CAMP VERDE, AZ (CBS5) -
The chief executive officer of Arriba Mexican Grill and three others were killed when their helicopter crashed into the Verde River, law enforcement officials said.
The pilot was identified Sunday as prominent Valley businessman Raymond Perry, 70, of Phoenix, who is the owner of the private helicopter based in Scottsdale, the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office said.
Passengers included Karen St inn, 68, of Cave Creek. Also killed were a married couple - Mike Dunaway, 63, and Linda Dunaway, 64, of Glendale, according to YCSO spokesman Dwight D'Evelyn.
Lynn Hartman, a longtime friend of Perry, said the pilot had about 40 years experience flying fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, and took several weekly breakfast flights to various Arizona cities.
Perry is survived by his wife, daughter, two stepsons, and three grandchildren.
All bodies had been removed from the crash site Sunday and the medical examiner took custody, sheriff's deputies said.
Helicopter wreckage was spotted at about 8:45 a.m. Sunday by a private pilot about 6 miles south of Camp Verde in a remote area of Yavapai County, said FAA spokesman Ian Gregor.
It is believed the Aerospatiale AS350 helicopter was flying back to Scottsdale after checking in at the Sedona airport.
Civil Air Patrol search crews began looking for the aircraft Saturday.
The Yavapai County Sheriff's Department confirmed the wreckage was the missing helicopter, Gregor said.
When sheriff's deputies were able to reach the remote location Sunday afternoon, they confirmed all four people aboard the aircraft were dead.
The FAA and NTSB are investigating the cause of the crash.
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Ray Perry (from Facebook)
