UnitedHealth killing suspect gets first-degree murder charge

The man being held in connection with the killing of UnitedHealth chief executive Brian Thompson in New York City earlier this month, Luigi Mangione, has been indicted with a new charge of first-degree murder "in furtherance of terrorism."

It comes after Mangione was previously charged with the lesser charge of second-degree murder, as well as possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery, and providing false identification to police. He will also now face a second charge of second-degree murder as an "act of terrorism."

First-degree murder charges are applied when there is suspicion of premeditated, intentional killing, while second-degree murder covers unplanned but intentional killings that take place in the heat of the moment. In New York, murder in the first degree carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment with no prospect of parole.

The new charges come ahead of a hearing scheduled for tomorrow in Pennsylvania – where Mangione was arrested and is being detained without bail – to try to extradite him to New York in order to face the charges. There have been suggestions this may not now go ahead, as Mangione may waive his right to the hearing and decide not to contest the extradition.

Additional details of the case have also been revealed, including that Mangione arrived in New York a week before Thompson was shot dead outside a hotel where UnitedHealth was scheduled to host an investor event. He stayed in a hostel on the Upper West Side, checking in using a fake New Jersey ID.

Subsequently, he used "a 3D-printed ghost gun equipped with a 3D-printed suppressor" to shoot Thompson in the back and leg, according to one of the prosecutors in the case, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. He reiterated earlier assertions that the killing was "a frightening, well-planned, targeted murder," adding that it was "intended to evoke terror."

There has been a wave of sympathy and support being voiced for Mangione online, often expressing grievances with the US insurance-based healthcare system and in some cases – alarmingly – supporting the murder of CEOs as an act of protest.

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 – delay, deny, and defend – that are part of a playbook used by health insurance companies to deny claims.

At a press conference to reveal the new first-degree murder charge, New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch said: "In the nearly two weeks since Mr Thompson's killing, we have seen a shocking and appalling celebration of cold-blooded murder."

"Let me say this plainly, there is no heroism in what Mangione did," she added. "This was a senseless act of violence. We don't celebrate murders and we don't lionise the killing of anyone."

Mangione's legal counsel has said there is no evidence linking the gun that was found in his possession to the murder of Thompson, who worked for UnitedHealth for 20 years, rising to the role of CEO in 2021.