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Dominican merengue singer Rubby Pérez died after the roof of a nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where he was performing, collapsed in the early hours of April 8, 2025. He was 69. The news of his death was confirmed around 5 pm local time on Tuesday.
Before that, there were reports that he was alive and trapped under the rubble. His daughter, Zulinka Pérez, who survived the accident, spoke to local reporters:
“He’s inside and we hope to God that he recovers soon. He’s injured, but he’s inside; they found him singing. He started singing so they could hear him. He’s always told me: ‘If something ever happens to me, cover me so no one takes pictures.’”
According to El Universo, Zulinka Pérez seemed shocked and heartbroken upon receiving the news of her father’s death, responding with, “No, no, no.” She also spoke to local reporters covering the accident:
“People were asking for (the song) ‘De color de rosa.’ I said, 'Daddy, help me,' and he asked me to stay at my microphone. He switched to his… If I had been at my dad's microphone, I wouldn't have been here.”
The video of her reaction has now gone viral on social media. Rubby Pérez’s demise came three years after he lost his wife, Inés Lizardo, in October 2022. She succumbed to breast cancer after a long battle.
All you need to know about Rubby Pérez’s personal life
Rubby Pérez was born Roberto Antonio Pérez Herrera on March 8, 1956, in Bajos de Haina, Dominican Republic. At the age of 15, he was involved in a road accident that fractured his right leg and shattered his dream of becoming a professional basketball player. He spent nearly a year in the hospital and required two years of physical therapy to walk normally again.
During his recovery, music played a significant role in his life. Eventually, Rubby Pérez joined the National Music Conversation Center in Santo Domingo and soon began a musical career that spanned over five decades.
He was married to Inés Lizardo for 48 years until her death in 2022. On the day of her demise, Rubby Pérez was reportedly performing at the Latin American Philharmonic in Houston, Texas, USA.
The couple had four children, including Zulinka Pérez. Later, Rubby Pérez welcomed his fifth child, daughter Ana, whom he shares with Dominican designer Michelle Reynoso. He recently celebrated Ana’s 15th birthday in March 2025.
More about Rubby Pérez’s death
The roof of the Jet Set nightclub collapsed on Tuesday morning. Initially, it was reported that Rubby Pérez was trapped under the debris and was singing to help emergency responders locate and rescue him. However, in the late afternoon, news of his demise broke.
A journalist from 'Noticias Sin' announced the recovery of the singer’s lifeless body and confirmed that his family had been informed by the authorities. Pérez’s manager, Enrique Paulino, later shared the news with People. Meanwhile, the artist’s Instagram profile picture was turned black.
Before that, Zulinka Pérez told local media that she and her husband acted as backup singers at her father’s show, and they were present during the roof’s collapse at the Jet Set nightclub.
“My husband covered me, threw himself on top of me, and he got trapped. He told me, ‘Get out quickly.’ The musicians were able to get out; the bass player is in critical condition; I think he had surgery in the hospital. And one of the saxophone players is dead,” she added.
Later in the afternoon, Rubby’s brother told the local news that the rumor about the artist being found and taken to a hospital was false.
“At the moment, he has not been rescued from the rubble. He hasn’t been sent to any hospital. Given the time the event occurred, which has already been 14 hours… only God’s grace can truly perform a miracle,” another family member noted.
“Rubby is still in the rubble; we haven’t been able to rescue him. We hope he’s alive. We’re sharing this news as a family and I want it to be the right one.”
Meanwhile, several Dominican news channels reported that Rubby Pérez was in a "stable" condition at the Centro de Medicina Avanzada (CEDIMAT) hospital. Although the hospital issued a statement saying that “six patients” were being treated at its facility after being transferred from the nightclub’s site, it did not confirm whether one of them was Pérez, as Billboard reported.
Other outlets, including Rolling Stone, stated that he was receiving treatment at the Plaza de Salud hospital.
The roof collapse claimed the lives of over 79 people and injured 160 others, according to People. The cause of the accident has not been disclosed. The business owners told local media that they were “totally collaborating and being transparent with the appropriate authorities to help victims and clarify what happened.”
San Domingo Mayor Carolina Mejía de Garrigó issued a statement via X, describing the incident as a “terrible tragedy” and extending her “deepest sympathy” to the victims’ families. Dominican President Luis Abinader also took to the platform to express his “deep regret” over the tragedy.
“We have been following the incident minute by minute since it occurred. All relief agencies have provided the necessary assistance and are working tirelessly in the rescue efforts. Our prayers are with the affected families,” Abinader wrote.
In addition to Rubby Pérez, the fatal nightclub roof collapse also took the lives of other Dominican celebrities, including Monte Cristi governor Nelsy Milagros Cruz Martinez and former Major League baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco.
