The fiery, early morning plane crash that tore through a Murphy Canyon neighborhood Thursday cut short the lives of six men and women — from a seasoned music executive and drummer to an award-winning martial artist and an accomplished photographer.
As federal authorities continue to piece together the factors that may have contributed to the deadly crash in the military housing community, more is becoming known about the individuals who were aboard the small corporate jet that clipped a power transmission line and slammed into the residential street.
Some of those who perished in the crash already had accomplished much in their still young lives, while others were just getting started, excited about what was to come in their chosen pursuits.
Among the victims was David Shapiro, a 42-year-old music agent and certified pilot, who owned the company to which the Cessna 550 Citation II was registered. Authorities have yet to confirm if he was the pilot.
The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office has so far identified five of the six victims, ranging in age from 25 to 42.
Six presumed dead when small plane crashes into military homes in Murphy Canyon neighborhood
Here is what we have learned about those who were on board the plane, based on interviews with family members, friends, and colleagues, as well as official statements and social media posts.
David Shapiro, 42
Co-founder of the El Cajon-based music agency Sound Talent Group, Shapiro started his musical career as a drummer and later became an agent, which he did for more than 20 years, including a stint at United Talent Agency before he and his partners launched Sound Talent in 2018, according to information provided by the company.
“Dave’s superpower was his ability to recognize new talent, work with their unique skills and sound, and give them the counsel and resources to make a living in the music industry,” wrote a spokesperson for the Sound Talent Group. “Some of your favorite bands wouldn’t be on your playlists right now without Dave.”
Nate Blasdell, the former guitarist of Florida band I Set My Friends on Fire but now an agent, said Shapiro was the first booking agent he ever worked with as a musician and credited him with helping get his post-hardcore band get off the ground.
“He was truly the best in the game and one of the most respected people in the industry,” Blasdell told the Union-Tribune. “I was blessed to have had the chance to work with and get to know someone so iconic.”
While music was his passion, so too were planes. Shapiro said in a podcast interview that he became instantly hooked on aviation after taking his first intro flight at age 22, the Associated Press reported.
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Emma Lynn Huke, 25
Huke, who joined Sound Talent Group last year as a booking associate, grew up in Orange County and was a 2022 graduate of the University of Oregon, according to the statement provided by the firm.
She was described as smart and organized, having helped the agency plan and promote some of its biggest tours. While a fan of all music genres, Huke’s favorite artists she enjoyed seeing live were Taylor Swift and The 1975.
“There was nothing Emma loved more than live music,” a spokesperson for Sound Talent said. “She worked hard to save up money so she could travel to concerts and festivals.”
Her mother, Allison Huke, told the Union-Tribune on Saturday that her daughter was “the light of our life and just a beautiful, bright light in the world. And the world is a little less bright now.”
Kendall Fortner, 24
Fortner went to work for the company as a booking associate soon after graduating from San Diego State University in 2021.
Born in Glendale and raised in Santa Clarita, Fortner became enamored with music as a young girl, accompanying her father to concerts, according to the statement. She later taught herself to play a variety of instruments, including piano and guitar.
“As early as her teenage years, Kendall had shown an interest in working on the business side of music, and the job at STG was a perfect fit that showcased her work ethic and ability to plan tours and festivals nationwide,” the company’s spokesperson said. “Fiercely independent and strong-willed, Kendall was the life of the party and lit up any room she entered.”
Dominic Christopher Damian, 41
A San Diego resident, Damian was among those confirmed by the medical examiner’s office as having died in the plane crash. A devoted martial artist skilled in jiu-jitsu, Damian had only recently opened his own jiu-jitsu school, fulfilling a long-held dream, said his trainer, Baret Yoshida.
“It was a far-fetched dream in the beginning, becoming a black belt and having his own school,” said Yoshida, his longtime friend who trained with him at The Training Center in Pacific Beach, which will have a memorial for Damian on Monday. “It was a goal and I’m happy that even for just a little bit he was able to do that.”
Yoshida describes Damian as a very smart, engaging individual who had advanced quickly in the world of martial arts.
“I trained with him since 2007, and he had a great aptitude for jiu-jitsu,” Yoshida said. “I remember early on when he was a white belt, he went to a tournament and really cleaned up, and I realized he was really special. He won a silver and bronze in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation world championship.”
Damian, he said, was a longtime friend of Shapiro and had brought the music agent to the gym to meet him. According to Damian’s LinkedIn page, he worked as a senior software engineer for a fantasy sports platform.
Celina Marie Rose Kenyon, 36
Kenyon lived in Carlsbad and was a professional photographer, according to a statement from her family, who said they were “devastated beyond words” by her loss.
In the statement provided by Kenyon’s father, Bryan Feldman, the family said she had taken the private plane over a commercial flight in hopes of getting home in time to take her daughter to school Thursday.
“Family is everything to” Kenyon, the statement said, describing her as an “amazing mother, daughter, sister, granddaughter, partner and friend.”
Daniel Williams
A former drummer for Ohio metal band The Devil Wears Prada up until 2016, Williams had posted several Instagram stories in the hours before the crash showing the plane as well as him in the co-pilot seat next to Shapiro.
He became a software engineer after leaving the music industry, working at GoPro in San Diego for the last seven years, his LinkedIn profile said. In addition to being a well-known drummer and software developer, he made news in 2019 when he survived a mass shooting in Dayton at the Ned Peppers bar that killed nine people and wounded 17 others.
The Devil Wears Prada fan groups posted tributes to Williams, who was one of the founding members of the band. It was formed in 2005, named after the novel “The Devil Wears Prada,” and predated the 2006 movie.
Williams’ death has yet to be confirmed by officials, but the band posted a tribute on its Instagram page to their former band member.
“No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever,” the band wrote.
Staff writers Teri Figueroa, Alex Riggins and Phillip Molnar contributed to this story.
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