Soil testing at a California property linked to the Kristin Smart murder case has revealed evidence of human remains, according to San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson.

At a news conference on Friday, Parkinson said investigators had been searching the backyard of a home reportedly occupied by the mother of Paul Flores, who was convicted of murdering Smart. "We can't call it Kristin, but there's evidence to support human remains – there at one time," Parkinson stated.

Kristin Smart, a California Polytechnic State University student, disappeared in 1996 at age 19. Her body was never found despite extensive searches over the years. Paul Flores was convicted of her murder, though specific details about the timeline of the conviction were not provided in the sheriff's announcement.

The property being searched belongs to a woman whose son was convicted in connection with Smart's death. Investigators have been focusing their efforts on the backyard area of the residence.

The soil testing represents a significant development in a case that has spanned more than two decades. However, authorities have not definitively identified the remains as belonging to Smart, and further analysis will likely be needed to make that determination.