Texans Killed in New Mexico Plane Crash

Four people with ties to Northeast Texas have died in a plane crash in New Mexico.

State police say the pilot was 33-year-old Pilot John Verhalen III of Scottsville, Texas, his girlfriend 26-year-old Jennifer Woodward, his sister 41-year-old Sarah Verhalen and her 13-year-old daughter Chloe Jameson all died in the crash near Angel Fire, New Mexico.

The plane went down as it was taking off on Sunday afternoon. High winds at the time of the crash might have played a part in the crash. St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Marshall, Texas held a prayer vigil last night to remember the victims.

"It's hard to take when you lose your whole family. Philip (John's father) had two children and a granddaughter and they were all in that plane so its, I don't know how you take that" Charles Reeves, a family member, tells KLTV Television.