Edy Gutierrez Mejia had just arrived in LA when news helicopter crash killed him
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Edy Gutierrez Mejia had traveled from Guatemala to Los Angeles for a short business trip, but his plans ended in tragedy just hours after he arrived. The 29-year-old was killed on the ground when a news helicopter crashed in Chatsworth on Tuesday, September 15.
Mejia was identified as the third victim in the crash, alongside KNBC reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw.
The third victim killed in the tragic Los Angeles news chopper crash has been identified as 29-year-old Edy Gutierrez Mejia.
— Scott M (@EODWX5) September 16, 2026
Mejia was on the ground when the helicopter fell out of the sky, also killing NBC reporter Eliana Moreno and helicopter pilot George Marciniw. pic.twitter.com/MWJimiesw9
Edy Gutierrez Mejia was in LA for a short business trip
His family said he had arrived from Guatemala earlier that day and planned to stay in LA for only two days to purchase cars for business purposes. Mejia, who was from Cuilapa, Guatemala, was standing near a car at a local storage facility when the helicopter crashed.
"He was very playful, he liked to tell jokes and make people laugh," his family told KMEX in Spanish.
His friend Daniel Castillo remembered Mejia as someone who was always willing to help others.
"He was a cheerful person, someone who was always there for those who needed him," Castillo said. "He was always a dynamic, hardworking young man, and today we sadly woke up to the sad news of his passing in this accident that occurred in the US."
Mejia's hometown of Cuilapa also shared a photo of him on social media while offering condolences to his family.
Cuilapa remembers Edy Gutierrez Mejia after LA crash
The Municipality of Cuilapa and its mayor mourned Mejia's death in a statement shared after the crash.
The statement referred to him by his nickname, "Pichi," and offered prayers for his family.
"The Municipality of Cuilapa and the Mayor, Mrs. Alcaldesa, mourn the tragic passing of the young man Edy Fernando Gutiérrez Mejia, better known as 'Pichi,' whose soul has now rest in peace," the statement read in Spanish.
"We offer our prayers for eternal rest and ask our Lord God to grant the family much patience during these moments of sorrow," it added.
Eliana Moreno and George Marciniw also died in news helicopter crash
The news helicopter went down between two commercial buildings at 9151 N. Mason Ave. in Chatsworth, about 25 miles from downtown LA.
The FAA said in a preliminary statement that a Eurocopter AS350 crashed in Chatsworth around 8 pm local time on Tuesday, and that two people were on board.
The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation.
KNBC confirmed the deaths of Moreno and Marciniw soon after the crash.
"We're coming on the air with heavy hearts tonight because we lost valued friends and colleagues just before 7 pm," anchors Colleen Williams and Carolyn Johnson said while confirming the deaths of their colleagues.
Johnson explained that Moreno had earned degrees in broadcast journalism and political science from Chapman University and had been flying in news helicopters since 2010.
Marciniw grew up in Southern California and graduated from Burbank High School in 1974.
"They began flying together in 2023," Johnson said.
Eliana Moreno and George Marciniw's KNBC colleague remembers them after fatal crash
One day after the crash, KNBC co-anchor and reporter Lynette Romero addressed the tragedy on the 'Today' show.
"We are heartbroken," Romero said of the team. "We share our lives together. We cover tragedies and we cover triumphs. So Eliana and George were a really important part of that."
The helicopter had been covering a fatal bus crash that killed two people and injured six others when it went down.
The Los Angeles Police Department later announced that a woman had been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the bus crash, though she had not been charged.
