The NYC 2022 Homicide Victim List is available here

NYPD had declared the 2022 deaths of 25-year-old Julio Ramirez and 33-year-old John Umberger, homicides, and have called them “drug facilitated thefts.” The medical examiner said both men died from drug overdoses, fentanyl, cocaine, lidocaine and ethanol found in their blood, and Ramirez also had heroin in his blood.

Police said both victims were located deceased after leaving gay bars in Hell’s Kitchen, and both had their bank accounts drained. Ramirez was located unconscious in a taxi on the Lower East Side, on April 20th, and was later pronounced deceased. He was last seen alive outside the Ritz bar. Investigator said his phone and wallet had been stolen. Around $20,000 was stolen from his bank account.

The second victim John Umberger, was visiting from Washington D.C. when he was murdered. Umberger was seen leaving Q nightclub on May 28th with two unidentified men. Umberger was found dead inside his employer’s townhouse on the Upper East Side on June 1st. Umberger’s phone and credit cards were stolen, and $25,000 was stolen from his bank account.

Police said the motivation for the incidents is believed to be money, and that while the victims were gay, they do not believe they were hate motivate.

Update
NYPD announced that they are asking for the public’s assistance to find Jacob Barroso, 30, Jayqwan Hamilton, 35, and Robert Demaio, 34, all of NYC, who they believe are connected to the homicides of John Umberger, a 33-year-old political consultant, and Julio Ramirez, a 25-year-old social worker.

Anyone with information about either incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). 

Update April 3
Jacob Barroso, 30, and Robert Demaio have been arrested and charged with murder.

Update April 18th
Jayqwan Hamilton, the alleged ringleader, was arrested on April 17th and is facing charges of felony murder as well as multiple counts of grand larceny, robbery and conspiracy in connection to 17 drugging incidents.

The deaths of Nurbu Sherpa and Ardijan Berisha were also drug facilitated thefts.