Jan. 28, 2020

Four people who died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas on Sunday have been identified, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner announced.

On the morning of Jan. 26, nine people were killed when the helicopter they were traveling in crashed along a Calabasas mountainside.

Over the span of two days, personnel from the department’s Special Operations Response Team (SORT) located and recovered the nine bodies from the extensive crash site.

Through the use of fingerprints, investigators identified three men and one woman who were on the aircraft.

John Altobelli, DOB: 5/8/63

Kobe Bryant, DOB: 8/23/78

Sarah Chester, DOB: 6/29/74

Ara Zobayan, DOB: 1/2/70

Investigators are still working on identifying the five remaining decedents.

The Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner will provide immediate updates on the names of the decedents as soon as they are officially verified and their next of kin have been notified.

Also, updates will be posted on the department's official Twitter page @lacountymec.

Any media inquiries about the crash can be sent to pio@coroner.lacounty.gov.

Media Contact:

Sarah Ardalani

Public Information Officer

(323) 343-0783

sardalani@coroner.lacounty.gov