ALTOONA, Pa. — The firearm discovered on the individual accused of murdering the CEO of United Healthcare has been confirmed to match the shell casings from the crime scene, as announced by the New York City police commissioner on Wednesday. Authorities are carefully examining the evidence alongside the suspect’s connections to the healthcare industry and personal experiences.
Luigi Mangione, 26, is currently in custody without bail in Pennsylvania, where he was apprehended on initial charges relating to firearms and forgery. Manhattan district attorneys are working on extraditing him to New York to face homicide charges following the death of Brian Thompson, who led the largest health insurance company in the United States. Mangione’s attorney has urged caution against any premature conclusions about the case.
Early investigations suggest that Mangione may have harbored resentment towards the healthcare sector. Authorities are currently probing into an incident dating back to July 4, 2023, where Mangione suffered a back injury that necessitated emergency care. They are examining his social media accounts, which feature posts of X-rays showing numerous screws in his spine, and writings that express discontent towards corporate America and the U.S. healthcare system.
Additionally, investigators retrieved a spiral notebook belonging to Mangione along with a three-page handwritten letter discovered at the time of his arrest in Pennsylvania. According to a law enforcement source, while details of the notebook remain undisclosed, it hints at potential insights regarding the assault. The letter reportedly criticized corporate greed, likening health insurance companies to parasites, and lamented the disparity in profit margins for major corporations against stagnant life expectancy rates in the U.S.
Since being taken into custody, Mangione has publicly expressed his frustration, asserting in court that there is an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.” His defense attorney, Thomas Dickey, stated during a brief court session that he doubted the validity of the forgery accusations and questioned if the firearm possession constituted an actual crime. Dickey also indicated that Mangione aims to contest his extradition to New York, seeking a hearing on that matter.
The suspect was apprehended in Altoona after a customer at a McDonald’s recognized him and alerted staff. Reports from New York law enforcement indicate that Mangione was in possession of the firearm, along with a fraudulent identification that had been used to check into a New York hostel, alongside a passport and additional forged IDs.
Thompson, age 50, was fatally shot on December 4 while walking alone to a hotel for an investment event. Currently, no fingerprints have been identified on the ammunition retrieved from the shooting site; however, efforts are underway to analyze a print discovered on a nearby cellphone. Police are continuing their investigation to gather more surveillance footage that tracks Mangione’s movements in New York, specifically between November 24 and the date of the shooting. From the video analysis already conducted, they have concluded that he left the city swiftly after the incident, likely using a bus.
The timeline following the shooting remains unclear, but authorities suspect he took measures to evade detection. When arrested, he was reported to be in possession of Faraday bags designed to block signals that could be used to trace electronic devices, according to prosecutors in Pennsylvania.
Mangione, who is related to a prominent Maryland real estate mogul and philanthropist, has a graduate degree in computer science and has previously worked at a car-buying website. During early 2022, he lived in a co-living space in Hawaii, where acquaintances reported that he faced severe episodes of back pain. His family has publicly expressed their shock and devastation regarding the situation.
