Daniel Williams

Daniel Williams (December 12, 1985 – May 22, 2025) was an American musician best known as the drummer and co-founder of the metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada. He performed with the musical group from its inception in 2005 until his departure in the summer of 2016. He died in a plane crash on May 22, 2025.

Life and career Daniel Williams was born on December 12, 1985, and grew up in Dayton, Ohio. He began playing drums in the sixth grade, starting with the snare drum in his school music class. He continued through high school, eventually joining a punk band with friends.

In 2012, he performed with the band on their debut live album, Dead & Alive. The album was recorded on December 14, 2011, during the band's Dead Throne Tour at The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Williams left the band in 2016. Following his departure, he began working in the tech industry, including serving as a senior software architect at GoPro and had recently accepted a role at Apple Inc. shortly before his death.

Death

On May 22, 2025, Williams died in a plane crash in San Diego, California. He was aboard a Cessna 550 Citation II jet that crashed into the Murphy Canyon neighborhood near Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport at approximately 3:45 a.m. local time. The aircraft, piloted by music agent Dave Shapiro, was en route from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, with a fuel stop in Wichita, Kansas, before its intended arrival in San Diego.

According to his father, Larry Williams, his son was among the victims of the crash. The incident resulted in a fire that affected part of a residential neighborhood consisting of U.S. Navy-owned housing.

Hours before the crash, Williams shared photos from inside the cockpit on his Instagram account, captioning one with "Here we gooooo." Following the incident, The Devil Wears Prada paid tribute to Williams on social media, stating, "No words. We owe you everything. Love you forever."

Artistry Early in his career, Williams was influenced by bands such as Underoath and blink-182, with Travis Barker's drumming style impacting his own. He preferred a minimalist drum setup, believing that "less is more", and utilized high-set cymbals for visual effect, a choice inspired by Barker. He also cited Dave Lombardo of Slayer and Joey Jordison of Slipknot as major influences on his drumming style.

During the recording of the album Dead Throne (2011), Williams worked closely with producer Adam Dutkiewicz of Killswitch Engage. Dutkiewicz challenged Williams by having him play songs repeatedly to achieve perfection, pushing him to refine his drumming technique.

Personal life Williams expressed interests outside of his music career, including surfing, snorkeling, motorcycling, and reading comics. He also described himself as engaging in "nerdy" hobbies such as playing video games and attempting to get into rock climbing. Williams later stated on social media that he had been on the back patio of the bar when the shooting began. Believing initially that the gunfire was coming from outside, he and others reentered the building to seek cover. The incident resulted in nine fatalities and at least 26 injuries.

Williams was in a relationship with a content creator, Hannah Ray, for 14 years — from May 22, 2011, until his death on May 22, 2025.

Discography With The Devil Wears Prada Studio albums Dear Love: A Beautiful Discord (2006) Plagues (2007) With Roots Above and Branches Below (2009) Dead Throne (2011) 8:18 (2013)

EPs Zombie (2010) Space (2015)

Live albums Dead & Alive (2012)