SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Nearly a year and a half after a business jet crashed into a military housing neighborhood in Murphy Canyon, killing all six people aboard, a memorial now stands near the site to honor the lives lost.
The memorial bench was installed last Thursday near the Armed Services YMCA, close to where a Cessna Citation II struck power lines and a light pole before crashing into the neighborhood in May 2025.
“This bench is dedicated as a lasting memorial,” Maddie Goff said, reading from the inscription during her second visit to the bench since it was installed.
Goff said having a dedicated place to remember those lost has brought her a sense of comfort.
“I do feel more at peace,” Goff said. “I think it’s nice to have a designated place to sit, and reflect and remember them.”
ABC 10News first spoke with Goff in May, on the one-year anniversary of the crash. Her close friend, Emma Huke, was among the six people killed.
Huke, a booking associate for Sound Talent Group, was returning home on a flight from New Jersey when the Cessna jet, piloted by company co-founder Dave Shapiro, crashed into the military neighborhood in the middle of the night.
The crash damaged more than 10 homes and left about eight people on the ground injured. All six people aboard the aircraft were killed.
Over the past year and a half, family members of the victims have visited the area, leaving flowers in and around the neighborhood.
“We didn’t really have a place to go,” said Goff.
Liberty Military Housing installed the memorial bench Thursday with input from the victims’ loved ones.
“It’s nice to have a spot you can go and visit her,” Goff said.
Huke’s parents, who visited the bench over the weekend, said in a statement, “May this peaceful symbol bring some comfort.”
Allison Garner, military relations director for the Armed Services YMCA, said the bench provides a place not only for the victims’ families, but also for the community that experienced the crash.
“It gives a natural place for families to sit, reflect and remember their family, and also for the community members impacted that day,” Garner said. “It gives them a spot also.”
While the bench provides a permanent place to reflect, other efforts are continuing in memory of those lost.
Tuesday, Huke’s birthday, has been declared “Bee Kind Day” by her family. They also started a nonprofit with a goal of encouraging random acts of kindness in her honor.
Here is the complete statement from Allison and Tim Huke:
“On Thursday, November 5th, the military installed a memorial bench in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood to honor those lost in the tragic May 22, 2025 plane crash: Emma Huke, Kendall Fortner, Celina Kenyon, Daniel Williams, Dominic Damian and Dave Shapiro.
We want to thank the military housing team in Murphy Canyon for partnering with us on this thoughtful, lasting tribute to those lost that day.
We hope the bench offers family, friends and members of the Murphys Canyon community a place to sit, reflect and connect with their loved ones, and a spot to leave flowers, candles and keepsakes.
May this peaceful symbol bring some comfort to everyone who knew and loved Emma and her colleagues as they grieve together.
It is extra special to our family that this dedication falls during the same week as Emma's National Bee Kind Day, a day to encourage random acts of kindness, to honor Emma on her birthday this Tuesday, November 10th.
To learn more about The Bee Kind Project and National Bee Kind Day, please visit beekindproject.com (http://beekindproject.com/)."
This story was created in part with the use of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and edited by ABC 10News journalists.
