This is a long story but has a great ending and it really made my day.
The next day I received a phone call from the owner (the phone number that we had called was a buddy of his and had relayed the message him) who was very happy that we had found it. He described the camera and the rental car that we had which verified ownership. He was more worried about the memory card with the pictures of his family on them then he was the camera.
Maybe its corny, but I do believe that no good deed goes unrewarded. Maybe not immediately, but it does happen.