Mystery surrounds death of 24-year-old JPMorgan analyst at Boston-area bar magnate's mansion

A 24-year-old former JPMorgan analyst was found dead on New Year’s Day at the Burlington home of Ran Duan, a Boston-area cocktail impresario known for his nightlife ventures. The Burlington Police Department said the death is under investigation and that no cause has been publicly released as detectives review the circumstances surrounding the incident and the events of the prior night.

Phan, a Maine native who had recently quit her job as an analyst at JPMorgan after seeking a relocation to Texas, attended a concert the previous evening with Duan and other friends. Those close to her say she was not the type to drink heavily or to use drugs, and her friends pushed back on accounts of heavy intoxication. They told the Boston Globe that Phan was reportedly turned away from the venue for being “too intoxicated,” a description her friends disputed. Video evidence provided by police reportedly shows Duan driving Phan to his Burlington home after the concert, where security footage appears to show him lifting a slumped Phan from the passenger seat and carrying her to the front door; at one point, the footage allegedly captures her making quiet guttural noises as she is carried inside.

Nine hours later, Duan placed a frantic 911 call reporting that Phan was unresponsive. “We went to a concert last night, and one of my friends got really drunk,” he said in a breathless plea for help. “I need an ambulance right now. I put her down on the couch last night, took her shoes off. She passed out on the couch. I just woke up. I came down here.” Emergency responders pronounced Phan dead less than half an hour later.

Phan’s death was later attributed by a medical examiner to intoxication from MDMA, commonly known as molly. Friends of Phan contest that assessment, saying she never used drugs and had been mindful about her health. They noted she routinely underwent drug testing as part of prescriptions; one friend told the Globe that Phan was under medical supervision while trying to refill ADHD medication and was not a user of recreational substances. In communications reviewed by investigators, Duan allegedly referenced potential recreational drug use and described seeing Phan dancing with another woman the night before, while a separate report suggested someone had seen Phan putting an unknown substance into her mouth. Duan has publicly denied discussing the matter in a way that would prejudice the investigation, telling the Globe that he would respect the process and Phan’s privacy.

The Globe also reported that a message thread showed Phan declining certain recreational invitations prior to the concert, with a note indicating she did not want to partake in activities that would affect her drug testing. A spokesperson for Duan told the Globe that references to “recreational enchantments” pertained to marijuana rather than harder substances. Burlington Police Department officials say their inquiry remains active, with investigators reviewing timelines, witness accounts, and physical evidence collected at the scene.

Duan’s public profile in the Boston nightlife scene has been prominent in recent years. He has been lauded by outlets such as GQ for his inventive bars and is well known for documenting his high-profile social life online. In a statement to reporters, Duan described Phan as “one of the kindest and sweetest people” and noted that investigators had asked him not to comment publicly while the case was ongoing. He added that Phan’s family and loved ones are in his thoughts as the investigation proceeds.

The case has drawn attention to the intersecting worlds of high-pressure finance careers and nightlife entrepreneurship, with questions lingering about what happened on the night of Phan’s death and whether any contributing factors, beyond MDMA intoxication, played a role. Authorities emphasize that the inquiry is ongoing and that no determinations have been made beyond the medical examiner’s finding. While the public timeline centers on the events surrounding the New Year’s Eve outing and the early-morning hours that followed, investigators note that the case remains open as they pursue additional evidence and witness statements.

As the investigation continues, Phan’s friends have urged caution in drawing conclusions and have underscored their belief that she did not use recreational drugs. They have also expressed frustration with the perception of a glamorous, rebellious lifestyle surrounding Duan, stressing that the emphasis should be on a careful, fact-based review of all available evidence. The Burlington Police Department said there is no timeline yet for any charges, and the agency has declined to speculate on potential outcomes while the review remains underway.