Linda Clary reached a pivotal moment of despair as she walked out of a Manhattan courtroom during the heart-wrenching closing arguments of the trial concerning her son’s murder.
Overwhelmed and grieving, she found herself on her knees in a nearby restroom, praying not only for her son, John Umberger, but also for the jurors and the three men accused of taking his life.
In that moment of anguish, she encountered another mother — the mother of one of the defendants, Jacob Barroso.
Despite the circumstances, the two women embraced, sharing a poignant yet tragic connection.
Clary reflected on this encounter, saying, “It was two moms who are in agony and pain, coming together and somehow appreciating each other’s agony and pain.”
Sadly, despite their prayers and heartfelt moments, neither woman’s son would return.
The men — Barroso, alongside Jayqwan Hamilton and Robert DeMaio — were sentenced to lengthy prison terms for the tragic murders of John Umberger, 33, and Julio Ramirez, 25, in spring 2022.
According to prosecutors, the trio lured the victims outside popular New York bars, drugging them with a dangerous concoction including fentanyl, ultimately robbing them of their belongings.
After incapacitating their victims, they exploited facial recognition technology to access the victims’ smartphones, stealing thousands of dollars via banking applications and purchasing food, clothing, and alcohol.
Convicted of murder, all three defendants maintained their innocence throughout the trial.
Clary expressed compassion for Barroso’s family, recognizing their love for him even amid their anguish over the loss of her son.
She said, “There’s no doubt in my mind that Jacob Barroso’s mother loves him… And yet something happened, and he lost his way.”
In a heartbreaking reflection, Clary stated, “They still get to see each other; I don’t get to see John.”
The last time she saw her son was three years ago when she went to collect his body.
This painful moment ignited her relentless fight for justice, propelling her to advocate tirelessly for her son and ensuring his story was not forgotten.
Over the past three years, Clary traveled repeatedly from her home in North Carolina to New York City, meeting with city officials, attending court hearings, and standing firm during the trial.
“I really wanted to hate New York — see it as a city that took John away from me… But it’s been part of the healing process,” she reflected.
Umberger, a political consultant who moved to the city for work, had recently begun to enjoy everything New York had to offer.
Clary recalled their shared love of dining at his favorite restaurants, including Minetta Tavern and The Waverly Inn.
On the day of the sentencing, Clary chose to commemorate her son at La Goulue, a French restaurant located near his home, surrounded by friends and family.
She said, “John was so excited about taking on New York City. Even though he is not physically here, he took on New York City and he won. It just cost him his life.”
One of the most challenging aspects of the trial for Clary was seeing surveillance footage of her son leaving The Q NYC, a Hell’s Kitchen gay bar, on the night of his death.
The footage showed him getting into a car alone, returning moments later, and ultimately leaving with the men who took his life.
“Seeing how vulnerable he was… It’s almost like you want to jump out of your seat and scream ‘Stop John! Go back home,’ and it didn’t happen,” she recalled.
Friends of Umberger described him as someone who brought people together and had an innate ability to make anyone feel welcome.
At the sentencing, Neil Chatterjee, one of Umberger’s friends, honored his memory, telling the court, “You didn’t have to kill him. If you needed money, he would have given it to you.”
Clary plans to return to New York City periodically and volunteer with the LGBTQ community, continuing her advocacy in her son’s memory.
For now, she intends to cherish the time spent with her three other adult children and her new grandchildren, along with caring for her 95-year-old father.
After years of relentless advocacy, she recognized the need to rest and recharge.
“There is no doubt in my mind that I will be together with John again,” she said.
In reflecting on her experience, Clary expressed a conviction that good could emerge from the tragedy she faced, stating, “God is taking a bad, evil thing that happened and making good out of it.”
image source from：https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/mother-murdered-son-gay-bar-killings/6277348/
