Many people knew Daniel Williams as the original drummer for The Devil Wears Prada and he died on May 22, 2025, in a horrific plane crash near San Diego
The crash occurred around 3:47 a.m. when the small Cessna 550 abruptly crashed into the Murphy Canyon neighborhood, igniting cars and homes, and injuring eight people on the ground.
Who is Daniel Williams as ex-The Devil Wears Prada drummer dies in Cessna 500 San Diego plane crash accident
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A Cessna 550 crashed in San Diego's Murphy Canyon on May 22, killing at least three, including music agent Dave Shapiro and ex-drummer Daniel Williams. #Plane_CrashDense fog may have contributed; the plane hit a power line, igniting 15 homes.
Six were onboard; total… https://t.co/OMGAcSLmXQ pic.twitter.com/awfeH6KlDS
— GeoTechWar (@geotechwar) May 23, 2025
The private jet was en route to Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport when it lost power before dawn and crashed into homes, sparking a blaze that engulfed buildings and vehicles. No official cause of crash has been determined as of yet.
The private jet from Teterboro, New Jersey crashed into a San Diego neighborhood housing military families at around 3:45 a.m. Thursday after it hit a power line in foggy weather, according to the National Transportation Safety Board, before slamming into a house on the ground, setting it ablaze.
Age 42 Dave Shapiro, co-founder of Sound Talent Group and age 39 Daniel Williams, former drummer for metal band The Devil Wears Prada, were named as the victims. At least two other STG employees died in the wreck.
There were six people on board and although the others have yet to be named, all are presumed to be dead.
"I'M THE CO-PILOT NOW."
Daniel Williams, former drummer of the hugely-popular Christian metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada, is feared to have died in the private jet crash in San Diego.
In his final posts, he shared a photo of himself at the planes controls saying "here we… pic.twitter.com/Yx6r15vnDs
— HustleBitch (@HustleBitch_) May 22, 2025
Daniel Williams shared images from the flight’s cockpit just hours before the tragedy, providing a window into his last moments. In addition to playing a significant role in the metalcore scene, he had lately undergone a significant career change outside of the music business.
Just prior to the crash Williams had posted a photo of himself online in the copilot’s seat of the small plane, with the caption “Hey … look at me … I’m the (co) pilot now.” However, his father, Larry Williams told TMZ that his son did not have a pilot’s license.
Around 4 a.m., Williams and famed talent agent Dave Shapiro were on board a Cessna 550 that crashed in a San Diego suburb of US Navy housing.
The collision injured several persons on the ground and put one house on fire. Williams’ family is certain that he did not survive, even if the exact number of casualties is still unknown.
Williams uploaded a number of pictures from the aircraft on his Instagram Stories prior to his passing.
Daniel Williams, the original drummer of metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada, has been confirmed dead following a fatal plane crash in San Diego on the morning of May 22. He was aboard a private Cessna 550 jet that went down in a residential military housing area near… pic.twitter.com/MnpQgyt6oR
— Rock Feed 🎸 (@RockFeedNet) May 22, 2025
Daniel Williams is reported to have survived a mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio, years before he purportedly perished in the San Diego crash. In 2019, a shooter opened fire close to the Ned Peppers bar, leaving nine people officially dead and 27 injured.
For years, age 39 Daniel Williams had been a member of the Christian metal-core band from Ohio. He had a significant impact on the group’s success at the time, as evidenced by the fact that the group’s “Dead Throne” (2011) and “Zombie” EP (2010) both peaked in the Top 10 on the all-genre Billboard 200 albums chart.
The Devil Wears Prada was founded in 2005, twenty years ago. Before leaving the band in 2016, Williams was a member for more than ten years. The Christian metal band also achieved two No. 1s on the Top Hard Rock Albums list under Daniel’s leadership: the 2009 EP “With Roots Above and Branches Below” and the 2010 EP “Zombie.”
For many people who grew up listening to The Devil Wears Prada’s music, Daniel Williams’ untimely death signals the end of an era and ends what was undoubtedly a bright new beginning in technology. Those who knew and loved Williams remember him not only for his skill behind the drums but also for the enthusiasm, drive, and inventiveness he brought to every stage of his life, even as the crash investigation continues.