Late at night, a small private jet lifted off into the sky — sleek, silent, and bound for the West Coast. Just hours later, it would be engulfed in flames.

Onboard were two men, both tied to the music industry. One of them, known to fans across the world, shared eerie photos from inside the cockpit shortly before takeoff.

In one of the final images, he smiled from behind the controls of the plane, captioning it with a playful but haunting phrase: “Here we gooooo.”
What no one knew then — not even those closest to him — was that this would be his final post.

It’s now been confirmed that Daniel Williams, former drummer of the Christian metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada, was one of the two victims killed in the San Diego-area jet crash early Thursday morning. He was 39.

Williams, who had transitioned to a career in software engineering after leaving the band in 2016, was flying alongside music agent and pilot Dave Shapiro, who had purchased the aircraft just last year.

The Cessna 550 departed from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, made a fuel stop in Kansas, and was nearing its destination at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego when it crashed into a military housing neighborhood.

Tributes quickly poured in from across the music world. Friends, fans, and fellow artists remembered both men for their impact, energy, and kindness. “Daniel left us a lot of music to remember him by,” said one close friend. “He was a super sweet guy.”

Shapiro, a veteran music agent and co-founder of Sound Talent Group, was remembered by colleagues as a “life-changer” for many artists. Three employees from his company were reportedly onboard the jet.

Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the crash. At this time, it is believed everyone on board perished.