CBS 5 - KPHO US Airways holds vigil for flight attendant killed in Mexico

US Airways holds vigil for flight attendant killed in Mexico

Posted: Updated:
By Breann Bierman - email
By Phil Benson - email
US Airways vigil at Sky Harbor for Nick Aaronson US Airways vigil at Sky Harbor for Nick Aaronson
Nick Aaronson Nick Aaronson
Vigil Wednesday night in Phoenix Vigil Wednesday night in Phoenix
PHOENIX (CBS5) -

The body of a US Airways flight attendant killed in Mexico arrived in Phoenix Wednesday night.

Employees of the airline held an emotional vigil to pay respects to Nick Aaronson before his body was taken to Los Angeles for a funeral on Saturday.

The flight from Mexico was met by the Phoenix Fire Department and a water cannon salute in Aaronson's honor. After his body was transferred to another plane at Sky Harbor, US Airways employees gathered alongside the LA-bound aircraft for an honor guard ceremony and special remembrances.

Deborah Volpe, president of the Association of Flight Attendants Council 66, said Aaronson was "very popular" and "very loved" among the airline's Phoenix-based crews.

Friends plan to gather in Phoenix on Nov. 11.  Nicole Sartain with the flight attendant union for U.S. Airways tells CBS 5 there will be a local memorial service for Aaronson at Faith Alive Church on Camelback Road at noon.

A Mexico City paper said that Aaronson was found naked on the floor of his room by his co-workers just after 6 a.m. Saturday at a five-star Hilton hotel. The paper said he was strangled with a belt around his neck and hands tied behind his back, according to NoticiasMexico.com.mx.

Authorities said 20-year-old Jose Luis Lira Cuellar beat Aaronson and then strangled him with a belt. Chief prosecutor Miguel Mancera said Cuellar and Aaronson arrived at the downtown Hilton in Mexico City and went to the room together.  Mancera said at a news briefing the motive was robbery.

Aaronson worked for U.S. Airways since 2006.  He was based in Phoenix. He had studied at Rio Salado College.

Copyright 2011 KPHO. All rights reserved.

  • Most Popular StoriesMost Popular Stories

  • UPDATE

    Monday, May 21 2012 12:38 PM EDT2012-05-21 16:38:08 GMT
    Mesa police
    A missing 9-year-old autistic boy was killed after a vehicle hit him on US 60 near Gilbert Road, police said. The boy had been reported missing around 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Just before 8 p.m., police
    The boy, who was struck by a vehicle, had wandered nearly four miles to the freeway, Mesa police said.

  • Tuesday, May 22 2012 2:48 AM EDT2012-05-22 06:48:46 GMT
    Sheriff Joe Arpaio
    Members of Sheriff Joe Arpaio's posse are in Hawaii investigating President Obama's birth certificate. The Cold Case team set out to prove the certificate was legitimate, but said in March they believe
    CBS 5 News has confirmed that the investigators in Hawaii have spent about $40,000 in posse donations and one deputy is along for security.

  • Monday, May 21 2012 10:21 PM EDT2012-05-22 02:21:57 GMT
    Lee Lubonne
    A Litchfield Park man is accused of raping two women after searching social networking sites, including craigslist, to target his victims, law enforcement authorities said. Lee Lubonne, 44, was arrested
    A Litchfield Park man is accused of raping two women after searching social networking sites, including Craigslist, to target his victims, law enforcement authorities said.

  • Friday, May 18 2012 10:17 PM EDT2012-05-19 02:17:59 GMT
    Mary Ann Hanula
    Funeral services were held Friday for the Valley woman who was viciously attacked by two pit bulls. Mary Ann Hanula, 73, was attacked in her front yard in Surprise last October and spent six months in
    Funeral services were held Friday for the Valley woman who was viciously attacked by two pit bulls.

  • UPDATE

    Tuesday, May 22 2012 4:56 PM EDT2012-05-22 20:56:09 GMT
    Edmund Keller from his Facebook page
    Tempe police are investigating a "very active" shooting scene in Tempe. Police said the shooting happened around 9:20 a.m. in the 3300 block of S. Poplar St., near Southern Avenue and McClintock Road. There
    Tempe police have identified the two men killed in a shooting on Monday that also forced the lockdown of two nearby elementary schools.

  • Monday, May 21 2012 6:09 PM EDT2012-05-21 22:09:18 GMT
    Isabel Celis
    Tucson police plan to re-interview registered sex offenders in the disappearance of 6-year-old Isabel Celis. Lt. Fabian Pacheco told reporters at a Monday afternoon news briefing that detectives will
    Lt. Fabian Pacheco told reporters at a Monday afternoon news briefing that detectives will target those offenders known to abuse children under 10 years old.

  • UPDATE

    Tuesday, May 22 2012 12:36 PM EDT2012-05-22 16:36:53 GMT
    Loop 202 at the mini-stack
    Six people were injured in a mobile home rollover and multi-vehicle crash on a busy Phoenix freeway early Monday afternoon, the Arizona Department of Transportation said. It happened on the Loop 202 at
    One person was killed and several people, including three children, were injured when the RV they were in crashed on a busy Phoenix freeway early Monday afternoon.

  • Tuesday, May 22 2012 2:54 PM EDT2012-05-22 18:54:03 GMT
    (RNN) - A U.S. Airways plane from Paris to Charlotte, NC, was diverted to Bangor, ME, because of a security threat.The plane is a Boeing 767. Copyright 2012 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.
    A Cameroon woman was pulled from an American jetliner and arrested after presenting a note to a flight attendant saying she had a "device" surgically implanted inside her.

  • Thursday, May 17 2012 9:04 PM EDT2012-05-18 01:04:10 GMT
    Every week, CBS 5 News is sent a list of restaurants that have been recently inspected by Maricopa County's Environmental Services Department. CBS 5 News selects five restaurants with some of the highest
    Every week, CBS 5 News is sent a list of restaurants that have been recently inspected by Maricopa County's Environmental Services Department.

  • Tuesday, May 22 2012 2:37 PM EDT2012-05-22 18:37:00 GMT
    © CBS 5
    Phoenix police officers are investigating one of their own after he was arrested for suspected drunk driving. Trent Crump with the Phoenix Police Department said on May 2, Martin Sosa was taken into custody
    Phoenix police officers are investigating one of their own after he was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.
Powered by WorldNow
News
5 Investigates
Dirty Dining
Sports
Weather
Events
Photos
About CBS 5
News Team
Programming Schedule
Social Tools
Facebook
Twitter
RSS Feeds
Powered by WorldNowCNNAll content ©Copyright 2000 - 2012, KPHO, Phoenix, AZ. (A Meredith Corporation Station) and WorldNow. All rights reserved.
For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.