© 2026 ABC News

\"American Idol\" judge Katy Perry reacted to the news in the comments, writing, \"I love you Willie… purest soul. Sing with the angels my darling.\"

Chayce Beckham, who won against Spence on season 19, shared a lengthy tribute to his Instagram, writing, \"It's hard to find the words to say here, other than I loved Willie very much. He was a good sweet soul, and a warm beam of light in a cold and dark world that needed him so much.\"

\"I think Willie had a voice that God gave him specifically to spread his message, when Willie sang gospel it could make you cry,\" he continued. \"Willie also had a laugh that could make you melt, an honest humor you couldn't help but love, and the biggest heart you could imagine all wrapped up into one human. His larger than life energy was infectious and I loved being around him.\"

Beckham ended his post by sending thoughts and prayers to Spence's family, friends and fans, writing, \"I can't wait to sing with you in Paradise, where I know I'll see you again. Rest In Peace brother.\"

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/american-idol-runner-willie-spence-dies-car-crash/story?id=91392270","legacySlug":"/culture/story/american-idol-runner-willie-spence-dies-car-crash-91392270","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"17:54","publishDate":"10-12-2022","updatedTime":"09:54","updatedDate":"10-13-2022","socialImage":{"alt":"Willie Spence on \"American Idol.\"","credit":"Eric Mccandless/ABC via Getty Images","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/spence-gty-er-221012_1665595434970_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"10/12/2022 17:54:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":91392270,"headline":"'American Idol' runner-up dies in car crash at 23","mediaAssetTitle":"GMA WILLIE SPENCE","description":"Spence came in second on \"American Idol\" season 19 against Chayce Beckham.","duration":"0:43","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2022/10/221013_wnn_spence_death_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["136644484","136522197","136167797"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"September 22, 2026","headline":"Attorney for man shot in ICE confrontation speaks out","section":"News","slug":"/video/136644484","id":"136644484","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Attorney for man shot in ICE confrontation speaks out","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Attorney for man shot in ICE confrontation speaks out","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260922_gma_thomas_ice1_710_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"September 17, 2026","headline":"Travis Kelce victimized by Ponzi scheme, prosecutor says","section":"News","slug":"/video/136522197","id":"136522197","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Travis Kelce victimized by Ponzi scheme, prosecutor says","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Travis Kelce victimized by Ponzi scheme, prosecutor says","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260917_gma_katersky1_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"September 3, 2026","headline":"Staffer injured, gunman dead in shooting at VA elementary school ","section":"News","slug":"/video/136167797","id":"136167797","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Thomas VA. Shooting","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Thomas VA. Shooting","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"'American Idol' runner-up dies in car crash at 23","description":"Spence came in second on \"American Idol\" season 19 against Chayce Beckham.","duration":"0:43","uploadDate":"10-12-2022","publication":"10-12-2022","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2022/10/221013_wnn_spence_death_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2022/10/221013_wnn_spence_death_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/american-idol-runner-willie-spence-dies-car-crash-91392270"}},"playlist":[{"id":"136694294","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136682772","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136631130","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136644492","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136623234","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136614308","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136605272","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136553132","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136553226","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136557362","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136480407","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136499152","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136340119","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136351654","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136345786","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136309285","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136312798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136301180","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136298965","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136281904","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:culture:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"culture","title":"'American Idol' runner-up dies in car crash at 23","pubTime":"13:54","pubDate":"10-12-2022","modTime":"05:54","modDate":"10-13-2022","taxonomyTags":"none","id":91392270,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"'American Idol' runner-up dies in car crash at 23","mediaAssetTitle":"GMA WILLIE SPENCE","videoId":91392270,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/culture/story/american-idol-runner-willie-spence-dies-car-crash-91392270"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/91392270","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/91392270","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};