Body found four miles downstream

Floodwaters reached heights of up to 10 feet in the wash where a truck was swept away. That surge of water carried the vehicle and its occupant, 63-year-old Benny Sutton Jr., more than four miles to Lake Pleasant.

The incident occurred on Sunday night as Sutton drove to his job at Castle Hot Springs. His disappearance triggered a multi-day search effort by the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office. Deputies and rescue crews combed through miles of desert terrain surrounding the resort. Lieutenant Charles Owens stated that the search involved ground teams, dog units, and aerial assets. Crews searched from Castle Hot Springs down to Lake Pleasant.

On Friday, authorities confirmed the end of the search. Deputies located Sutton's body at Lake Pleasant. The discovery site was approximately four miles downstream from where his truck was first found. Owens noted that the search teams covered the entire stretch between the resort and the lake.

Sutton worked as a maintenance and construction figure at the resort. Kevin Maguire, managing director at Castle Hot Springs, described Sutton as a friend who helped everyone. Maguire said Sutton built structures across the property, including the spa cabanas and the archery and axe throwing range. "He built those," Maguire said regarding the cabanas. "So his legacy will live on from every inch of this property."

The resort staff expressed gratitude for the closure the search provided to Sutton's family. Maguire noted that Sutton turned people's ideas into reality. The search effort included ground pounders and teams moving through brush. The body was recovered in the water body at the bottom of the wash system.

The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office confirmed the death on Friday. The search concluded after finding the body at the lake. Sutton's work remains on the property, from the hot springs to the archery range. Maguire said, "When you walk into a room you realize Benny built it."