Eliana Moreno, the helicopter reporter, was killed when her chopper crashed on September 15 while she was covering a vehicle accident in Chatsworth, LA. 

Published on: Sep 17, 2026, 11:01:38 IST

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Eliana Moreno's family has come into focus after she died in a helicopter crash when covering a vehicle accident in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, on September 15.

Moreno was on the NBC Los Angeles helicopter that crashed, killing three, including pilot George Marciniw and Edy Gutierrez Mejia, who was on the ground at the time. The vehicle crash Moreno was covering involved an SUV ramming into a Metro bus, killing two – Gage Weida, 31, and Daniel Castillo, 46. One Bailee Lynn Rios of Simi Valley has now been arrested over the fatal accident.

As many have mourned Moreno's loss, her family has come into focus, including her engagement to Robert Barrientos, with fans pointing out that Moreno's possible future life met a sudden and tragic end.

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One wrote “What gets me is that she had just entered a new chapter of her life. She had an engagement ring. She had someone waiting for her. She had a future she was planning. And then, in a matter of moments, everything changed." Another added “She and Robert were building a life together. Just a few months ago, in May, they even completed a half-marathon together. Eli wrote afterward about accomplishing something she once didn't think she could do and wondering what she would accomplish next.”

Here's all you need to know about Robert Barrientos and his engagement with Eliana Moreno.

Who is Robert Barrientos? Eliana Moreno's fiance

Barrientos and Moreno have been engaged since October 28, 2025, as per the late reporter's Facebook profile. Barrientos is from Lakewood, California, his profile indicates.

He lists one Virginia Ortiz as a family member. Going by his photos, Barrientos appears to have an interest in running, riding bikes, cycling, and riding horses. He and Moreno have a photo from 2024 on his profile, where the two are pictured with three adorable dogs.

Moreno had shared a video from her trip to Nashville, Tennessee, where she got engaged to Barrientos. “I will remember this trip to Tennessee for the rest of my life,” she had written.

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A post shared by Eliana Moreno (@eli_in_the_heli)

Eliana Moreno's family mourns loss

Moreno's brother, Johan Moreno, is a contributing writer for Forbes. He is currently based out of Brooklyn, New York, as per his profile. He paid a touching tribute to his sister Eliana Moreno, after her passing.

“RIP sis. I will love you to the end of time. My family and I just went through the worst day of our lives. We appreciate all the support and love. That being said, at this time, our family and her fiancé are not collecting monetary donations. Any online donation pages are not endorsed by our family. Thank you for your well wishes and understanding,” he wrote.

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