Businessman Chris Sheafe, wife named in fatal Arizona plane crash

• 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.