Husband arrested amid search for missing Arizona woman

A man was booked on suspicion of aggravated assault in an ongoing probe into the whereabouts of his wife, who was reported missing in the Flagstaff, Arizona, area Sunday, police said.

The search for Kelly Paduchowski, 45, is focused on finding her body, as investigators believe she was murdered, Flagstaff Police Sgt. Jerry Rintala said at a news conference Tuesday.

Her husband, Daniel Paduchowski, 58, is suspected in her death, he said. He was arrested after detectives found undisclosed evidence at the Flagstaff-area residence they share, the sergeant said.

The police statement added that interviews with witnesses and family members contributed evidence.

“With further evidence and investigation, further charges could be coming,” Rintala said.

It wasn’t clear whether Daniel Paduchowski has legal counsel, and the local public defender’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night.

Daniel Paduchowski reported his wife missing at 7:39 p.m. Sunday, Flagstaff police said in a statement Tuesday. He reported she had gone out to run and a swim in the afternoon, according to NBC affiliate KPNX of Phoenix.

The police statement said investigators tracked her phone to Schultz Creek Trail in Coconino National Forest, just north of Flagstaff, with a time indication of 10:20 a.m. Sunday. Daniel was spotted in the area a little more than an hour later, the police department said in the statement.

While her phone indicated it was at the home they shared shortly after noon, her vehicle was at the Campbell Mesa Trailhead, also in the forest north of the city, about 1:30 p.m., and Daniel Paduchowski was spotted there at that time, according to the statement.

Police distributed images of her white 2018 Mazda CX-5 and his silver or gray 2001 Toyota Sequoia SUV, asking anyone who came across either vehicle or person to reach out to investigators.