Remains of missing Flagstaff woman found Friday, her husband pleads guilty to first-degree murder – KAFF News – Flagstaff

The search for a missing Flagstaff woman has ended after her husband agreed to a plea deal for first-degree murder and other charges. According to Flagstaff police, the remains of 45-year-old Kelly Paduchowski were found around 10 a.m. Friday. Coconino County Chief Prosecutor Michael Tunink said 58-year-old Daniel Paduchowski pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, tampering with evidence, concealing a corpse and possession of dangerous drugs. Paduchowski will spend 16 years in prison without the possibility of parole. Tunink said because of that plea deal, investigators came across his wife Kelly’s remains, her phone, car keys and the murder weapon. Authorities are not disclosing where her remains were found. During the investigation, police said Kelly’s phone located them in the Schultz Creek Trail area around 10:20 a.m. last Sunday. Daniel was seen in the same area around 11:30 a.m. Kelly’s phone returns to the shared residence in the Coconino Estates neighborhood at around 12:13 p.m. Her white Mazda CX-5 and Daniel were seen at the Campbell Mesa Trailhead at around 1:30 p.m. Daniel reported Kelly missing at 7:39 p.m., possibly in the Lake Mary area. During the search, investigators interviewed family members and witnesses and processed evidence, leading to Daniel’s arrest on charges of aggravated assault and drug possession. Neighbors reportedly heard an argument between Daniel and Kelly. They then saw Kelly lying motionless face down with Daniel on top of her. Police say no one called 9-1-1 during this time. Flagstaff police say the community played a critical role in finding Kelly and thanked everyone who helped locate Kelly.

To watch the full video of the press conference, click here:

Click here to read the agreement:

You can access the family’s GoFundMe account here:

Here is the statement from the Coconino County District Attorney’s Office read at Friday’s press conference:

“We reached an agreement today in which the defendant Daniel Paduchowski pleaded
guilty of premeditated murder, tampering with evidence, concealing a corpse and
Possession of dangerous drugs. This agreement commits the defendant to a sixteen-year prison sentence,
This is the expected sentence for second-degree murder under Arizona law. The defendant must
each day of this sentence and is not entitled to any early release. As part of this agreement, the
The defendant provided information that led us to Kelly Paduchowski – the deceased victim – her phone, her car
Keys and the murder weapon. The defendant also agreed to an interview that was conducted this afternoon.
In this interview he answered all questions about the course of events and his actions on June 30th.
This agreement is the result of many hours of work between Coconino County Search & Rescue,
Flagstaff Police Department and the Coconino County District Attorney’s Office. We thank you for the thorough
investigation by the Flagstaff Police Department that made this solution possible. This is obviously a monumental
Tragedy for Kelly’s family and loved ones. We are in close contact with Kelly’s family about
this solution that we sought to bring finality to a situation that has placed a heavy burden on this community.”