• Chris Sheafe, a Rio Nuevo Board member, and his wife Jacque Sheafe died in a plane crash at Marana Regional Airport on April 8, 2026.
• The single-engine plane crashed and caught fire while attempting to land on April 8.
• Sheafe had served as the treasurer for the Rio Nuevo Board since 2012 and played a key role in downtown Tucson development.

Chris Sheafe, a longtime member of the Rio Nuevo Board, and his wife, Jacque Sheafe, were killed in last week’s plane crash at Marana Regional Airport, the board said April 11.

Board member Taunya Villicana shared the announcement on Facebook on behalf of the board.

Rio Nuevo is a tax increment finance district created by voters in 1999 to revitalize downtown Tucson. It uses state sales tax revenue to partner with private developers on redevelopment projects, according to its website.

The Sheafes died April 8 when their single-engine Piper PA-32R-301T crashed while attempting to land at the airport northwest of Tucson.

The crash occurred about 5:15 p.m. when authorities said the aircraft went off the end of the runway and caught fire. No other injuries were reported.

Villicana said Chris Sheafe had served as treasurer of the Rio Nuevo Board since 2012. As of April 12, the board’s website still listed him as treasurer.

He played a key role in managing tax dollars and helping guide downtown development projects, Villicana said.

“His property development experience and financial acumen have been major factors in our success,” she said.

Chris Sheafe previously ran Estes Homes, served on the Pima County Bond Commission and was a former chairman of the Tucson Airport Authority, according to Villicana.

“He loved life, he loved Jacque (a pure joy to be around), he cherished his time with Rio Nuevo and he loved to fly. As fellow pilots, we often talked about our love of flying and the fact that the sky is unforgiving,” she said.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration were investigating the crash. The cause has not been determined.

The Rio Nuevo Board planned to observe a moment of silence at 1 p.m. April 14 during its regular meeting to honor their former treasurer, Villicana said.

“Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, stop and look to our unforgiving sky to honor his legacy and love of Tucson,” she said.

Rey Covarrubias Jr. covers business and breaking news for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Email him at: rcovarrubias@azcentral.com, and connect with him on Instagram, Threads, Bluesky and X (formerly Twitter) at @ReyCJrAZ.  

Three people were injured when a small plane crash-landed onto a busy Arizona road on Sunday afternoon, according to authorities.

The pilot of a privately-owned Republic RC-3 plane made an “emergency gear-up landing” near 7th Street and Missouri Avenue in Phoenix around 3:25 p.m. local time, according to the Federal Aviation Administration and the Phoenix Police Department.

Three people on board the single-engine plane miraculously suffered only minor injuries, Arizona Family reported.

Photos posted to social media showed at least one individual crawling out of the dented white-and-blue aircraft as it leaned into the road verge.

The pilot with over 40 years of flying experience had attempted to avoid power lines and find a clear place to land, Phoenix Fire Captain DJ Lee told the outlet.

The plane hit a water main during the freak landing, but no vehicles or buildings were struck on the busy intersection.

“It is 100% a miracle,” Lee said.

Roads surrounding the scene were closed into Sunday evening as emergency crews removed the plane and worked to repair water main issues, authorities said.

It is not immediately clear what led the crew to make the emergency landing. The FAA will investigate the incident.

The crash comes mere days after a couple, Chris and Jacque Sheafe, were killed when a single-engine Piper PA-32 ran off the runway and erupted in flames at Arizona’s Marana Regional Airport on Wednesday, KOLD reported.

On the same day, a Cessna T-41B plane “veered off the runway” at the Sun Valley-Bison- Fort Mohave Airport in Arizona, and plowed right into a home’s garage.

The two people steering the small aircraft were hospitalized with injuries.

TEMPE — Spring ball is beyond the halfway point for the Arizona State Sun Devils as of Sunday.

As the closing stretch of spring comes into the fold, Arizona State on SI hands out superlatives for the first four weeks of practices – including MVP, pleasant surprise, and more.

MVP: Reed Harris

The answer seems to always go back to Harris when discussing the MVP of the offensive side of the ball thus far.

Harris has frequently used his 6’5″ frame to his advantage throughout spring – high pointing back-shoulder fades, showing off a surprising burst, and crossing out defenders in the intermediate game in the process. The Boston College transfer looks the part of a player that will be in the conversation for conference awards come December.

Pleasant Surprise: QB Jake Fette

Fette’s talent has never been a question, as the El Paso (TX) native has long been considered a blue-chip prospect.

However, quarterbacks are rarely in their element as a freshman after making a major transition to a completely different level of football. Fette has adjusted beautifully – appearing poised, displaying sound footwork, and routinely making the right play when facing 11-on-11 action.

There’s no guarantee whatsoever that Fette will start in 2026, but he is currently setting the foundation of being the quarterback of the future.

Depth Chart Riser: WR Uriah Neloms

Neloms is a redshirt freshman out of local San Tan Charter (Gilbert) who played quarterback as a senior in high school prior to moving back to receiver.

There’s no guarantee that Neloms will receive a solid floor of snap share this season to this point, but he has impressed so much that there’s likely to be opportunities to earn just that in fall camp. Neloms is another lanky, athletic talent with sturdy hands in the room and has shown more improvement than virtually anyone else at the skill positions.

More to Prove: Jarmaine Mitchell

This isn’t a knock on Mitchell in any sense of the phrase – the #1 JUCO recruit has been inside of the Verde Dickey Dome for much of the spring due to working back (conditioning) from an injury that was previously suffered.

The unfortunate fallout of this is that Mitchell automatically entered 11-on-11 practice at a disadvantage over the last week, although he is still one of the most talented players on the roster and will very likely be in a starting position come week one.