FLAGSTAFF, AZ — It’s been one year since a murder case rocked the Flagstaff community. Kelly Paduchowski was first reported missing by her husband, Daniel Paduchowski, prompting a days-long search. But it was Daniel who was ultimately arrested and pleaded guilty to her death.

For the first time, Kelly’s family sat down with ABC15 just days after honoring the 45-year-old mom of two.

“To me, she was kind of my whole world,” said Kelly’s twin sister, Lindsey McFall.

Lindsey said she has decades of special memories with her twin sister, describing her as a “genuine” and “funny”.

“She was a person that went to the beat of her own drum,” said the twins’ mom, Mary McFall.

They said Kelly grew up in Colorado but in the summer of 2024, Kelly was living in Flagstaff, and Mary had moved to Arizona to be closer to her grandchildren.

“She loved a challenge,” said Mary. “She loved to push herself, and she was training to do a triathlon.”

But their lives would change forever on June 30, 2024.

“We get a call from Daniel, this is like 7:30 at night,” said Mary. “And he says, ‘Have you heard from Kelly?’ And my heart just dropped.”

Daniel reported his wife missing and told authorities she had gone for a run and swim.

Lindsey jumped in the car and drove from her home in Colorado to Flagstaff.

“I can’t describe the feeling of my heart dropping and just the panic that I felt,” said Lindsey.

Mary started searching for her daughter and found Kelly’s car near the Campbell Mesa Trailhead. She told ABC15 she hadn’t spent lots of time in the area but felt an “inner guidance” calling her to go to that location.

“We called the police and told them that we had found her car,” said Mary. “They came out and started searching.”

The search would end days later when Daniel agreed to plead guilty to multiple charges, including second-degree murder, and lead law enforcement to Kelly’s body and other pieces of evidence.

A police report described the items left all across the Flagstaff area, including the knife used as the murder weapon.

“I was shocked beyond belief that he would actually do this to her, but also, at the same time, not super surprised,” said Lindsey.

The family says they had seen Daniel have issues with his temper and Kelly was ready for a divorce.

“I was the one that had to inform the children after Daniel confessed,” said Mary.

The report also included aspects of Daniel’s confession to police and jailhouse phone calls made to his own family.

After the murder, the McFall family was forced to have unimaginable conversations with Kelly’s children.

“I wish all the time that I could have that day back to do over,” said Daniel at his sentencing in October. “I still do not know what came over me. Pain, grief, fear, sadness, bewilderment at the loss of love.”

Daniel was ultimately sentenced to 16 years in prison.

“We’ve really moved on for the children and for our lives,” said Mary. “And it’s a reality we live with, but we are moving on.”

One year later, Kelly’s family came together in Flagstaff.

EXTENDED INTERVIEW – Kelly Paduchowski’s family shared memories one year after her murder

“[We] had a little bit of a remembrance ceremony just amongst ourselves to honor Kelly and talked about her,” said Lindsey. “And we were just happy to be together.”

The family decided they were ready for an interview but also wanted to share a message.

“I think it’s important that people keep having conversations about domestic violence,” said Lindsey.

She said she knows that some may feel a sense of shame or embarrassment.

“…like I cannot believe that this is the situation that I’m in,” described Lindsey. “You please just put that aside and reach out.”