David Muir leaves viewers in shock after halting ABC broadcast for heartbreaking update live on air.NN
David Muir interrupted ABC World News Tonight to give his viewers a shocking update on a story that shocked the nation two years ago, and it has left fans feeling rather uneasy
There was a chilling development in the death of Hollywood star Robert De Niro’s grandson, Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, and ABC’s David Muir was on hand to deliver the latest.
The 51-year-old long-time journalist paused ABC World News Tonight to announce, “Two years after the overdose death of Robert De Niro’s grandson, authorities arresting five suspects accused of distributing counterfeit prescription drugs laced with fentanyl.”
He continued, “Authorities blaming the suspects for at least three deaths, including De Niro’s grandson and the daughter of Blondie co-founder, Chris Stein. Federal prosecutors say the deadly drugs were supplied by a network that preyed on teenagers using popular social media platforms.”
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Leandro, 19, was found dead in Manhattan on July 2, 2023. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner later ruled he died from the toxic effects of fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine, and cocaine. It was determined to be an accidental drug overdose death, the ME’s office confirmed to PEOPLE at the time.
Grant McIver, Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, John Nicolas, and Roy Nicolas were part of a criminal crew that sold thousands of counterfeit pills to unsuspecting teens and young adults across the Big Apple, according to an indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court.
They would advertise the drugs on social media, targeting teens and young adults on Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, and Telegram, cops said.
Sophia Haley Marks, 20, an alleged drug dealer known as the “Percocet Princess,” has been separately charged with being the person who sold Leandrop the pills he overdosed on. She was charged for her alleged crimes in 2023. She allegedly began buying drugs from the Nicolas brothers in 2022, including Xanax and fentanyl.
“Today, justice has been delivered,” DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino said in a statement Thursday. “While the arrest of these five individuals will not bring back the lives lost, we hope it brings some measure of closure to the families who continue to grieve,” he added.
The group is also believed to have sold drugs that killed Akira Stein, also 19, the daughter of the Blondie guitarist, law enforcement sources said.
A clip of David’s report on the update was shared to ABC World News Tonight’s Instagram account, along with the caption, “Five people have been arrested and accused of supplying the fentanyl-laced opioid pills that killed Robert De Niro’s grandson and the daughter of one of Blondie’s co-founders in 2023. @davidmuirabc reports.”
Fans inundated the posts with comments as they shared their heartbreak over the story. One viewer penned, “What’s this world coming to. It’s not safe anymore!!” followed by a teary-eyed face emoji.
As a second person warned, “Stay away from drugs! You never know where they’re from or what’s in em!” as another echoed this sentiment saying, “Don’t do drugs.”
“Very SAD,” another person commented, with a fifth declaring, “Justice will soon be served…. Duly to hold those drug dealers accountable for the young victims’ deaths, and they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law allowed.” While a sixth viewer blasted, “Good! May they rot in prison.”
