The location of the co-pilot's body was ultimately called in from the ground, neighbors hearing the noise "flagged down" the authorities. So it must have been that he was first found, then his finding must have been connected to the search.
If you go by the FAA-to-911 call coordinates, they are off by over 2 miles. That would make for a large search area to find a body as most of it is undeveloped. Without the neighbor report, the search might have gone on for much longer.