Hobbes, the party of three included a woman. At 8:20 AM (gps track point), they were on the trail between Consultation and Trail Camp, elev. ~11,900. They parted near there.
So you climbed to Trail Crest ahead of the lone hiker, but you would have crossed paths with him either at the summit, or on your way back. (you wrote, "except for one other person near the needles". Did you happen to get a picture of the summit register?
Anyone coming up the traverse route from the Notch would have definitely spoken about the two ice axes lying on the snow -- they were right by the traverse route. They might have descended behind the fallen hiker, as his fall likely occurred Saturday around noon.
