A Panamanian tribunal has convicted a construction company and a resident engineer on involuntary manslaughter charges linked to the 2018 PH Breeze parking garage collapse in Costa del Este, a case that centered on construction negligence Panama prosecutors said violated national structural safety codes. The verdict, announced Tuesday by the Attorney General’s Office, comes more than eight years after a red Mini Cooper plunged from an upper parking level, killing three people and leaving a fourth with permanent spinal injuries.
The ruling followed an oral trial conducted by the Metropolitan Homicide and Femicide Section. Authorities confirmed the guilty finding but did not disclose sentencing details. The prosecution argued that both defendants failed to observe their duty of care during the building’s construction between 2008 and 2011, resulting in a structure that did not meet minimum safety requirements.
Structural Code Violations and Construction Negligence Panama
Prosecutors built their case around violations of Panama’s Structural Design Regulation, known as REP-2004. The Ministry of Public Affairs determined the construction company ignored key provisions of that code while building the residential tower. Investigators said the resident engineer, who oversaw the project, shared criminal responsibility for the deficient work.
The legal theory hinged on involuntary manslaughter through omission. Rather than alleging intentional harm, the state argued the defendants neglected professional obligations that existed specifically to prevent catastrophic failures. The parking area where the vehicle fell lacked adequate structural barriers or reinforcement, according to evidence presented at trial.
The case marks one of the few instances in Panama where construction professionals faced criminal liability for structural failures. Legal analysts say the verdict could set a precedent for holding builders accountable when code violations lead to deaths.
Se hace justicia por la tragedia del PH Breeze. https://t.co/xKmH5g7tp2
— Foco (@focopanama) October 28, 2026
Survivor Speaks After Eight Years of Waiting
Sabrina Murillo, who was 20 years old when the accident occurred, said the verdict brought a measure of closure after years marked by loss and physical recovery. She sustained a permanent spinal cord injury in the fall and lost her father, sister, and a family friend.
“Today my heart is full of emotions that are difficult to explain” [Translated from Spanish]
Murillo acknowledged that no legal outcome could restore what she lost. But she said the ruling confirmed that her voice and those of the deceased had finally been heard.
“Nothing will give me back what I lost. But today I feel a little bit of peace amid so much pain” [Translated from Spanish]
She also called on the public to help share her story, hoping it might prevent similar tragedies for other families.
The 2018 PH Breeze Accident and Its Victims
The incident occurred around 5:00 p.m. on March 28, 2018, in the Juan Díaz township. A red Mini Cooper carrying four people fell from the level 4000 parking area of the PH Breeze building and struck the public road below.
Eduardo Murillo, a Venezuelan businessman who was driving, died at the scene. His daughter Paola Murillo, 17, and Abel Sandí, a 26-year-old Costa Rican family friend, also perished. Sabrina Murillo survived with severe injuries that left her permanently paralyzed.
The building had been completed roughly seven years before the accident. Prosecutors said the structural deficiencies existed from the time of construction and worsened over time, eventually failing catastrophically under the weight of the vehicle.
Legal Implications for Panama’s Construction Sector
The conviction signals a shift in how Panamanian courts treat construction-fatalities. Developers and engineers now face clearer criminal exposure when projects fail to meet the REP-2004 standards. Industry groups have long argued that code enforcement needed strengthening, particularly in fast-growing districts like Costa del Este.
Sentencing details remain pending. The court has not specified whether the construction company faces fines, operational restrictions, or other penalties. The engineer could receive prison time, probation, or professional sanctions depending on the judge’s final ruling.
For the victims’ families, the verdict closes one chapter but leaves open questions about civil damages and broader accountability. Sabrina Murillo previously filed a separate civil lawsuit against the builder, a case that may now proceed more favorably given the criminal outcome.