Who is Luigi Mangione, Suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO Murder?
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot dead by a masked gunman outside a New York City hotel last week in an apparent assassination that has gripped the public’s imagination.
Security camera footage of the incident in the early hours of December 4 shows the suspect drawing his weapon and firing at least three times at close range. The 50-year-old CEO drops to the pavement in the video, later dying from his wounds.
After several days of speculation regarding the motive and identity of the shooter, police in Pennsylvania arrested 26-year-old Luigi Nicholas Mangione on Monday. Here’s what we know about the individual identified as a “strong person of interest” in the deadly shooting.
Apprehended
New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica Tisch reported that Mangione was apprehended at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a staff member recognized him from police images and notified law enforcement. Authorities found Mangione seated at a table, focused on a silver laptop and wearing a blue medical mask. When questioned about his recent visits to New York, Mangione reportedly “became quiet and started to shake,” as detailed in a criminal complaint.
Latest: 50 Cent Slams Jay-Z for Red Carpet Appearance After Rape Allegation
At the time of his arrest, Mangione possessed a United States passport and several fake IDs, including one under the name Mark Rosario, which he used to check into a hostel in New York City prior to the shooting, according to Tisch. Additionally, he was found with a silencer and a firearm “both consistent with the weapon used in the murder,” police stated. Authorities suspect the firearm to be a “ghost gun”—a weapon assembled at home without a serial number, potentially created using a 3D printer. Tisch mentioned that Mangione was in possession of a “handwritten document” that outlines “both his motivation and mindset” regarding Thompson’s murder.
Authorities charged Mangione with murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery, and providing false identification to police late on Monday.
Motivation
The police have not disclosed the handwritten note nor its specific details to the public. According to US media reports citing unnamed law enforcement sources, the note included phrases like, “These parasites had it coming” and “I do apologize for any strife and trauma, but it had to be done.” Investigators revealed last week that the words “defend,” “deny,” and “depose” were inscribed on the bullet casings found at the murder scene.
Many believe these words reference tactics allegedly employed by US health insurance companies to evade paying patient claims, leading to speculation that Mangione may have acted out of frustration with the industry. Further insight into Mangione’s potential motivations can be gleaned from a sympathetic review of Industrial Society and Its Future, also known as the Unabomber Manifesto, which appears to have been posted from his account on Goodreads.
The review characterizes Ted Kaczynski, who conducted a lengthy bombing campaign in the US that resulted in three deaths and 23 injuries, as an “extreme political revolutionary.” “It’s easy to dismiss this as the work of a madman to avoid confronting the uncomfortable issues it raises. However, many of his predictions about modern society have proven to be remarkably accurate,” the review states. It also claims that “violence is necessary to survive” when all other means of communication fail, labeling those who reject this idea as “cowards and predators.” Additionally, the same Goodreads account expressed approval for a quote by Kurt Vonnegut that states: “America is the wealthiest nation on Earth, but its people are mainly poor, and poor Americans are urged to hate themselves.”
Mangione's Background
Mangione hails from a prosperous family in Maryland, where he excelled at the prestigious Gilman School, graduating as the valedictorian in 2016. He then pursued his studies at the University of Pennsylvania, earning both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in computer science, along with a minor in mathematics, graduating in 2020. Stanford University has verified that an individual with the same name worked there from May to September 2019 as a head counselor in the Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies program.
As a teenager, Mangione created a game app and later took on the role of a data engineer at TrueCar, a vehicle shopping company, starting in November 2020, according to his LinkedIn profile. A spokesperson from TrueCar mentioned that he has not been with the company since 2023.
According to his X account, Mangione resided in Hawaii, where he frequently shared insights on technological innovations, including artificial intelligence, as well as topics related to fitness and healthy living. Recently, he has interacted with posts from author Jonathan Haidt about his new book, The Anxious Generation, and American neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, who discussed anxiety and depression in a podcast episode. One of his reposts reflects on the void created by the decline of religion in the West and the rise of progressive ideologies, such as diversity, equity, and inclusion.
His profile banner features an X-ray image of a lower back with visible screws and plates. Additionally, his Goodreads account includes reviews focused on health and managing back pain, such as Crooked: Outwitting the Back Pain Industry and Getting on the Road to Recovery.
Luigi Mangione’s motives for shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson remain unclear, but authorities have found clues suggesting deep frustration with the healthcare industry. A handwritten note discovered with Mangione reportedly included phrases like “These parasites had it coming,” hinting at his anger toward individuals in the healthcare sector. Investigators speculate that the words "defend," "deny," and "depose," found on bullet casings, refer to tactics allegedly used by insurance companies to avoid paying claims. Mangione also showed admiration for extremist views, including those of the Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski, who advocated violence as a form of societal protest.
