He would have left the next day for weeklong presentations in Colombia, followed by presentations in Costa Rica and then Spain. Thousands today mourned the tragic death of "merenhouse" star, Luis Ernesto Deschamps, 25, who was known as "Papo." He was part of the very successful twosome rap group, Sandy y Papo and was working on their third album. "Merenhouse" blends Hip hop, rap, rock, reggae and merengue. Sandy and Papo made a hit for themselves with their best selling "Mueve, mueve," "La chica sexy," "Candela," and "La hora de bailar," "Papo" died when the Lexus he was driving slid off the highway and hit a tree, police said. News reports say he had been drinking and fell asleep at the wheel when driving back to Santo Domingo at 9 am. Reportedly, the deceased and friends had been partying at Boca Chica beach overnight and had not slept. The accident occurred near the Las Americas Free Zone at Km. 22 of the Las Americas Highway. His wife Crismely Peralta and a three year old son survive him. His friends – Emely Tapia, 17; Fiordaliza Vasquez, 20; and Johnny Cornelio, 23 – were treated for minor injuries at the Darío Contreras Hospital and released. His partner "Sandy" was in New York when the accident occurred and flew in for the funerals that took place in a church in the Ozama neighborhood, as young people paying their respects overflowed the capacity of the Funeraria Blandino in Santo Domingo. He was buried at the Cristo Salvador Cemetery, on the east side of Santo Domingo. This is the second loss of a modern music group star in less than two years. Jason González of the Los Ilegales, died in similar circumstances on 14 January 1998.
