Robert De Niro addresses his grandson’s fatal death in less than a year

Robert De Niro has recently remembered his grandson, Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, who passed away at 19 in July 2023.

In a new interview with PEOPLE, the Killers of the Flower Moon star described his death “an awful tragedy” of his life.

“I felt disbelief when I heard the news,” said the 80-year-old.

Robert continued, “It’s just a shock,” he says. “[I] never thought it would happen.”

The Taxi Driver actor explained, “And I just then started thinking about all the things I could have, should have done maybe with him.”

“I don't know if that would've made a difference. And so that's always playing through my mind,” stated Robert.

The Heat actor added, “It shouldn’t have happened.”

In August 2023, the New York City chief medical examiner's office confirmed to PEOPLE that Robin’s grandson’s death was caused by the “toxic effects of fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine, and cocaine”.

In a criminal complaint obtained by PEOPLE at the time, it said, “Marks sold a total of 50 suspected counterfeit oxycodone pills to an undercover police officer.”

“On July 13, following Marks' second sale to the undercover officer, she was arrested and found to be in possession of approximately 156 more suspected counterfeit oxycodone pills and approximately $1,500 in cash.”

Later, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York charged Marks with 20 years of prison sentence each for distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and alprazolam.

In a statement, the US Attorney revealed at the time, “At least one of Marks’s counterfeit pills was purchased and taken by a teenager who subsequently died of a suspected overdose,” referring to Leandro without giving out his name.