Two men who died after nights out at Hell’s Kitchen gay bars in 2022 have been linked to a series of fentanyl druggings and robberies that targeted LGBTQ nightlife in Manhattan. Surveillance showed both victims entering cabs with groups of men; their phones and wallets were later missing and large sums were withdrawn from their accounts. Prosecutors charged three suspects — Jayqwan Hamilton, Robert DeMaio and Jacob Barroso — who were sentenced in May 2025. The case is examined in People Magazine Investigates’ episode “Death in Hell’s Kitchen,” airing Monday, Jan. 19 at 9/8c.
Two Men Found Dead After Nights Out in Hell’s Kitchen — Probe Links Deaths to Fentanyl Druggings and Robberies
Investigation Discovery;John Umberger/Instagram
Two men who died after nights out at Manhattan gay bars in 2022 have been tied to a broader pattern of fentanyl druggings and robberies targeting New York City’s LGBTQ nightlife, authorities and prosecutors say.
Julio Ramirez, 25, a social worker, was found unresponsive in a taxi after leaving a Hell’s Kitchen bar on April 20, 2022. Surveillance footage shows Ramirez entering a cab with three men; roughly an hour later the men exited the vehicle and Ramirez was discovered unconscious in the back seat. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital. Investigators initially examined the death as a possible overdose.
Instagram/@johnumberger; Facebook/Julio Ramirez
John Umberger, 33, a political consultant visiting from Washington, D.C., was found dead in his Manhattan apartment on June 1, 2022 — four days after visiting a Hell’s Kitchen bar. Video later captured Umberger in the rear of a cab with three men; two escorted him into the townhouse where he was staying and returned to the vehicle in under an hour. Like Ramirez, Umberger’s phone and wallet were missing and more than $20,000 was withdrawn from his bank accounts.
Rising Alarm and Community Response
Friends and family raised alarms when both victims stopped responding to messages and their shared-location settings were turned off. Ramirez’s longtime friend Shiva Campbell said she noticed his location had been disabled and, when she could not reach him, contacted his mother and employer.
Investigation DiscoveryShiva Campbell
“We always shared our location with each other…by that night I knew something’s wrong,” Campbell says in the episode.
As additional men reported waking up disoriented after nights out — with memory gaps, missing possessions and large unexplained withdrawals from bank accounts — flyers and warnings circulated through Hell’s Kitchen. Those reports prompted homicide investigations into both deaths.
Charges, Trial and Sentencing
Prosecutors said three men — Jayqwan Hamilton, Robert DeMaio and Jacob Barroso — targeted patrons outside gay bars, drugging victims with fentanyl and stealing money and property while the victims were incapacitated. Hamilton and DeMaio were charged in the deaths of both Ramirez and Umberger; Barroso was charged in Ramirez’s killing. In May 2025, Hamilton and DeMaio were sentenced to 40 years to life, and Barroso received a 20 years-to-life sentence.
NYPD Crime Stoppers (3)
Where To Watch
The investigation and its impact on the community are revisited in People Magazine Investigates’ episode titled “Death in Hell’s Kitchen.” The episode airs Monday, Jan. 19 at 9/8c on Investigation Discovery and on streaming platforms.
Authorities and community groups continue urging nightlife patrons to stay vigilant, watch their drinks, travel with trusted friends when possible, and report suspicious activity to law enforcement.
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