Heartbreaking Tragedy, Young DOOL Star Commits Suicide, Leaving Fans With Regret DOOL Spoilers

“Remembering Francisco San Martin (1985–2025): The First Dario, A Fierce Dreamer, and a Light Our Soaps Will Never Forget”

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Francisco San Martin’s death at 39 stunned daytime — a shockwave that rippled from soundstages to living rooms worldwide. The Spanish-born, Montana-raised actor, best known to DOOL fans as Dario Hernández (2010–2011), died on January 16, 2025, in Los Angeles; authorities ruled the death a suicide. He is remembered for work that spanned soaps (Days, The Bold and the Beautiful), prestige film (Behind the Candelabra), and primetime (Jane the Virgin). People.com+2Los Angeles Times+2

San Martin originated Dario with a brooding intensity that turned a “shady thief” into a layered anti-hero investigating a cold case tied to his family — sparking friction, then respect, across Salem. His short run left a long imprint; when the role later returned via recast, many fans still cited Francisco’s take as the template. Legacy

Beyond daytime, he notched memorable credits: a turn in Steven Soderbergh’s Behind the Candelabra, a flirtatious, meta-telenovela romance on Jane the Virgin, and a suave, dangerous estate manager on B&B — proof of range that traveled easily between genres and languages. EW.com

Tributes poured in from colleagues and fans — including a heartfelt message from on-screen sister Camila Banus — remembering his warmth, humor, and the spark he brought to every set. The grief rekindled a broader industry conversation about the pressures performers carry and the need to meet ambition with support. People.com

A life in motion

Born in Mallorca and raised for years in the American West, San Martin chased the craft across continents — from children’s theater and modeling to Spanish stage and TV, then back to Hollywood to gamble on bigger dreams. That transatlantic grit became part of his screen presence: a gentle smile with steel underneath, a sense of romance tinged with risk. People.com

What we keep

We keep the electricity of those early Days episodes. The effortless chemistry in Jane. The sly danger in B&B. And we keep the reminder that behind our favorite cliffhangers are real people, real lives, and battles we don’t always see. EW.com

If you loved his work

Revisit his Days debut arc and Jane the Virgin appearance; queue up Behind the Candelabra; share a favorite clip and tag a friend who watched with you. Grief fades—legacy doesn’t.

If you’re struggling

You’re not alone. In the U.S., call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or visit 988lifeline.org for chat and resources. Reaching out is strong, not selfish.

Final Note

Francisco San Martin chased stories across borders and made ours brighter. That’s how we’ll remember him: as an artist who believed in the magic of connection — and gave us moments we can press play on forever.