Mysterious Case of Social Worker Found Dead in NYC Taxi Classified as Murder: NYC ME

The cause and nature of the death of a beloved social worker, who was found dead in a taxi almost a year ago, on April 21, 2022, after a night walk are revealed.

According to the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office, Julio Ramirez’s cause of death was “acute intoxication from the combined effects of fentanyl, p-fluorofentanyl, heroin, cocaine, lidocaine, and ethanol.” His manner of death was classified as “murder” due to “drug theft”.

He was last seen outside the Ritz Bar and Lounge on West 46th Street in Hell’s Kitchen in the early hours of April 21, 2022.

Ramirez, 25, met up with a friend on the night of April 20, 2022 to take a walk in the Manhattan area. After a night of bar-hopping, their last stop was the Ritz, a popular gay multi-level venue in the heart of Restaurant Row.

The two eventually parted ways. According to his brother Carlos, surveillance footage from a nearby security camera showed Ramirez leaving the venue with three unidentified men at 3:17 a.m.

The four men then got into a nearby taxi, a police source said, but Ramirez was alone in the back seat at 4:10 a.m. when the taxi driver approached a police officer 3 miles away on the Lower East Side to say his passenger was not answers.

Less than an hour later, Ramirez was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

At the time, the medical examiner’s office said that a preliminary toxicological test had turned up nothing significant, but noted that more testing was needed. Now, however, these additional tests have revealed something nefarious, according to the medical examiner’s findings.

Ramirez was originally identified as “John Doe,” his brother said, because neither his wallet nor phone was with him when he died.

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The family told NBC New York that unidentified taxi drivers took Ramirez’s phone, changed his password, and then stole $20,000 from his bank account.

“Julio was someone who was very much loved. I think it’s all suspicious. And I really hope that we will get answers soon,” said Karinina Quimpo’s friend. “Getting in a taxi with a bunch of strangers, just handing over your phone, potentially handing over your stuff, it just doesn’t feel like him.”

Those who attended a rally to bring attention to the case last summer said they feared he was being targeted in a gay bar for mysterious reasons. They worry about the possibility that he was victimized because he was gay.

“It’s very heartbreaking,” said Sam Carnicelli. “This was not some random action. And I’m afraid there will be goals in the future.”

Julio Ramirez enjoyed a party at Hell’s Kitchen back in April and was found unconscious in a cab on the Lower East Side hours later.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the NYPD Crime Prevention Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or Spanish at 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).