Authorities said on Friday that an Arizona man who had reported his wife missing and initiated a massive search that swiftly evolved into a criminal probe, has admitted to killing her.
Daniel Paduchowski entered a guilty plea on Friday to second-degree murder in connection with the death of his 45-year-old wife, Kelly, as part of an agreement with Coconino County prosecutors.
A copy of the plea deal states that he also entered a guilty plea to charges of possessing hazardous substances, hiding a dead body, and tampering with physical evidence.
A homicide case that was initiated only days earlier and that could have taken years to resolve as it worked its way through the judicial system has found a startling and quick end thanks to the deal, which was reached earlier on Friday before the Flagstaff Police Department conducted an afternoon news conference.
Flagstaff Police Chief Sean Connolly stressed during the press conference that the disappearance of Kelly Paduchowski had only been reported to the authorities six days prior.
“I was at the barber. I’ve been at the dry cleaners. I’ve been to restaurants and businesses, and this has been on everybody’s mind,” he stated. “When communities are not indifferent, and they are engaged at this level, these are the outcomes that you have.”
Neither the plea deal nor the authorities’ explanation of the killing’s potential cause contained any information concerning a potential motive.
Inquiries for comment via phone calls and emails were not immediately answered by Paduchowski’s lawyer.
Senior attorney Michael Tunink of the Coconino County attorney’s office stated that Daniel Paduchowski, 58, is anticipated to receive a 16-year sentence for the murder conviction, with no chance of parole. On September 10, he is expected to be sentenced.
Paduchowski, according to the authorities, called the Flagstaff police on Sunday night and reported that his wife had gone to Lake Mary, southeast of Flagstaff, for a swim and a run, but had never returned.
After the woman’s family discovered her car on the other side of town, police said they soon started to assume Daniel Paduchowski had something to do with his wife’s disappearance.
According to authorities, by Monday morning, the case of the missing person had evolved into a homicide inquiry. The following day, Daniel Paduchowski’s arrest was made public by the Flagstaff Police Department.
Daniel Paduchowski gave police information about his wife’s remains as well as other evidence, such as her smartphone, car keys, and a weapon that was reportedly used to kill her, according to Tunink, as part of his agreement with the prosecution.
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Kelly Paduchowski’s remains were discovered on Friday morning, according to Flagstaff police, although they withheld the location due to ongoing “recovery efforts.”
Kelly Paduchowski was the target of a massive search, according to the authorities, involving numerous search and rescue teams, canines, drones, and some fifty personnel who conducted helicopter, foot, and mountain bike searches. According to authorities, over sixty community members also offered their assistance with the search.
Authorities have maintained continuous communication with the victim’s family, including her children, according to Flagstaff Police Chief Connolly’s statement on Friday.
“Since the moment I sat in the living room with Kelly’s family, I cannot tell you how impressed I have been with their strength and their resolve in handling this incredibly tragic situation,” he stated.
