Thread: AZ. Flight Attendant Murdered in Mexico

Mexico News: Valley Flight Attendant Murdered

Updated: Saturday, 29 Oct 2011, 9:40 PM MST
Published : Saturday, 29 Oct 2011, 4:35 PM MST

PHOENIX - A Phoenix flight attendant has been found dead in his Hilton hotel room in Mexico City.

Nick Aaronson, a US Airways flight attendant since 2006, was found dead Saturday morning. He had been in Mexico City on a layover.

The cause of his death is under investigation, but news outlets in Mexico are reporting that Aaronson may have been murdered.

Authorities in Mexico told news agencies there that Aaronson was found tied up, and his luggage was dumped all over his hotel room.

Those agencies said it appeared that Aaronson was strangled.

It is not believed that there is any risk to other members of the flight crew, but they have been moved to another hotel as a precaution.

“We don't know a lot,â€

Mexico City nabs man in US flight attendant death

Associated Press
Posted: 11/01/2011 07:56:33 AM MDT

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Police arrested a young man Monday for allegedly killing a US Airways flight attendant in his Mexico City hotel room and stealing his belongings and the safe deposit box.

Authorities said 20-year-old Jose Manuel Ramirez beat flight attendant Nick Aaronson and then strangled him with a belt. Police said the victim was 27, but other reports said he was 33.

Chief prosecutor Miguel Mancera said Ramirez and Aaronson arrived at the downtown Hilton early Friday and went to the room together. Mancera said the attack and theft happened shortly after that, but added that he did not know how much money was reportedly stolen and what was in the safe box.

Other US Airways flight attendants asked hotel employees to check Aaronson's room Saturday and his naked body was found lying on the floor, with his hands tied behind his back.

Mancera said Ramirez had a criminal record and had been released from a Mexico City prison in June. He said the suspect was identified after studying the hotel's surveillance videos.

When officers paraded Ramirez before journalists Monday, he told reporters that he had turned himself at the bar where authorities said he and Aaronson met.

Ramirez said with profane language that he only punched Aaronson twice but insisted he did not kill the victim. He claimed a 15-year-old friend was responsible for the slaying of Aaronson, who was based in Phoenix, Arizona.

Mancera said Ramirez will remain in custody of prosecutors before seeing a judge.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_19236912

Arrest Made in Death of Flight Attendant

By COLLEEN CURRY
Oct. 31, 2011

Police used hotel security cameras to identify and arrest a suspect in the murder of an American flight attendant who was found naked, bound with a belt and strangled in a Mexico City hotel room, his mother said.

Nicholas Aaronson, 27, of Phoenix, Ariz., was found dead in a hotel room early Saturday morning. His luggage was strewn about the room, and there was no sign of forced entry, according to a notice posted by Aaronson's union.

Aaronson's mother, Anita Aaronson, said she was alerted to an arrest on Sunday.

"The FBI called [other son] Jason at 2:30 a.m, and told him they have arrested Nick's killer," she wrote today on her Facebook page.

The mother told Phoenix news station KPHO that police had used surveillance video from the hotel to find and arrest the suspect.

"I wish they had the death penalty in Mexico. He took the bright light out of my life. He was only 27 and he had so much to live for and he was so charming and was just a really nice man," Anita Aaronson told the station.


VIDEO: US Airways' Nick Aaronson was found dead in Mexico City hotel room.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/flight-attende ... rA-LXLrq2U


The US Airways flight attendant was known as a popular, well-liked worker and a gay rights activist.

Anita Aaronson wrote on her Facebook page that Jason Aaronson was greeted by many of his brother's co-workers as he went through Phoenix airport en route to Mexico City to bring the body back to the U.S.

"Jason was in Phoenix airport tonight to get the plane to fly to Mexico and he said flight attendants were lining up to give him condolences for Nick," she wrote. "He had an escort of 4 people taking him through the airport and the flight attendants were coming from everywhere to hug him, what wonderful friends my boy had."

Deborah Volpe, president of Association of Flight Attendants Council 66, remembered Aaronson fondly.

"This is so difficult. We all worked with him, we all knew him. He was just in my office a week ago," Volpe said. "And it's that smile, we all knew his smile. He was a very compassionate individual."

Aaronson's coworkers organized a Nov. 10 memorial at the airport chapel in Phoenix.

Aaronson also worked with gay rights advocacy groups in Phoenix, where he participated in the NOH8 campaign by posing for a campaign photo.

Aaronson graduated Rio Salado College in Tempe, and began working for U.S. Airways in 2006.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/flight-attende ... rA-LXLrq2U[/img]