BREAKING NEWSInside the Death of Robert De Niro's Grandson: 5 Arrested in Connection to 19-Year-Old's Tragic Overdose
Leandro Anthony De Niro-Rodriguez died at age 19 in July 2023.
Oct. 30 2025, Published 1:28 p.m. ET
The death of Robert De Niro's 19-year-old grandson has resulted in the arrests of five suspects.
An investigation remains ongoing more than two years after Leandro Anthony De Niro-Rodriguez tragically died from an alleged accidental drug overdose on July 2, 2023.
Five new suspects were arrested in connection to the death of Robert De Niro's grandson.
A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) official informed People on Thursday, October 30, that five suspects were taken into police custody in New York and are being charged with death resulting from the sale of narcotics.
NBC 4 New York described the charges as conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death.
A sixth person — identified as a woman named Sofia H. Marks — was the first to be arrested weeks after the teenager's untimely death in 2023 for allegedly selling the drugs to De Niro-Rodriguez.
Robert De Niro's daughter Drena shared a heartbreaking tribute after her son's passing.
The Taxi Driver actor's grandson was found dead by a friend who had grown concerned after not hearing from him for a few days.
De Niro's daughter Drena confirmed the heartbreaking death of her only son via Instagram with a sorrowful tribute.
"My beautiful sweet angel," she expressed at the time. "I have loved you beyond words or description from the moment I felt you in my belly. You have been my joy my heart and all that was ever pure and real in my life. I wish I was with you right now. I wish I was with you."
"I don’t know how to live without you but I’ll try to go on and spread the love and light that you so made me feel in getting to be your mama," Drena added. "You were so deeply loved and appreciated and I wish that love alone could have saved you. 😞 Rest in Peace and Eternal Paradise my darling boy."
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Robert De Niro Was in 'Disbelief' by His Grandson's 'Awful' Death
Robert De Niro was in 'disbelief' by his grandson's passing.
Months after his grandson's death, Robert admitted he was in "disbelief" when he heard the "awful" news that Leandro had passed away.
"It's just a shock," the Killers of the Flower Moon star confessed during an interview with People in 2024. "[I] never thought it would happen."
Robert De Niro wondered if there was something he 'could have done' to prevent his grandson's death.
"And I just then started thinking about all the things I could have, should have done maybe with him," he reflected. "I don't know if that would've made a difference. And so that's always playing through my mind."
Emphasizing his feelings of regret, Robert reiterated: "It shouldn’t have happened."
