Kristin Smart murder case: Investigators probe grounds to unlock a 30-year mystery
Key takeaways
- Scientists equipped with soil vapor detection equipment and ground radar were at the home of the mother of Kristin Smart’s killer for a second day, scanning the ground for secrets in the dirt 30 years after she vanished.
- On Thursday, soil engineer Tim Nelligan and former FBI chemist Brian Eckerode, assisted by local soil scientist Steve Hoyt, placed probes into the ground near Susan Flores’ property in the heart of Arroyo Grande.
- “We’re rooting around for answers,” Neilligan said, “We all want to bring Denise and Stan Smart some peace after all these years.”
Soil samples are removed on Thursday from the yard of a home in Arroyo Grande. (Haven Daley/Associated Press) By Richard Winton Staff Writer Follow May 7, 2026 3:09 PM PT 6 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X Linked In Threads Reddit Whats App Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
Scientists equipped with soil vapor detection equipment and ground radar were at the home of the mother of Kristin Smart’s killer for a second day, scanning the ground for secrets in the dirt 30 years after she vanished.
On Thursday, soil engineer Tim Nelligan and former FBI chemist Brian Eckerode, assisted by local soil scientist Steve Hoyt, placed probes into the ground near Susan Flores’ property in the heart of Arroyo Grande. They were joined by a team of ground radar experts who scanned the heavily concreted property, assisting the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s with serving a search warrant at the home.