Felipe Plascencia, a 53-year-old resident of Whittier, was also a nationally recognized figure in DUI cases in the latter half of his career.
[Ads /]
Defenders and prosecutors throughout Southern California honored him Monday night on social media, praising him as a relentless advocate and beloved mentor.
In one photo, Plascencia is seen with fellow attorney Marina Villavicencio, of Yorba Linda, who was also killed in the crash on Thursday night.
[Ads /]
The third victim was identified as Ruben Piranian, a resident of Granada Hills.
The twin-engine Beechcraft was reported overdue Thursday on a flight from San Luis Obispo to Los Angeles.
Kern County authorities spotted the wreck on Saturday and retrieved the bodies over the weekend. Much of the wreckage was under about 5 feet of snow.
Federal investigators are trying to determine the cause of the crash.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.