Music Executive Dave Shapiro Among 6 Killed in San Diego Plane Crash
A fiery plane crash shattered the quiet of Murphy Canyon, a military housing community in San Diego, early Thursday morning. The Cessna 550 business jet struck power lines in heavy fog and exploded into flames just two miles from its destination, killing all six people aboard.
Among the victims was Dave Shapiro, 42, co-founder of Sound Talent Group and a respected figure in the music industry. Shapiro, also a licensed pilot and founder of flight school Velocity Aviation, had helped shape the careers of artists like Sum 41 and Vanessa Carlton. Former The Devil Wears Prada drummer Daniel Williams was also killed.
The crash left a quarter-mile trail of destruction — 10 homes damaged, cars ablaze, and over 100 residents forced to flee. The smell of jet fuel lingered as firefighters fought the blaze.
The FAA and NTSB are investigating. The jet had originated in New Jersey, stopped in Kansas, and was on final approach to San Diego when the crash occurred. Visibility was extremely poor.
Sound Talent Group mourned Shapiro as a visionary leader. He leaves behind a legacy of passion — in music and in flight — and a grieving community of artists, aviators, and loved ones.
