A series of drug-facilitated robberies of men who visited gay bars in New York City last spring has resulted in the deaths of two men, with several suspects now being charged with murder and other crimes. Robert Demaio, 34, has been charged with murder, robbery, grand larceny, identity theft and conspiracy in connection with the death of John Umberger, a 33-year-old political consultant, and in a separate incident in which an unidentified victim did not die. Another suspect, Jacob Barroso, 30, has been charged with murder, robbery, grand larceny, and conspiracy in connection with the death of Julio Ramirez, a 25-year-old social worker, and in a separate incident where the victim survived.
The two victims had visited gay bars in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood before leaving with unknown individuals, and their bank accounts were subsequently drained of thousands of dollars using facial recognition access on their phones. The medical examiner’s office ruled their deaths as homicides caused by a “drug-facilitated theft,” with multiple drugs found in their systems, including fentanyl, lidocaine, and cocaine.
Police obtained security video showing Demaio and Jayqwan Hamilton entering and leaving Umberger’s temporary residence in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Police also recovered two videos from Demaio’s phone that showed Demaio at the site of Umberger’s death, with Umberger appearing to be unconscious in one of the videos.
Meanwhile, Barroso was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on Monday and pleaded not guilty to murder and robbery charges, with the judge setting bail at $3 million. “We intend to fight this case vigorously,” said his attorney, David Krauss. Several family members and friends of the defendants were in the courtroom, with one of Barroso’s supporters saying he was “not a murderer” and that they would “prove his innocence.”
In addition to the deaths of Umberger and Ramirez, police believe Demaio, Barroso, and Hamilton are among those responsible for at least 17 other robberies in a broader “citywide robbery pattern” that occurred from September 2021 to August 2022. Additional suspects have also been charged in connection with the string of robberies, with one individual captured on security video buying sneakers with Ramirez’s credit card and another, Shane Hoskins, being indicted on felony larceny and identity theft charges.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell commended the teamwork between the NYPD and city prosecutors to bring forward charges, with Sewell saying, “These defendants showed a callous disregard for human life — and now, we are working to hold them accountable.” Several gay men who survived similar incidents have also spoken with NBC News. These charges demonstrate the dedication of career prosecutors and law enforcement officials to solve such challenging cases and bring justice to the victims and their families.
