A man has been arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault in an ongoing investigation into the whereabouts of his wife, who was reported missing Sunday near Flagstaff, Arizona, police said.
The search for Kelly Paduchowski, 45, is focused on finding her body because detectives 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 unknown evidence at the Flagstaff home they share, the sergeant said.
The police statement said that interviews with witnesses and family members yielded evidence.
“As more evidence and investigation emerges, more charges may follow,” Rintala said.
It was not clear whether Daniel Paduchowski has an attorney, and the local public defender’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday evening.
Daniel Paduchowski reported his wife missing at 7:39 p.m. Sunday, Flagstaff police said in a statement Tuesday. He reported she had gone for a run and a swim that afternoon, Phoenix NBC affiliate KPNX reported.
The police statement said investigators tracked her phone to Schultz Creek Trail in Coconino National Forest, just north of Flagstaff, at a time stamp of 10:20 a.m. Sunday. Daniel was spotted in the area a little more than an hour later, police said in the statement.
While her phone indicated she was at her home shortly after noon, her vehicle was at the Campbell Mesa Trailhead, also in the woods north of town, around 1:30 p.m., where Daniel Paduchowski was seen at the time, according to the affidavit.
Police released photos of her white 2018 Mazda CX-5 and her silver or gray 2001 Toyota Sequoia SUV. Anyone who encounters either of these vehicles or people is asked to contact investigators.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
