Suspect in UnitedHealth CEO killing charged with murder
Pennsylvania police released this image of Mangione after he was charged with murder
A 26-year-old man has been charged with murder in connection with the fatal shooting last week of UnitedHealth chief executive Brian Thompson in New York City.
The man – who has been named as Luigi Mangione – was reportedly taken into custody at a McDonald's restaurant in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after an employee recognised him from CCTV images and contacted police.
He was found with a gun that looked similar to the weapon used to kill Thompson – possibly a 'ghost gun' made using a 3D printer – along with a suppressor, several rounds of 9mm ammunition, a US passport and several fake ID documents, thousands of dollars in cash, and a handwritten document that the authorities suggest points to a possible motive.
The authorities say the document suggests Mangione may harbour "some ill will towards corporate America" and appears to make reference to UnitedHealth directly whilst also railing against the healthcare sector, according to a CNN report.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch told a news conference that the gun and suppressor carried by the suspect were "both consistent with the weapon used in the murder."
Mangione was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery, and providing false identification to police, and subsequently charged with a count of second-degree murder. He did not enter a plea at his first court appearance in Pennsylvania yesterday evening and was ordered to be held without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for 23rd December.
His detention follows a five-day manhunt that was launched after Thompson was killed outside a Manhattan hotel scheduled to host a UnitedHealth investor conference.
Investigators say the words "deny", "defend" and "depose" were written on shell casings found at the scene of Thompson's murder, leading to speculation that this could be a reference to the three Ds of insurance – delay, deny, and defend – that are a playbook used by health insurance companies to deny claims.
Mangione is an Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland family whose last known address was in Honolulu, Hawaii.
His cousin Nino Mangione – a Maryland state legislator – issued a brief statement on social media indicating the family is "shocked and devastated by Luigi's arrest," adding that they "offer prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and […] ask people to pray for all involved."
