Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Kristen Smart Killer Mother's Home Searched Ahead of 30 Years Since Disappearance | Crime Alert 05.08.26

Episode Date: May 8, 2026

Sheriffs deputies re-examine Susan Flores' backyard with ground penetrating radar, hoping to finally locate Kristin Smart. Columbian national crosses center line drunk, killing a father of two in the resulting head-on crash. Sydney Silvagni reports. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human. Crime alert, hourly update. Breaking Crime News now. I'm Sidney. We're following what is hopefully a major development in a cold case that has gripped the central coast of California for nearly three decades. Investigators in San Luis Obispo County have returned to a familiar location in the ongoing

search for the remains of Kristen Smart. On Wednesday, Sheriff's deputies executed. a fresh search warrant at a home on East Branch Street in a Royal Grande. This isn't just any property. Public records confirm it's the residence of Susan Flores, the mother of Paul Flores, the man convicted just two years ago of murdering Kristen. News of the raid was first broken by the Your Own Backyard podcast, the investigative series many credit with reviving interest in the case. The podcast creator, Chris Lambert, noted that this kind of activity after a conviction suggests that investigators have stumbled upon significant new information. It's a surprise. It's been, you know,

three years since the trial ended. And so obviously new evidence had to lead them here, and that's a good sign. Last time that Susan's house was searched with ground penetrating radar, I believe, was in 2000. So it's been 26 years. As Lambert mentioned, it's been decades since this property saw this level of scrutiny. The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office took to Facebook to confirm the activity, stating that a Superior Court judge signed off on the warrant. They were clear about the mission. The department remains firmly committed to bringing Kristen home to her family. Kristen Smart was just 19 years old, a student at Cal Poly when she vanished in May of 1996. It took 26 years to get a conviction. In October 22, Paul Flores was sentenced to 25 years to life after prosecutors proved

he killed Kristen during an attempted rape in his dorm room. But even with Paul behind bars, the mystery of Kristen's whereabouts remains. Her body has never been found. District Attorney Dan Dow released a statement following the search, saying that while those with knowledge of the body's location could provide answers at any time, his office will continue to use every lawful tool available to find her. The stakes are incredibly high for the smart family. A judge recently ordered Paul Flores to pay over $350,000,

and restitution to the family, but they've made a stunning offer. They will waive that payment entirely if Flores simply tells them where Kristen is. So far, his attorney claims he doesn't know. For Kristen's family, Flores' conviction was only half the battle. I mean, we are beyond grateful that he is in prison, but we would be ecstatic at this point if we were able to lay here to rest, you know, in the presence of our family. Denise Smart remains hopeful her daughter will be found. More crime and justice news after this.

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In Effingham County, Georgia, just northeast of Savannah, a community is mourning the loss of a father of two following a horrific collision that has reignited a fierce national debate over immigration enforcement and public safety. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed this week that 27-year-old D.B. Jonathan Janemajoy, Janice Soi, a Colombian national, is now facing a litany of charges, including vehicular homicide, DUI, and driving without a valid license. According to DHS, Jan Sasoy is an illegal alien who entered the United States in 2023. Officials state he was released into the interior of the country under the current administration, allegedly without being properly vetted. The tragedy unfolded just after 5 p.m. on May 1st.

Investigators say Jancassoy was behind the wheel of a Ford escape when he crossed the center line, slamming head on into a Chevrolet Silverado driven by 47-year-old Michael Shark. In a heartbreaking detail, Michael's wife, Crystal, was actually on the phone with her husband at the exact moment of impact. She spoke with WTOC 11 about those final confusing seconds. I was on the phone with him when it happened, actually. so I didn't know what was going on at first. When it happened, you know, it just sounded like his earpiece was messing up. Michael Sharp was trapped in the wreckage and had to be extracted by emergency crews before being rushed to a nearby hospital.

Tragically, he did not survive his injuries. But the story doesn't end at the crash site. While at the hospital, Jan Sassoi reportedly began acting erratically. Authorities say he attempted to leave the facility before he was discharged. The Effingham County Sheriff's Office believes he was trying to flee because he knew he was wanted by ICE for deportation. He was acting erratic at the hospital due to being an illegal alien and facing deportation. Because of that flight risk, Jan Sasoy was immediately arrested and transported to the local jail. ICE has since placed a detainer on him, requesting that local authorities hold him rather than releasing him on bond.

For Crystal Sharp, the pain of losing her husband is compounded. it by the circumstances of the suspect's presence in Georgia. She describes Michael as a caring family man who loved the outdoors and his two young children. Knowing his death might have been avoided if the law had been different is a weight she now carries. Then when we found out that the gal was drunk and that he was an illegal immigrant and wasn't even supposed to be in this country, it was even harder for us. Because if he weren't here, then it wouldn't have happened. Despite the ICE detainer, Crystal has a very specific. vision of what justice looks like for her family. She wants him to face the American legal system head

head on. I want him to stay here and I want him to suffer the consequences of what he has done. Prosecutors say Jan Sasoy could face additional charges as the investigation continues. For the latest crime and justice breaking news, make sure to tune in Monday on your favorite podcast app. With this crime alert, I'm Sidney. This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human. Thank you.