Daniel Padchowski, a 58-year-old man who murdered his wife right here in Flagstaff, committed this act not that far from our school. June 30 2024 the day Daniel murdered his wife Kelly Padchowski in their own backyard. Daniel killed Kelly with a knife; there were multiple stab wounds to her neck, ankles, and wrists. Although Kelly did put up a fight, she unfortunately died. Later that night he reported her as missing and over the Fourth of July weekend, there was a search to find Kelly. Daniel then proceeded to take the police on a man hunt all over Flagstaff and Picture Canyon, this is because this was where he had planted her car and staged her disappearance even though he hid her body at Lake Mary. Daniel even went so far as to take her phone and send messages to her mother saying she was fine which just shows how much he tried to fool the public.

After a week of investigation and interviews from neighbors saying they heard Kelly screaming and saw her motionless body with Daniel standing over it, they also found footage of him planting her car and riding away on his bike. A day and a half later Daniel got arrested and the trial began and went on for 3 months and ended with Daniel being charged with second degree murder of Kelly. During this trial it was revealed that Daniel had an enormous temper even Kelly's family stated that they don’t know why Kelly stayed with Daniel for so long. They also found the motive which was that a week prior to her murder Kelly was filing for a divorce and instead of talking it out Daniel resorted to cold blooded murder.