NYPD investigators may have found a crucial clue in the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Thompson was tragically shot and killed on Wednesday (December 4) in a chilling attack outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan. Authorities have described the killing as a calculated and deliberate act.

Thompson was fatally shot on December 4. Credit: Spencer Platt / Getty

The assailant, who used a firearm equipped with a silencer, ambushed the 50-year-old executive outside the luxury hotel on Sixth Avenue. Thompson was struck multiple times, with bullets hitting his back and right calf, before the gunman fled on foot.

The NYPD has released a surveillance image of the suspect, a hooded figure captured standing at a Starbucks counter just blocks away from the crime scene. The café, located at West 56th Street and Sixth Avenue, is mere minutes from where Thompson was gunned down.

Thompson had been the CEO of UnitedHealthcare since April 2021, having joined the company in 2004. He was one of several senior executives under investigation by the Department of Justice, though the details of the probe remain unclear.

Police are still on the hunt for the suspect. Credit: NYPD

Paulette Thompson – Brian’s wife – revealed that her husband had received threats prior to the attack, the New York Post reports. Investigators are also scrutinizing a potential clue: live rounds and shell casings left at the scene, engraved with cryptic words such as “deny,” “depose,” and “defend.”

The NYPD is actively pursuing leads in what they are calling a “methodical and chilling assassination”, while the tragic loss of Thompson has left the business community and his family reeling.

Now, police have confirmed that a gray backpack matching the description of the one worn by the shooter has been discovered in Central Park on Friday (December 6), raising hopes of a breakthrough in the case.

The bag, hidden in the brush near Heckscher Playground south of the carousel, was recovered by officers after an intensive search involving over 100 officers and drones. “It is huge and gray,” said NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny, calling the backpack “very distinctive.”

Photos of the bag released by police resemble the ‘Everyday Backpack’ made by Peak Design, a product sold between 2016 and 2019, according to company CEO Paul Dering. After seeing surveillance images of the gunman, Dering reported the likeness to the NYPD’s tip line. He told The New York Times that police have already received “hundreds” of similar tips linking the bag to his company.

To avoid contaminating evidence, investigators have not opened the bag and have sent it for forensic testing, police sources told The Post.

The masked gunman’s escape path has puzzled investigators. After shooting Thompson just before 7:00AM, the killer fled on foot into an alleyway, then rode a bicycle up Sixth Avenue and through Central Park, NYPD said. Surveillance footage later showed him exiting the park near West 77th Street, still on the bike.

By the time he reached West 86th Street and Columbus Avenue, the suspect had ditched the bike and was seen entering a northbound taxi. Later, he was spotted at a Port Authority bus station near 178th Street and Broadway, but there’s no footage of him leaving the station, leading investigators to believe he left town.

Before the murder, the gunman reportedly stayed at a hostel on the Upper West Side, where his behavior raised eyebrows. “He didn’t speak. He kept his mask on even when he was eating,” Kenny said, recounting interviews with the suspect’s unwitting roommates.

Surveillance footage from shortly before the shooting shows the suspect buying a water bottle and a Kind bar at a nearby Starbucks, but fingerprints collected from the scene have so far been “of no value” for identification.

Thompson’s wife says her husband had been receiving threats in the lead up to his killing. Credit: Alex Kent / Getty

Police continue to investigate every lead, including tips from out of state, but key pieces of the puzzle remain elusive. Bullets recovered from the scene are being tested to determine if they match those from previous shootings.

Meanwhile, a statement from UnitedHealthcare shared on the company’s website reads: “While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place.

“So many patients, consumers, health care professionals, associations, government officials and other caring people have taken time out of their day to reach out. We are thankful, even as we grieve.

“Our priorities are, first and foremost, supporting Brian’s family; ensuring the safety of our employees; and working with law enforcement to bring the perpetrator to justice.

“We, at UnitedHealth Group, will continue to be there for those who depend upon us for their health care.

“We ask that everyone respect the family’s privacy as they mourn the loss of their husband, father, brother and friend.”

Our thoughts continue to go out to Thompson’s family and loved ones at this time.