Court upgrades criminal charges in Santo Domingo nightclub collapse case
Judge Franny González Castillo modified the charges against the Espaillat brothers, linked to the venue whose roof collapsed in April 2025.
Judge raises charges over nightclub collapse that killed merenguero Rubby Pérez
Judge Franny González Castillo, of the Fourth Criminal Court of the National District, modified the legal classification of the case stemming from the collapse that occurred on 8 April 2025 at a nightclub in Santo Domingo, according to reporting from prensa-latina.cu. The events, which were initially classified as involuntary manslaughter, received a more serious criminal category following a request from one of the complainant parties.
In reading his decision, the magistrate maintained that there had been prior warnings about the conditions of the establishment and that the tragedy could have been avoided. Those arguments formed the basis for the change in classification.
The ruling is part of the judicial process against the Espaillat brothers, linked to the administration of the nightclub. The roof of the venue collapsed during a party featuring merenguero Rubby Pérez, who also lost his life in the disaster along with other victims.
The case generated profound shock in the Dominican Republic due to the scale of the loss of life and the number of injured, and raised questions about the safety conditions of the building and the criminal responsibilities that could stem from the tragedy.
Source: Google News DO — Crime