Police have arrested a woman, who is allegedly a drug dealer, in connection to the July 2 supposed drug overdose death of actor Robert De Niro's 19-year-old grandson Leandro Di Niro Rodriguez. Sofia Haley Marks, 21, allegedly sold drugs to Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, shortly before he was found dead in his apartment in New York City.
Marks, who is known as the "Percocet Princes" was arrested around 6 pm on Thursday as part of an undercover operation carried out by the New York Police Department (NYPD), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Homeland Security. Authorities conducting the investigation were still searching her home late Thursday night, according to the New York Post.
Nabbed at Last
Marks is currently facing federal charges related to the distribution of narcotics. Meanwhile, investigators are actively conducting a search of her home. Since the beginning of the investigation, law enforcement has been probing Leandro's death as a case of possible drug overdose, given the discovery of a white powdery substance and drug-related items in close proximity to his body.
Leandro's mother, Drena De Niro, is the eldest daughter of Robert De Niro and his former wife, Diahnne Abbott.
Drena De Niro has previously disclosed that she believes that her son's death resulted from consuming pills laced with fentanyl. According to her claims, the person who sold the drugs to her son was aware of their dangerous nature.
"Someone sold him fentanyl-laced pills that they knew were laced yet still sold them to him," she wrote on Instagram in response to a comment asking about the cause of her son's death.
"So for all these people still f–king around selling and buying this s–t, my son is gone forever," she added.
The official cause of death has not been announced by the city's medical examiner. However, sources have mentioned that detectives from the NYPD's Narcotics Borough Manhattan South unit have been assigned to investigate the case.
Last month, NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig said in a press briefing that fentanyl is present in approximately 98% of the drugs sold in New York City, indicating its widespread contamination.
"Fentanyl is in everything now, everything," Essig said.
"Now people have low tolerance, that's why they're overdosing so much."
Investigation Still Not Over
On Saturday, Leandro's funeral took place at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel located on the Upper East Side of New York. The funeral chapel has been the venue for the funerals of renowned entertainers such as Judy Garland, Heath Ledger, John Lennon, and other notable figures.
The somber occasion attracted a multitude of A-list celebrities who have worked with De Niro in previous projects, as they came together to offer their condolences and pay their respects to Leandro.
Leonardo, whose death was confirmed by his mother on July 2, was found by a concerned friend who went to visit him at his New York City apartment.
The concerned friend reportedly visited Leonardo De Niro's apartment in the afternoon to check on the 19-year-old actor as they hadn't heard from him for a few days, TMZ reported.
Upon arrival, Leonardo De Niro was found dead while seated in a chair.
The presence of a white powdery substance and drug-related objects nearby was confirmed by law enforcement sources, as reported by The New York Post. The white powdery substance was found on a plate near his body and there were no signs of trauma.
Leonardo had been living alone in a luxurious sixth-floor apartment, which he had rented for less than a year. The apartment is located in the same building as Cipriani, a high-end venue known for hosting various events.
Leandro De Niro, the young actor, had a role alongside his mother Drena in the 2018 film "A Star Is Born." In the movie, he portrayed the character of George "Noodles" Stone's son, played by Dave Chappelle. George Stone played the best friend of Jackson Maine, portrayed by Bradley Cooper.
The mother and son shared the screen in multiple other films. They appeared together in the movies "The Collection" in 2005 and "Cabaret Maxime" in 2018, showcasing their on-screen collaboration and shared passion for acting.
Drena De Niro was adopted by Robert De Niro and took on his surname after he married her mother, Diahnne Abbott, in 1976. Due to her father's active career, Drena had a somewhat transient lifestyle, dividing her time between New York City, Los Angeles, and Italy. This dynamic upbringing allowed her to experience different cultures and environments throughout her life.
During his second marriage to former actress and model Toukie Smith, Robert De Niro became a father to twin boys named Julian and Aaron. Born in 1995, the twins were brought into the world through a surrogate.
Following that, De Niro and his then-wife Grace Hightower had a son named Elliot in 1998. In 2011, they welcomed a daughter named Helen, who was also born via surrogate. The De Niro family expanded with the addition of these children, bringing joy and love into their lives.
