A woman has been arrested in connection with the death of actor Robert De Niro’s 19-year-old grandson, Leandro De Niro Rodriguez. Sofia Haley Marks, 20, was taken into custody on Thursday by New York City police officers and federal drug agents. She is facing federal narcotics charges for allegedly selling drugs to Rodriguez, according to a law enforcement official.
Marks was scheduled to appear in federal court later on Friday. As of the time of writing, there were no online booking records available for Marks’ arrest, and it was unclear if she had an attorney to represent her.
Rodriguez was found dead in his Manhattan apartment on July 2, and the cause of his death is still under investigation, according to a spokesperson for the city medical examiner’s office. His mother, Drena De Niro, announced his death on Instagram and later revealed that he had died after consuming fentanyl-laced pills.
Leandro De Niro Rodriguez was the son of Drena De Niro, the oldest child of renowned actor Robert De Niro, and artist Carlos Mare. Like his grandfather, Rodriguez was an actor and had appeared alongside his mother in various projects, including Bradley Cooper’s 2018 remake of “A Star is Born.”
Robert De Niro expressed deep distress over the loss of his beloved grandson, Leo, following Rodriguez’s passing. At the time of reporting, there was no immediate response from De Niro’s representative regarding the recent arrest. The case remains ongoing as investigators continue their inquiries into the circumstances surrounding Rodriguez’s death.