Linda Clary's son, John Umberger, was one of two men murdered in a drugging and robbery scheme that plagued New York City's gay bars in 2021 and 2022. Linda Clary had reached her breaking point. The grieving mother stormed out of a Manhattan courtroom one day in February during closing arguments in the three-week murder trial of the men accused of killing her son and another young man. In the restroom down the hall, she fell to her knees, praying for her son, the jurors, and

To Read This Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/21/nyregion/gay-bar-murder-sentencing.html?smid=url-share

Justice was served in a Manhattan courtroom today (Wednesday) as Jayqwan Hamilton, 37, and Robert Demaio, 36, were sentenced to 40-years-to-life in prison and Jacob Barroso, 32, was sentenced to 20-years-to-life in prison for their roles in the deadly drugging and robbery scheme that targeted patrons of LGBTQ+ bars in Hell’s Kitchen — ultimately leading to the murders of Julio Ramirez and John Umberger. “Nothing short of monstrous,” Ramirez’s brother, Carlos, told the three m

To Catch Her Son’s Killers: Linda Clary Conducted Her Own Investigation Before Authorities Ruled Her Son’s Death A Homicide May 18, 2023 | MetroFocus At least 43 incidents of druggings have been linked to robberies in and outside Manhattan nightclubs since September 2021, involving a mix of both straight and gay NYC bars, and both heterosexual and LGBTQIA+ people. Tonight we share the story of one of those victims, and his mother, whose relentless pursuit of justice helped cr

Umberger, a political consultant in New York for business from Washington, DC, was found dead inside his boss’ Upper East Side townhouse, where he was staying. Linda Clary, the mother of murdered gay Republican political consultant John Umberger, felt a sense of fulfillment the day after two men were convicted of the murder of her son. Clary said she was feeling “a little bit overwhelmed” from the moment her son’s body was discovered by NYPD in his boss’ Upper East Side tow

To watch Clary's interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng0K_eCR1gc

Lucy Yang spoke to the mother of John Umberger as she gets ready to testify against her son's accused killers. NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Three men will stand trial beginning Wednesday morning, for the murder of a man who was one of several who fell victim to a drug and robbery ring that stoked fear in the gay community. Linda Clary will testify in a trial no mother should have to endure, and yet, she prays for the men accused of killing her son. "They are children of God just l

"People have been hurt. People feel scared and afraid," Linda Clary said. A grieving mother’s fight to find answers about the death of her son has helped to shed light on a suspected rash of druggings and robberies affecting New York City’s gay nightlife scene. Linda Clary’s 33-year-old son, John Umberger, was found dead in June after he was last seen walking out of a midtown Manhattan bar with two strangers. Umberger, who was visiting for work from Washington D.C., was out e