NYC deadly club drugging robbery suspect arrested: report
- A NYC deadly club drugging robbery suspect has been arrested
- The arrest comes after deadly drug-induced robberies in Hell’s Kitchen area
- Suspect Jacob Barroso turned himself in, according to reports
(NewsNation) — One of the three suspects wanted in connection with multiple deadly drug-induced robberies near LGBTQ+ clubs in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City has been arrested, police told NewsNation affiliate WPIX.
Police reportedly charged Jacob Barroso, 30, with murder, robbery, grand larceny, conspiracy and identity theft linked to the death of Brooklyn social worker Julio Ramirez. Barroso turned himself in to a Manhattan police precinct Saturday, WPIX reports.
Ramirez and John Umberger were both found dead with their bank accounts drained after leaving popular gay bars in New York City. Umberger’s mother, Linda Clary, said suspects unlocked her son’s phone using facial recognition software and siphoned more than $20,000 from his account in June of last year. Ramirez had his phone and wallet stolen with $2,000 drawn out of his account in April of last year.
Clary pushed the case forward, urging authorities to continue their investigation after being told her son had overdosed. She had a gut feeling something else had happened.
“We all know John, and this is not how it was,” Clary said during an appearance on “NewsNation Prime”. “And to anybody who’s in a similar situation, I would encourage them, please keep pushing, please dig deep. And then other victims, please, please come forward and help us. We need your help. We need these people off the streets. There are multiple gangs doing this. It’s not just this one group of people. There are other gangs who are responsible for other deaths, and we need to stop them.”
According to Clary, there have been at least 14 similar incidents in the neighborhood. She suspects they could be related.
Police named Barroso, Jayqwan Hamilton and Robert Demaio suspects in the deaths of Umberger and Ramirez on Friday. Hamilton and Demaio are still on the run.