According to the Magazine, the young man was found dead with a "white powdery substance" nearby and "no signs of trauma." For his part, the actor expressed his pain after sending a statement.
On Sunday afternoon, July 2, Leandro De Niro Rodríguez, the 18-year-old grandson of Robert De Niro, was found dead next to a plate containing a white powdery substance.
Leandro was the son of Drena, De Niro's 51-year-old adoptive daughter, and artist Carlos Rodríguez. Drena announced the tragic news of his death on Instagram on Sunday, saying, "I wish only love could have saved you."
The teenager's body was found in a chair inside an apartment located in the Cipriani Club residences on Wall Street, valued at $950,000.
As reported by a police source, the substance was found near Leandro's body with no signs of trauma. A friend who hadn't heard from him in several days was the one who discovered him and was checking in on him.
The concierge of the building located at 55 Wall Street confirmed that Leandro lived there. He had lived alone in the luxurious sixth-floor apartment, renting the unit for less than a year. It should be noted that the apartment is located in the same stone building as Cipriani, an exclusive venue for luxury events.
"I would see him from time to time and he would always say hi," said the concierge. "He was just friendly, reserved."
"I didn't know who he was until I read the story," he said. It's a tragedy. I was talking to my coworker who said my daughter had just turned 20. You see the photo of her (of Leandro), she was a baby.
Robert De Niro's message about his grandson's death
Robert De Niro broke his silence on the death of his grandson. In a statement on Monday the 3rd, the actor said: "I am deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo," he begins.
'We are very grateful for everyone's condolences. We ask that we be given privacy to mourn the loss of Leo," the veteran actor begged.
Drena, 51, De Niro's adoptive daughter, and artist Carlos Rodríguez were Leandro's parents. On Sunday, Drena shared the tragic news of his passing via Instagram, expressing, "I wish love alone could have saved you."
Leandro, an aspiring actor, and director, was following in the professional footsteps of his mother and his grandfather. He got a chance to play a small role in the 2018 movie "A Star Is Born," playing the son of Bradley Cooper's best friend, George 'Noodles' Stone, who was played by Dave Chappelle. He also made an appearance in the movie "Cabaret Maxime" in the year 2018.
The message from the parents of Robert De Niro's grandson
His father, Carlos, said in a post: "Words are not enough to express the joy he gave us or the loss we now suffer with our families and friends. He is now the son of God. On this full moon, his spirit illuminates what could not be seen in the dark.'
Drena's post began: 'My beautiful sweet angel. I have loved you beyond words or description from the moment I felt you in my womb.
"You have been my joy, my heart, and everything that was ever pure and real in my life. I wish I were with you right now. I wish I were with you."
