Kristopher and his father, Robert, were last seen leaving their home off Chena Pump Road in Fairbanks, Alaska on May 16, 2004. They have never been heard from again. They reported missing by Robert's son on May 29, after he came by their residence and found it unlocked and the family's dog unattended.

On June 1, two weeks after the Kellys' disappearances, their white 1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass with the license plate number CDV242 was found abandoned in Fairbanks at the Bentley Mall. There was no sign of Kristopher or Robert at the scene. A few days later, authorities issued a warrant for Robert's arrest; he had been scheduled to appear in court on allegations of driving with a suspended license, and he missed the court date.

The Kellys are considered to be missing under suspicious circumstances and their cases are unsolved.