Shivangi Sinha
In April 2022, Julio Ramirez was found unresponsive in the back of a taxi after spending the evening at The Ritz Bar and Lounge in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan. Although his death was initially ruled an accidental overdose, another similar case soon emerged. In June 2022, John Umberger was discovered unresponsive in his Manhattan apartment after a night out in the same neighborhood. What linked the two cases were striking similarities, including drained bank accounts and missing personal items. Investigation Discovery’s ‘People Magazine Investigates: Death in Hell’s Kitchen’ examines how these deaths exposed a broader scheme involving multiple victims.
Julio Ramirez Passed Away While Being Driven in a Taxi
Julio Cesar Ramirez was born on August 16, 1996, and spent much of his childhood on Long Island, New York, with his brother, Carlos Ramirez. The two were extremely close and shared a strong, open relationship. Julio went on to forge his own path and earned a master’s degree from the University at Buffalo in 2021. He later worked as a mental health counselor and started his life after getting a home in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Known for his social nature, Julio often spent time in Hell’s Kitchen with friends and enjoyed nightlife. He was last seen leaving The Ritz Bar around 3 am on April 21, 2022.
At 3:48 am, a 911 call was made reporting an unresponsive man near the intersection of Ludlow and Stanton Streets. The individual was identified as Julio, who had been riding in the back of a taxi and suddenly stopped responding. The cab driver flagged down a police officer for assistance. EMS pronounced Julio dead at the scene. No obvious signs of trauma were found, and the cause of death was determined to be acute intoxication from fentanyl, cocaine, and alcohol, initially classified as accidental.
John Umberger Was Staying at His Company’s Townhouse in New York When He Passed Away
John Anthony Clary Umberger was born on February 21, 1989, in Atlanta to Linda Clary and Alexander Campbell. He was raised in Atlanta, Georgia, alongside his siblings Abigail, Benjamin, and Nathan, all of whom said John was driven to build an extraordinary life for himself. After his parents separated and his mother married Randall Umberger, John and his siblings adapted well to their new life. John completed his schooling at Christ School in Asheville, North Carolina, before enrolling at the University of the South. He later transferred to the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he earned a B.S. in History, Technology, and Society.
John interned and worked in various roles for members of the US House and Senate, the Republican National Committee, the Republican Governors Association, and the Georgia Governor’s Office. He later served as Director of Diplomacy and Political Programs at the American Center for Law and Justice in Washington, DC, where he primarily resided while frequently traveling to New York for work. John often stayed at his organization’s townhouse on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
On May 28, he visited The Q nightclub in Hell’s Kitchen. Later that night, he abruptly stopped communicating with family and colleagues, which raised concern. A welfare check was carried out at the townhouse on June 1, where he was found deceased. His death was initially attributed to acute intoxication involving fentanyl and other substances. Similarities between the two cases later prompted authorities to reclassify the deaths as homicides in March 2023, at which point the investigation gained renewed momentum.
Julio Ramirez and John Umberger’s Killers Were Running a Criminal Ring for Financial Gain
When Julio Ramirez died in April 2022, his family reported that thousands of dollars were missing from his accounts. Surveillance footage from that night showed him getting into a cab with three men, who later got out somewhere in Lower Manhattan and used his phone to make payments. They then instructed the cab driver to take Julio to a random address in Brooklyn. Although the circumstances appeared unusual, police initially said there was no clear indication of foul play. It was only after John Umberger’s death that the situation began to come into focus. John’s phone and wallet were missing, and his family claimed nearly $200,000 had been drained from his accounts. He was last seen entering the apartment on May 28 with two unidentified men.
As media attention around the cases increased, other survivors came forward with similar accounts. They described meeting groups of men around Hell’s Kitchen, after which they were allegedly drugged and later realized their money and valuables had been stolen. In May 2023, police officially ruled the deaths of Julio and John as homicides. Based on CCTV footage, surveillance data, and witness statements from people near the bars, investigators identified a coordinated group operating with a consistent method. Authorities emphasized that victims were targeted for financial gain, not because of their sexual orientation. From this group, police identified three primary suspects: Jayqwan Hamilton, Robert DeMaio, and Jacob Barroso.
The three men were also identified as those who entered the cab with Ramirez. In John’s case, investigators determined that Hamilton and DeMaio were directly involved. In March 2023, all three were indicted on charges related to the homicide investigation, and several additional accomplices were also identified. Through financial records and card usage, police arrested Barroso on April 1, 2023. Two days later, on April 3, DeMaio voluntarily surrendered to authorities. Hamilton, believed to be the ringleader and known to have a prior criminal record, was arrested by mid-April 2023.
Jayqwan Hamilton, Robert DeMaio, and Jacob Barroso Are Behind Bars Today
In April 2023, Jayqwan Hamilton was indicted on two counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of Julio Ramirez and John Umberger, along with five counts of first-degree robbery, two counts of first-degree burglary, multiple counts of grand larceny and identity theft, and two counts of fourth-degree conspiracy. On February 10, 2025, he was convicted on all charges. He was sentenced in May 2025 to 40 years to life in prison. Hamilton is currently incarcerated at Five Points Correctional Facility in Seneca County, New York, and will be eligible for parole in 2063.
Robert DeMaio was indicted in April 2023 on two counts of second-degree murder related to both Julio and John, five counts of first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary connected to the Umberger case, three counts of first-degree identity theft, multiple counts of third- and fourth-degree grand larceny, and two counts of fourth-degree conspiracy. He was found guilty on all counts on February 10, 2025. In May 2025, DeMaio was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison. He is also being held at Five Points Correctional Facility and, like Hamilton, will be eligible for parole in 2063.
Jacob Barroso was indicted in April 2023 on one count of second-degree murder related solely to the death of Julio, along with multiple counts of first-degree robbery, grand larceny, identity theft, and two counts of fourth-degree conspiracy. He was convicted on all charges on February 10, 2025. Barroso was sentenced on May 21, 2025, to 20 years to life in prison. He is currently incarcerated at Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York, and will be eligible for parole in 2042.
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