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Businessman Chris Sheafe, wife named in fatal Arizona plane crash

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Businessman Chris Sheafe, wife named in fatal Arizona plane crash


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  • 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.

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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.

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“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.

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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.  





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Arizona alum Mike Schmitz named GM of Dallas Mavericks

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Arizona alum Mike Schmitz named GM of Dallas Mavericks


The Dallas Mavericks are turning to an Arizona alum to take over their franchise. The Mavericks on Friday announced the hiring of Mike Schmitz as general manager ahead of next month’s NBA Draft. Schmitz spent the last four seasons on the Portland Trail Blazers staff after serving as a draft analyst for ESPN. Schmitz attended […]



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Where to watch New York Mets vs Arizona Diamondbacks: TV channel, start time, streaming for May 8

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Where to watch New York Mets vs Arizona Diamondbacks: TV channel, start time, streaming for May 8


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Baseball is back and finding what channel your favorite team is playing on has become a little bit more confusing since MLB announced plans to produce and distribute broadcasts for nearly a third of the league.

We’re here to help. Here’s everything you need to know Friday as the New York Mets visit the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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See USA TODAY’s sortable MLB schedule to filter by team or division.

What time is New York Mets vs Arizona Diamondbacks?

First pitch between the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets is scheduled for 9:40 p.m. (ET) on Friday, May 8.

How to watch New York Mets vs Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday

All times Eastern and accurate as of Friday, May 8, 2026, at 6:33 a.m.

  • Matchup: NYM at ARI
  • Date: Friday, May 8
  • Time: 9:40 p.m. (ET)
  • Venue: Chase Field
  • Location: Phoenix, Arizona
  • TV: DBACKS.TV and WPIX – PIX 11
  • Streaming: MLB.TV on Fubo

Watch MLB all season long with Fubo

MLB regional blackout restrictions apply

MLB scores, results

MLB scores for May 8 games are available on usatoday.com . Here’s how to access today’s results:

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See scores, results for all of today’s games.



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New Arizona State coach Randy Bennett ‘catching my stride’ after health issue arose in March

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New Arizona State coach Randy Bennett ‘catching my stride’ after health issue arose in March


TEMPE, Ariz. — Randy Bennett on Thursday shed light on the health situation that delayed his start as Arizona State’s new men’s basketball coach for several weeks. Although Bennett did not disclose the exact details of his condition, he made clear it was serious and expressed appreciation for those involved in his recovery.

“Thank God for Mayo Clinic,” Bennett said. “I don’t know where I’d be without them.”

Arizona State hired Bennett on March 23, but the 63-year-old coach started feeling ill shortly after his arrival to the Phoenix area. After meeting with the team, Bennett left work early. The next morning a program trainer took him to Mayo Clinic, where he stayed for 10 days.

“Threw me off a little,” Bennett said at Thursday’s official introduction, nearly six weeks after the first event had been scheduled, which Bennett jokingly referred to as a “pump fake.”

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“But the last thing I needed to be doing was stressing out about the (transfer) portal or the job,” said Bennett, crediting his staff for leading the transition in his absence. “But now I’m catching my stride and am able to work longer days. We’ve gotten a lot done in five weeks. I feel good now.”

This is a homecoming of sorts for Bennett. The son of legendary high school and junior college coach Tom Bennett, he grew up in nearby Mesa, Ariz., at a time when stars such as Lafayette Lever and Alton Lister had the Arizona State program rolling. Over 25 years at Saint Mary’s, where he led the Gaels to 12 NCAA Tournaments, Bennett said he always had Arizona State in the back of his mind as a future destination.

Bennett, who is known for his work ethic, said he did not consider retirement because of the health scare. He said it was a blessing that the Mayo staff caught the undisclosed issue early. Then he had to deal with the recovery process, which initially left him powerless to start rebuilding Arizona State’s roster.

“Hard,’’ Bennett said, describing the hospital stretch. “You just got this job. You want to get going. You want to start building. You feel a sense of urgency that you need to be in the office. But it just wasn’t going to happen. It was tough.”

Once Bennett returned to work, he joined his staff and helped rebuild the Sun Devils, which had missed six of the last seven NCAA Tournaments under previous coach Bobby Hurley. Among their portal additions: Saint Mary’s forward Paulius Murauskas (18.4 points per game in 2025-26), Portland guard Joel Foxwell (15.6), Boston University forward Ben Defty (15.1) and Saint Mary’s guard Dillan Shaw (7.5).

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There are still issues to resolve. The Arizona Board of Regents in April approved Bennett’s contract, which starts at $3.5 million and runs five years. The Arizona Republic reported this week that Bennett had not signed it, but athletic director Graham Rossini said Thursday the parties were simply working through the “legal red lines” and suggested Bennett’s signature was simply a formality.

Rossini also said Bennett has no physical limitations the rest of the summer. However, Bennett admitted he needed to do a better job of taking care of himself.

“We’re resourced a lot better here,” he said. “I mean, this program is powerful. I think all that helps. I don’t want to say it’s easier — it’s definitely not easier because of the league (Big 12) you’re in — but it’s resourced better. And I think I can do a better job as far as managing my time and days.”



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