Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, the grandson of Robert De Niro, died due to taking pills laced with fentanyl.
The grim update came to light on Thursday when 20-year-old drug dealer Sophia Haley Marks was taken into custody for selling Rodriguez the potent drugs. Having been dubbed the “Percocet Princess,” the young woman knew she was selling fentanyl-laced pills and even warned Rodriguez before he purchased them days before his death earlier this month.
“Do you really need them? I don’t wanna kill you.” Marks wrote in one text message to Rodriguez before sending another that read, “I just don’t like serving u them cuz they not script.” Still, Rodriguez made arrangements to buy three pills for $105 from Marks. She warned him again not to “go overboard with these.”
Rodriguez was brought the drugs around 9:00 p.m. on July 1st. Marks texted Rodriguez around 1:50 a.m. to check on him, but the 19-year-old did not respond. Sadly, he was discovered later by a friend on July 2nd inside his New York City luxury apartment. Authorities almost immediately ruled out foul play after locating a single bag of cocaine, a straw containing white residue, the fake oxycodone pills, and Xanax. Despite learning of his death, Marks continued selling the drugs. It wasn’t long before she served them to an undercover agent, issuing the same warning she’d given Rodriguez.
“Please be careful with these. Don’t do more than one at a time. My friend just died,” she stated.
Marks has been charged with several offenses, including distributing narcotics. She was arraigned on Friday in Manhattan. If convicted, Marks could face decades behind bars.
