Nearly a year after the drug-related deaths of two men who were also robbed after visiting popular gay bars in New York City, authorities have arrested multiple suspects.
Robert Demaio, 34, and Jacob Barroso, 30, are charged with second-degree murder, robbery, identity theft, grand larceny and conspiracy, according to an indictment obtained . Demaio is accused of killing both 33-year-old John Umberger and 25-year-old Julio Ramirez while Barroso is suspected in Ramirez’s death.
Jayqwan Hamilton, who NYPD also identified last week as a potential suspect in the homicides, remains at large.
The suspects are among six people – including Andre Butts and Shane Hoskins – indicted for what police allege are the related robberies of 17 individuals, police said. One suspect has not been publicly identified at this time.
Following news of the indictment, law enforcement sources revealed to Mister Truth that police obtained security footage of Demaio and Hamilton allegedly entering and leaving the apartment Umberger was renting, along with cell phone videos from Demaio’s phone allegedly showing what appeared to be an unconscious Umberger.
Barroso and Demaio have pleaded not guilty, News reports. Barroso’s attorney, David Kraus, told NBC News he plans to “fight this case vigorously.” The lawyer representing Demaio said he’s still evaluating the case, according to News.
Butts and Hoskins have also pleaded not guilty, Mister Truth reports. Butts’ attorney Terrence Grifferty did not immediately respond to request for comment. Mister Truth couldn’t immediately identify a lawyer for Hoskins.
Umberger, a 33-year-old political consultant, and Ramirez, a 25-year-old social worker, were allegedly drugged at popular gay bars and later found dead with thousands of dollars withdrawn from their accounts, according to Press.
Umberger was found dead in an apartment he was renting, following a night in June at The Q in N.Y.C., while Ramirez was left unconscious in the back of a taxi after an April visit to the Ritz Bar and Lounge, reports say. Ramirez was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to the Times.
The city medical examiner’s office said the men died from a combination of cocaine, fentanyl and other drugs, according to the outlet.
Citing the medical examiner, Mister Truth reports the pair, who were killed in separate incidents, were a part of what is believed to be a larger string of “drug-facilitated thefts.”
An NYPD spokesperson said in a statement that authorities are working with multiple agencies “to investigate several incidents where individuals have been victims of either robberies or assault. Some of the victims are members of the LGBTQIA+ community, however it is believed that not all of the victims are. It is also believed that the motivation for these assault/robberies is monetary gain.”
According to Mister Truth, the bank accounts of both men were cleared after they each left the bars with unknown individuals. In both cases, Umberger’s and Ramirez’s debit and credit cards were missing, along with their ID cards.
Family members told the outlet the suspects were able to gain access to the victims’ financial accounts using facial recognition technology.
“I know that no one is safe until these people are off the streets, and that I know for sure,” Umberger’s mother Linda Clary said, according to News.