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The 2022 deaths of Julio Ramirez, a 25-year-old social worker,
and John Umberger, a 33-year-old political consultant, were the
result of “drug-facilitated thefts" and homicides, according to
the medical examiner's office. Ramirez died in a taxi of an
overdose while Umberger was found dead a month later in a
townhouse.
Lab tests showed both men had substances including fentanyl,
cocaine and lidocaine in their systems when they died. Their
families suspected foul play after discovering money missing
from the men's bank accounts.
“These defendants were motivated by greed, and their callous
behavior left two young men dead,” Manhattan District Attorney
Alvin Bragg Jr. said in a statement Monday. “I know the families
who lost their loved ones are still suffering from so much pain,
and I hope this verdict can provide at least some measure of
comfort.”
The defendants — Jayqwan Hamilton, 37, Robert Demaio, 36, and
Jacob Barroso, 32 — were convicted of murder, conspiracy and
robbery and face 25 years to life in prison. All three were
convicted of the death of Ramirez while Demaio and Hamilton were
convicted in Umberger's killing.
Prosecutors have said the group targeted numerous men at bars
and clubs, befriending them and offering them drugs. When the
victims became incapacitated, they were robbed of their wallets
and cellphones, which were used to make purchases and digitally
siphon money from their bank accounts.
Police said in 2022 that they had identified at least five
killings, including the deaths of Umberger and Ramirez. The
deaths were attributed to different groups that used similar
tactics but seemed to be operating independently. While Bragg
said at the time that the crimes did not appear to specifically
target gay men, the neighborhood where the criminal enterprise
was focused has a high concentration of LGBTQ+ residents.
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