The pilot said there was a bar that Crooks could have grabbed about 6 feet above the ramp, but he never saw Crooks grab it before exiting the plane. The pilot turned the plane around to search for Crooks and notified air traffic control about Crooks' departure from the plane.
Whether this statement is hearsay, or a direct quote from the PIC, I find it to be highly suspect. For several miles prior to the location where the co-pilot is likely to have exited the aircraft; to several miles after that position, the aircraft heading never changed by more than roughly 30 degrees. I don't think the pilot ever "turned the plane around." The ADS-B data simply doesn't corroborate this statement.