristin Smart, a California college student who vanished after a party. It chronicles the eventual conviction of Paul Flores for her murder in 2022, a legal victory achieved despite the fact that her remains have never been recovered. The narrative highlights how modern forensic science and a popular true-crime podcast revitalized a cold case that was once stalled by early investigative errors. Central to the account is the persistent search for her body, which led authorities to execute fresh search warrants…