Renowned Dominican merengue artist Rubby Pérez tragically passed away following a devastating roof collapse at a nightclub in Santo Domingo during a performance early on April 8, 2025. He was 69 years old. The official confirmation of his death came at approximately 5 PM local time on Tuesday.
Initial reports sparked hope when it was suggested that Pérez was alive but trapped beneath the debris. His daughter, Zulinka Pérez, who fortunately survived the incident, expressed her emotions during an interview, saying:
“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.'”
Zulinka Pérez was visibly shaken and heartbroken upon learning about her father’s death, uttering a painful “No, no, no.” She shared heartbreaking details with reporters, saying:
“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.”
Her emotional response quickly went viral on social media platforms. This tragedy follows just three years after Rubby Pérez’s wife, Inés Lizardo, passed away in October 2022 after a prolonged battle with breast cancer.
A Closer Look at Rubby Pérez’s Life
Born as Roberto Antonio Pérez Herrera on March 8, 1956, in Bajos de Haina, Dominican Republic, Rubby Pérez faced significant challenges early in life. At just 15 years of age, a severe car accident left him with a fractured leg, putting an abrupt end to his aspirations of becoming a professional basketball player. His recovery involved nearly a year of hospitalization and two years of physical therapy.
However, this difficult time also saw a burgeoning passion for music. Pérez eventually joined the National Music Conversation Center in Santo Domingo, marking the beginning of a celebrated career that spanned more than five decades.
He enjoyed a long marriage with Inés Lizardo, lasting 48 years until her passing in 2022. On the day of her death, Rubby Pérez happened to be performing at the Latin American Philharmonic in Houston, Texas.
The couple had four children, including Zulinka, and welcomed a fifth daughter, Ana, with Dominican designer Michelle Reynoso. Just a month prior to his tragic demise, Rubby celebrated Ana’s 15th birthday in March 2025.
Details Surrounding Rubby Pérez’s Death
The devastating roof collapse occurred at the Jet Set nightclub on that fateful Tuesday morning. Early reports indicated that Pérez had been singing to aid rescuers in locating him beneath the rubble. Unfortunately, later in the day, news revealed his death.
A journalist from ‘Noticias Sin’ shared the somber update about the recovery of Pérez’s body and confirmed that authorities had informed the family. His manager, Enrique Paulino, then communicated the news to People magazine. Following the incident, Pérez’s Instagram profile image was changed to black as a tribute.
In prior interviews, Zulinka recounted how she and her husband were performing as backup singers for her father and witnessed the collapse first-hand.
“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 escape; the bass player is in critical condition after surgery, while one of the saxophonists has died,” she stated.
Later, Rubby’s brother denied rumors regarding the artist’s apparent rescue and hospitalization, stating:
“At the moment, he has not been rescued from the rubble. He hasn’t been sent to any hospital. Given the time that has passed since the incident, which has been over 14 hours… only God can perform a miracle.”
Contrary to some reports, several news outlets suggested that Pérez was receiving treatment at the Centro de Medicina Avanzada (CEDIMAT) hospital, although the hospital didn’t confirm this connection. Other sources, including Rolling Stone, indicated that he was at the Plaza de Salud hospital.
The tragic incident at the nightclub resulted in the loss of over 79 lives and left around 160 individuals injured. Authorities have yet to release the specific cause of the collapse. Business owners expressed their commitment to cooperating fully with investigations to clarify the events surrounding the incident.
Dominican Mayor Carolina Mejía de Garrigó described the event as a “terrible tragedy” and extended heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families. Similarly, Dominican President Luis Abinader expressed profound sorrow for the tragic events:
“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,” wrote Abinader.
This disaster has also claimed other prominent Dominican figures, including Monte Cristi governor Nelsy Milagros Cruz Martinez and former Major League baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco.