Trial Begins of Men Accused of Drugging, Murdering and Robbing Hell’s Kitchen Nightclub Patrons

Prosecutors allege the defendants preyed on intoxicated patrons leaving gay nightclubs, drugging them with substances like fentanyl to incapacitate them before robbing them of thousands of dollars.

By Phil O'Brien​

The trial of three men accused of orchestrating a deadly scheme targeting gay nightclub patrons in Hell’s Kitchen began Wednesday in a Manhattan courtroom. Jayqwan Hamilton, 36; Robert Demaio, 35; and Jacob Barroso, 30, face a slew of charges, including murder, robbery, identity theft and conspiracy, for a series of incidents that led to the deaths of Julio Ramirez, 25, and John Umberger, 33.

Prosecutors allege the defendants preyed on intoxicated patrons leaving gay nightclubs, drugging them with substances like fentanyl to incapacitate them before robbing them of thousands of dollars. The tragic deaths of Ramirez, a social worker, and Umberger, a political consultant, in the spring of 2022 shocked the Hell’s Kitchen community and brought national attention to the dangers LGBTQ+ individuals face in nightlife spaces.

Assistant District Attorney Emily Ching opened the trial with a detailed account of how the trio, along with accomplices who have pleaded guilty, allegedly operated their scheme. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg attended the hearing, sitting in court as Ching described how the men lingered outside popular gay bars, such as The Ritz on Restaurant Row and The Q Club on 8th Avenue, waiting for last call to befriend and isolate their victims. Once alone, they drugged their targets, used their unconscious faces to unlock phones via facial recognition, and drained their bank accounts. The stolen money was allegedly used for personal expenses, including luxury goods and alcohol.

Ching emphasized the defendants’ alleged indifference to their victims’ well-being. “The evidence will show that they acted out of greed, leaving victims unresponsive and, in two cases, dead,” she said. “Their actions displayed an utter disregard for human life.”

Prosecutors recounted the final hours of Julio Ramirez on April 21, 2022. Surveillance footage showed Ramirez leaving The Ritz around 3am, chatting with a group of men who had been pacing outside the bar. Ramirez entered a taxi with three of the men, including Hamilton and Barroso. Hours later, he was found unresponsive in the backseat of the cab and pronounced dead soon after. Toxicology reports revealed a lethal combination of cocaine, lidocaine, heroin and fentanyl in his system. His phone and wallet were missing, and over the next three days, multiple attempts were made to transfer $10,000 from his accounts.

The following month, on May 28, John Umberger, visiting New York for business, became the trio’s next target. After spending the evening at The Q Club, Umberger was seen on surveillance footage interacting with the defendants. He was later found dead in his apartment, his body in the same position as when the defendants allegedly left him. His phone and credit cards were stolen, and significant transactions were made from his accounts.

The trial’s first day also featured testimony from surviving victims (whose names were redacted in court records), including a businessman visiting from LA, who recounted waking up disoriented after meeting two of the defendants outside The Q Club on March 18, 2022. He discovered his phones (work and personal), wallet and credit cards were missing. Transactions traced to his accounts included orders for expensive alcohol and luxury items.

Prosecutors recounted the final hours of Julio Ramirez on April 21, 2022. Surveillance footage showed Ramirez leaving The Ritz around 3am, chatting with a group of men who had been pacing outside the bar. Ramirez entered a taxi with three of the men, including Hamilton and Barroso. Hours later, he was found unresponsive in the backseat of the cab and pronounced dead soon after. Toxicology reports revealed a lethal combination of cocaine, lidocaine, heroin and fentanyl in his system. His phone and wallet were missing, and over the next three days, multiple attempts were made to transfer $10,000 from his accounts.

The following month, on May 28, John Umberger, visiting New York for business, became the trio’s next target. After spending the evening at The Q Club, Umberger was seen on surveillance footage interacting with the defendants. He was later found dead in his apartment, his body in the same position as when the defendants allegedly left him. His phone and credit cards were stolen, and significant transactions were made from his accounts.

The trial’s first day also featured testimony from surviving victims (whose names were redacted in court records), including a businessman visiting from LA, who recounted waking up disoriented after meeting two of the defendants outside The Q Club on March 18, 2022. He discovered his phones (work and personal), wallet and credit cards were missing. Transactions traced to his accounts included orders for expensive alcohol and luxury items.

Another survivor, who lived on the West Side, testified about a similarly harrowing experience on May 14, 2022. After a night at The Ritz, he woke up in his apartment, sick and disoriented, with his phone and wallet missing. He later discovered unauthorized transactions totaling thousands of dollars, including transfers to Demaio’s account.

Defense attorneys for the accused urged jurors during the opening of the case to reserve judgment, arguing that the prosecution could not definitively link the drugs in the victims’ systems to the defendants. “The deaths are tragic,” said Dean Vigliano, representing Demaio, “but you cannot ignore the possibility of other factors, including recreational drug use by the victims.”

John Umberger’s mother, Linda Clary, also took the stand to recount the heartbreaking days leading up to the discovery of her son’s body. Clary, who described John as her “best friend” and a “bright light,” testified that she became increasingly alarmed when she hadn’t heard from him for four days after his visit to New York City in May 2022. Despite seeing his social media accounts appearing active, Clary said she knew something was wrong when her son, who was usually in constant communication, stopped responding to calls and texts. She contacted NYPD’s 19th Precinct, who conducted a wellness check at the Upper East Side apartment where John was staying. On June 1, officers found John lifeless in the apartment, left in the same position in which the defendants allegedly abandoned him after robbing him.

The testimony of cab driver Wahl Muajak further underscored the chilling nature of the crimes. Muajak recounted picking up Julio Ramirez and three men outside The Ritz nightclub on the morning of April 21, 2022. He told the court that Ramirez appeared unresponsive when the ride stopped, with the other passengers trying to wake him up without success. When they reached their destination, the men instructed Muajak to take Ramirez to Brooklyn alone and left to head to a bar. Muajak brought Ramirez to nearby police, where officers attempted CPR and called EMS. Ramirez never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead shortly after at Beth Israel Hospital, marking the first known fatality in the defendants’ alleged string of drugging and robbery schemes.

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Publisher & Editor Phil O’Brien is an entrepreneur and journalist. As an international photojournalist, he photographed Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Princess Diana and many others. He built a successful international sports photography agency, EMPICS, that was Getty Images’ major competitor in Europe when it sold. He founded a children’s charity in the UK that has helped young people through sport for over 15 years. Phil has lived in New York since 2012. He founded W42ST in 2014.

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