July 3 (UPI) – The husband of an Arizona woman who has been missing since Sunday has been arrested. Authorities now believe it is a murder case.

Kelly Paduchowski, 45, was reported missing by her husband, Daniel Paduchowski, in the Lake Mary area shortly before 8 p.m. Sunday, Flagstaff police said in a statement.

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A search for the woman has been launched, but authorities said Tuesday that they are now likely trying to recover her body.

“That's our current opinion,” Flagstaff Police Sergeant Jerry Rintala told reporters during a news conference.

Rintala said Daniel Paduchowski was arrested for aggravated assault and booked into the Coconino County Jail, where he is being held on bail.

He said witness statements and evidence found at their Coconino Estates residence indicated that “something happened” there that led to the charges.

He did not elaborate on the attack, but said Kelly Paduchowski was the victim.

“The investigation is ongoing and the top priority is to find Kelly,” he said in a written statement. “However, based on the current evidence and information, it is believed that Kelly may have been the victim of a homicide.”

A timeline of events released by police on Tuesday shows that data from Kelly Paduchowski's cellphone places her in the Schultz Creek Trail area at around 10:20 a.m. on Sunday.

About an hour later, Daniel Paduchowski was observed in the same area.

Shortly before 12:15 p.m., Kelly Paduchowski's cell phone returns to her residence. However, her car, a white 2018 Mazda CX-5, was seen at the Campbell Mesa Trail Head around 1:30 p.m., as was Daniel Paduchowski.

Daniel Paduchowski then reported his wife missing at 7:39 p.m.

Police are asking the public for assistance in the investigation and are urging anyone who has had contact with the two people or seen one of their vehicles to contact them immediately.

Police identified Daniel Paduchowski's car as a 2001 Toyota Sequoia.