Luigi Mangione Officially Charged with Murder of UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson

A 26-year-old man, Luigi Mangione, has been officially charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City. Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on Monday, December 10, after a customer recognized him.

The suspect, an Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland family, was found with a gun and a handwritten document that seemed to reveal his “motivation and mindset,” according to police.

Mangione appeared in a Pennsylvania court, where he was arraigned on five initial counts, including firearms charges, and was denied bail. Shortly after, New York investigators charged him with murder and additional firearms-related offenses.

Thompson, 50, was shot in the back last Wednesday morning outside the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, where UnitedHealthcare was hosting an investors’ meeting. Authorities believe Thompson was the target of a pre-planned killing.

Luigi Mangione is currently in jail in Pennsylvania, where he faces formal charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery, and providing false identification to the police. He appeared in court on Monday, handcuffed at both his wrists and ankles.

The shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last week led to a massive manhunt, with New York City investigators deploying one of the world’s largest digital surveillance systems, as well as police dogs, drones, and divers to search for the suspect in a Central Park lake.

Investigators noted that the capture of Mangione came as a complete surprise, as they had not identified him as a suspect until Monday.

It was a customer at a McDonald’s in Altoona who recognized Luigi Mangione from media coverage and alerted an employee, who then informed the police. When officers arrived, Mangione presented a fake New Jersey driver’s license under the name Mark Rosario.

Court papers reveal that Mangione “became quiet and started to shake” when an officer asked if he had recently been to New York. After being told he would be arrested for lying about his identity, he revealed his real name.

When asked why he lied, Mangione responded, “I clearly shouldn’t have.”

A search of Luigi Mangione’s backpack revealed a “ghost gun” — a firearm that may have been 3D-printed — along with a loaded magazine containing six rounds of 9mm ammunition.

Prosecutors also found a US passport and $10,000 in cash, including $2,000 in foreign currency, though Mangione disputed the amount during his court appearance.

Additionally, officials discovered a three-page handwritten document in his possession, which suggested that Mangione harbored “ill will towards corporate America.”

Investigators also noted that the words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose” were written on shell casings found at the scene of Brian Thompson’s murder.

Officials believe the handwritten words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose” may reference what critics call the “three Ds of insurance,” which describe tactics used by insurance companies to reject payment claims in the complex U.S. healthcare system.

New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed that the weapon and suppressor seized from the suspect were consistent with the weapon used in the murder of Brian Thompson.

Luigi Mangione is now facing the decision of whether to waive his extradition to New York or contest it. His family expressed being “shocked and devastated” by his arrest.

“We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved,” said their statement, which was posted on social media late on Monday by the defendant’s cousin, Maryland state legislator Nino Mangione.