Staff Report
The daughter in law and granddaughter of Santa Ynez Valley natives Randy and Cathy Chester, were listed as two of the nine people killed in the helicopter crash Sunday morning near Calabasas.
Sarah Chester with her daughter Payton Chester were listed in news reports and confirmed by the Chester family.
Randy and Cathy Chester both graduated from Santa Ynez Valley Union High School and kept in contact with many valley residents who reached out to the Star to notice the connection in this terrible tragedy and said they were devastated.
The crash made international headlines as also killed in the crash was retired NBA star Kobe Bryant, who had been traveling with eight other people including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna in his private helicopter at the time.
All of them died in the crash, which took place in dangerously foggy conditions, multiple media outlets wrote.
The group had been en route to the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, where Bryant coached his daughter Gianna and other teammates.
The Star expresses condolences to the Chester family and all those affected by the crash. If there is a GoFundMe or a charity the Chester family wishes to support in memory of their loved ones we will update this story.
Check back for updates.
