Francisco San Martin, an actor who appeared on the soap operas Days of Our Lives and The Bold and the Beautiful, has died in Los Angeles.
The actor, who also had a guest stint on the CW telenovela Jane the Virgin, was pronounced dead on January 16, 2025, by the Los Angeles County medical examiner. San Martin died at his Los Angeles residence and his cause of death was ruled suicide by “ligature hanging,” according to the coroner’s records. He was 39.
San Martin was born in Mallorca, Spain, and raised in Montana, Forbes reported. He returned to Spain with his family and modeled as a teen, going on to appear on stage, in film, and on TV there before making his way back to the United States.
The actor originated the role of Dario Hernandez — a petty thief who comes to town to investigate a cold case murder — on Days of Our Lives, which moved to streaming on Peacock in 2022. San Martin played Dario for five months in 2011. His arc ended with his character moving to Argentina, and the role was recast in 2016.
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In 2017, San Martin played Mateo, a worker hired to seduce Quinn Fuller on CBS’ The Bold and the Beautiful. His other credit that year was for playing telenovela star Fabian Regalo del Cielo, who courts Gina Rodriguez’s titular character in Jane the Virgin. Prior to that, he had a small role in the 2013 Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra.
San Martin’s death is the latest among soap opera actors. In 2023, The Young and the Restless and General Hospital actor Billy Miller died at age 43 after he “surrendered his life” to bipolar depression, his mother said. Last January, Alec Musser of All My Children died by suicide at 50 and Robyn Bernard, who played Terry Brock on General Hospital in the 1980s, was found dead in March in an open field in Riverside County, California, at age 64.
In October, Ron Hale, who played Mike Corbin on General Hospital and Dr. Rodger Coleridge on Ryan’s Hope, died at 78. Last week, Leslie Charleson, who long played Monica Quartermaine on General Hospital, died at 79 after reportedly suffering from a long illness.
—Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times (TNS)
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Note: If you or any of your loved ones are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can always reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. They are available 24/7 by phone or online chat.
