Drugged, Robbed And Murdered : Wealthy Gay Entrepreneur José Rosado Found Dead

Police in Spain say they have arrested two men suspected of killing a wealthy, American man.

In late October, the body of José Rosado, 43, was discovered by staff at the luxurious Westin Palace Hotel in Madrid. His partner of 13 years, Nic Young, who was at their home in Miami, contacted hotel staff to check Rosado’s room when he was unable to reach him.

Rosado was born in New Jersey and raised in Puerto Rico. He enjoyed a stellar career as a yacht mogul and rose to become the head of Spain’s biggest private shipyard, Hijos de J. Barreras. He stepped down earlier this year and was understood to be launching a new company.

When Rosado’s body was discovered, there were no obvious signs of foul play. At first, police informed the media Rosado died of natural causes.

However, when surveillance footage was checked, Rosado was seen returning to the hotel with “two or three” men. A post mortem indicated fatal doses of drugs in his system.

A more in-depth inspection showed that personal items, including credit cards, were missing from the room.

When police later discovered that withdrawals continued to be made on Rosado’s credit cards, they began to suspect he had been killed. It also emerged that some of the belongings he took on the trip had been stolen from his room.

On Monday, Spanish cops arrested two men: a 39-year-old Romanian with nine previous arrests, and a 29-year-old Moroccan man with 17 arrests for what police called “similar events.” Cops found DNA from both men in Rosado’s hotel room.

Homicide detectives say they believe Rosado invited the men to his room for sex after meeting them at a party on October 29th. They likely spiked Rosado’s drinks and the combination of “liquid ecstasy” and alcohol killed him. The suspects have been charged with homicide, robbery with violence, and fraud.

Police believe that Rosado was targeted by the two men who poisoned him with a fatal dose of liquid ecstasy and lured him back to his room with the promise of a threesome.

A Miami-Herald obituary to Rosado described him as, “An extremely high achiever” with “a remarkable career as an executive in the maritime, energy and banking industries.”

“Jose’s zest for life was infectious, and he made friends everywhere he went. His life was defined by his passion to explore the world—he visited more than 50 countries on his extensive travels for both work and pleasure. He relished in experiencing the food, wine and culture of every place he journeyed, and his loss is felt in the many enduring friendships he formed after meeting people in all corners of the world.”

Police confirmed they had arrested a Romanian man aged 39, with nine previous arrests and a 29-year-old Moroccan man who had a record of 17 prior arrests for similar crimes.

Tributes were paid to Rosado, led by his partner of 13 years, Nic Young.

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