Daniel Williams, best known as the original drummer for The Devil Wears Prada and later a rising figure in the tech world, was killed in a plane crash outside San Diego on May 20. He was 39.
Daniel Williams grew up in Dayton, Ohio, where he first got hooked on drumming as a teenager. What started as a hobby quickly turned into something bigger. By his early twenties, he was playing packed shows with a band that would go on to help define an entire genre. With Williams behind the kit, The Devil Wears Prada became a staple of the mid-2000s metalcore scene: fast, aggressive, and sharply melodic. Fans knew his playing instantly: tight double-kick work, rapid-fire fills, and a sense of timing that pushed every track forward.
Daniel Williams stayed with the band for more than a decade, performing on several of their best-known records and touring around the world. But in 2016, at what seemed like the height of his music career, he stepped away. It wasn’t a dramatic split. Williams simply wanted to try something different.
He moved into tech, first at GoPro and later at Apple. People who worked with him there describe someone driven but humble, quietly focused on building skills and getting the job done. He didn’t lead with the fact that he had once played major festivals and been featured in music magazines. In fact, many of his coworkers didn’t know anything about his musical past until much later.
The fatal flight occurred as the Cessna Citation II approached Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport under foggy skies. The aircraft clipped power lines during descent and crashed into a residential neighborhood, sparking fires. Everyone on board was killed, including well-known music agent Dave Shapiro. The cause remains under investigation.
Daniel Williams had shared photos from the plane on social media earlier that day, smiling and relaxed. It wasn’t unusual for him: he liked documenting simple moments. His fiancée, Hannah Ray, later posted that May 20 marked 14 years since they began dating. That detail made the tragedy feel even heavier to those who knew the couple.
In the days that followed, tributes poured in. Fellow musicians recalled his raw talent and stage presence. Fans reposted old videos, remembering the adrenaline of live shows and the way his drumming hit just right. Friends in tech talked about his curiosity and kindness. He left his mark in more than one world, and on more than one kind of person.
Daniel Williams never made a show of his talent. He was thoughtful, focused, and quietly brilliant. He leaves behind a legacy that spans music and innovation, proof that a person can live many lives in just one.
He is survived by Hannah, his family, and a wide circle of friends, fans, and colleagues who will miss him deeply.