Baylor student dies in plane crash

Lariat File Photo

Bruni sophomore Robert Christopher Marshall died Thursday in a plane crash in Laredo.

Baylor University sent a campus-wide email statement Monday announcing Marshall’s death. According to the email, Marshall transferred to Baylor this spring semester and studied aviation sciences. The statement said the Office of Spiritual Life, Counseling Center and aviation sciences faculty will assist Marshall’s classmates and friends this week.

The email said services are not scheduled at this time, but urged in the meantime to “please continue to keep Robert’s parents, family, friends and his fellow aviation sciences students, faculty and staff in your thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time.”

The aircraft crashed at Laredo International Airport in South Texas, according to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. Laredo Morning Times said both people on board, Marshall and Dr. Kelle David Hein, preacher at the Family Baptist Church in Laredo, were pronounced dead at the scene.

San Antonio Express-News reported that the Laredo police and fire departments were notified of a downed plane at 10:39 a.m. Thursday. They also said smoke was reported to be coming from the left engine as the twin-engine Piper PA-31 attempted to land.

Robert R. and Amy Marshall, parents of Robert C. Marshall, are the registered owners of the plane and Robert R. Marshall is the CEO and president of Marshall Aviation, which provides on-demand passenger and freight services, according to San Antonio Express-News.

San Antonio Express-News said the National Transportation Safety Board will be leading the investigation.