The owners of Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Antonio and Maribel Espaillat, will stand trial for involuntary manslaughter following a roof collapse on April 8, 2025, that killed 236 people and injured over 100. The disaster triggered national mourning and a prolonged rescue effort across the Dominican Republic. A judge ruled that the evidence supports involuntary manslaughter, not homicide, because the siblings could not have reasonably foreseen the structural failure that led to the deaths.

The distinction matters: homicide charges would have carried up to 20 years in prison, while involuntary manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of two years. Magistrate Reymundo Mejía Zorrilla explained that logic suggests the owners would not have endangered themselves if they had known the roof was at risk. Still, the decision disappointed victims’ families, many of whom gathered at the courthouse hoping for stronger accountability.

No trial date has been set. The case underscores the challenges of prosecuting structural negligence in public venues, especially when safety failures accumulate over time without clear intent. The tragedy has reignited calls for stricter building inspections and enforcement in the Dominican Republic.