New York hotel heir found dead at 28 of suspected drug overdose as police try to trace potentially deadly batch of party drug GHB

  • Charlie Denihan worked for his family's hotel business Denihan Hospitality Group, which owns several chic Manhattan hotels
  • His body was discovered at his Union Square apartment Sunday evening along with methamphetamine, cocaine and GHB
  • His was the third suspected drug fatality in the precinct in just three hours and GHB was found with the other two victims
  • Police are now trying to uncover exactly what killed Denihan and whether the GHB came from the same batch

By Daily Mail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 16:09 EST, 17 March 2014 | UPDATED: 18:23 EST, 17 March 2014

A young New York hotel heir was found dead from a likely drug overdose Sunday evening in his posh Manhattan highrise, with methamphetamine, cocaine and the party drug GHB reportedly at his side.

Charlie Denihan, a management trainee at his family's Denihan Hospitality Group, was one of three suspected drug-related deaths in just four hours in the area.

The drug GHB was found near all the victims and police fear that a bad batch of the drug could be making the rounds.

Wealthy, handsome and privileged: Hotel scion Charlie Denihan was found dead of a suspected drug overdose on Sunday in his posh Manhattan apartment

Wealthy, handsome and privileged: Hotel scion Charlie Denihan was found dead of a suspected drug overdose on Sunday in his posh Manhattan apartment

The New York Post reports that the handsome heir's roommate discovered the body around 7:30pm Sunday.

Denihan's family owns some of New York's finest hotels, including the James in Soho, the Surrey on the Upper East Side, and the Mansfield near Bryant Park.

As an up-and-comer in the hotel game, Denihan seemed to have everything going for him. He also had a flourishing social life as proved by the many party photos on his social media feeds.

He even dated gorgeous socialite Jules Kirby and appeared on Tinsley Mortimer's reality series.

Denihan Hospitality Group scion Charlie Denihan was found dead of a suspected drug overdose in his posh Union Square West pad Sunday evening, law-enforcement sources said. The body of the handsome 28-year-old, who worked for his family’s famous hotel chain, was discovered by a roommate around 7:30 p.m. inside their apartment at 15 Union Square West, sources said. Cops found crystal meth, cocaine and the rave drug GHB in the home, sources said. No criminality or foul play is suspected, sources said. Denihan’s death was the third suspected drug fatality in the 13th Precinct within four hours Sunday — and GHB was found at each scene, sources said. The other two victims were men who’d been partying at a bar and then went back to the pad of one of them, where the drug was found, sources said. The men were identified as Shaun Murphy, 34, of 14 W. 19th St., and Jovin Raithz, 37, of California. They were both found dead in Murphy’s apartment about four hours before Denihan was discovered, sour
Denihan Hospitality Group scion Charlie Denihan was found dead of a suspected drug overdose in his posh Union Square West pad Sunday evening, law-enforcement sources said. The body of the handsome 28-year-old, who worked for his family’s famous hotel chain, was discovered by a roommate around 7:30 p.m. inside their apartment at 15 Union Square West, sources said. Cops found crystal meth, cocaine and the rave drug GHB in the home, sources said. No criminality or foul play is suspected, sources said. Denihan’s death was the third suspected drug fatality in the 13th Precinct within four hours Sunday — and GHB was found at each scene, sources said. The other two victims were men who’d been partying at a bar and then went back to the pad of one of them, where the drug was found, sources said. The men were identified as Shaun Murphy, 34, of 14 W. 19th St., and Jovin Raithz, 37, of California. They were both found dead in Murphy’s apartment about four hours before Denihan was discovered, sour

Celebrated: The Denihan Hospitality Group owns some of New York's most celebrated hotels, including the Surrey on the Upper East Side

Seemingly perfect: Denihan dated one of the young New York social scene's most eligible women, Jules Kirby

Seemingly perfect: Denihan dated one of the young New York social scene's most eligible women, Jules Kirby

What killed him? Denihan, right, was found dead and cocaine, methamphetamine and GHB were found with him

What killed him? Denihan, right, was found dead and cocaine, methamphetamine and GHB were found with him

But his promising life was cut tragically short and police say his wasn't the only death from GHB in the area that night.

Four hours after Denihan's body was discovered, the other two victims were found.

These men, 34-year-old Shaun Murphy and 37-year-old Jovin Raithz, were also found with GHB.

Police don't know if the three men knew each other, but they're testing the GHB to figure if it came from the same batch, the Post reports.

 

More...

Now, as authorities try to ensure that the potentially tainted drug claims no more victims, the Denihan family begins to mourn the death of one of their own.

'We are devastated at the tragic and sudden loss of Charlie,' reads the family's statement. 'He was a loving and remarkable son, brother, nephew, cousin, Godfather and friend. In this tragic time, we ask that you remember him in your prayers and respect our privacy as we mourn his passing.'

The socialite was one of three suspected drug-related deaths in just four hours the evening he was found

The socialite was one of three suspected drug-related deaths in just four hours the evening he was found

Bad batch? GHB was found at the scene of the other deaths and police are now looking into whether it could have all been from the same bad batch

Bad batch? GHB was found at the scene of the other deaths and police are now looking into whether it could have all been from the same bad batch

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There are many obstacles that we need to navigate around in life. He was snared by one of them. He needed guidance, not drugs. You don't need drugs to make you happy, you need to find your passion and peace of mind ... Job 1 in life. This is not the way to go. Don't give up.

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You're all so quick to judge even though you don't have all the facts, it's his family I feel sorry for or do they not matter simply because they're rich and we're not.

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Drugs KILL! RIP. It looks like he led a very risky lifestyle.

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Bad batch? Is there a good batch?

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Rest In Peace you entitled acting d.ouch.e.bag

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Handsome but not very clever

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His love for drugs was his downfall. Too bad because he had everything going for him and it simply was not enough!

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drugs know no boundaries.........he is ONLY one of the thousands that die from drugs......his family is NOT the only FAMILY that looses a love one to drugs......

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What is GHB?

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Not positive, but I believe it's floor stripper??

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Gorgeous guy, gone too soon! What a senseless waste!

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