County coroner identifies all 12 victims killed in Missouri plane crash
In a post on social media Tuesday afternoon, the Bates County Coroner’s Office posted a complete list of names of those who died in the Butler, Missouri, plane crash Sunday morning.
Jerret J. Reno, the county coroner, said his office identified the victims by using the “provided manifest” and next of kin notification. The names, he said, are currently just a list and “the proper authorities are still attempting to make absolute certain the deceased are positively identified.”
“While the investigation is still ongoing, and we work to reunite the deceased with their loved ones,” Reno said, “we feel comfortable that we have the identities of those twelve passengers on board the plane.”
The Star has already identified — and written about — nine of the 12 onboard the skydiving plane after talking with family and friends and reading tributes online.
The plane crash happened soon after takeoff at the Butler Memorial Airport and was reported about 11:27 a.m. Sunday. The airport is about an hour’s drive south of Kansas City.
The low-wing, single-engine turboprop plane was not able to make it to full power, according to officials with the Bates County Emergency Management Agency. It was turning left when it stalled near Interstate 49 Business — a local road that runs between Interstate 49 and the airport.
During a news briefing Monday afternoon, Michael Graham, vice chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, or NTSB, cautioned that it was too early to tell what led up to the crash.
The federal agency will release a preliminary report about its findings within 30 days, Graham said. The full investigation, which includes picking up evidence from the scene, could take 12 to 18 months, he said. Graham urged anyone with photos, videos or information about the crash to email the federal agency at witness@ntsb.gov.
Full list of victims’ names
Reno said his office waited to release the names to give friends and families time to reach out to extended relatives.
“We ask that you allow time and pray for everyone involved as this investigation will take months to complete and has touched people nationwide,” Reno said. “God bless you all.”
Here is the complete list from the Bates County Coroner’s office:
Kurt John Roy, 69, from Windber, Pennsylvania
Michael R. Shanahan, 54, Kansas City
David Hershberger, 54, Liberty
Sai Karthik Varma Datla, 24, from India
Matthew Swope, 39, Independence
Dustin McKinney, 44, Stilwell, Kansas
Jennifer L. Sharp, 55, Grand Junction, Colorado
Blake Thacker, 25, Olathe
Marcus Miller, 30, Lawrence
Nicholas Nash, 40, Harrisonville
William Fischer, 23, De Soto, Kansas
Dane Cordes, 26, Richmond, Missouri
The coroner said his office continues to work with local, state and federal agencies to investigate the deadly crash.
Eleven of the 12 onboard were skydivers and the pilot was also killed. Authorities have not yet identified who was piloting the plane.
According to Federal Aviation Administration online records, passenger Roy has an active commercial pilot certificate.
The Star’s Judy L. Thomas contributed to this report.
