Luigi Mangione’s arrest has shocked both his affluent Baltimore community and the broader nation.
Once the valedictorian of a prestigious all-boys private school and a promising Ivy League graduate, the 26-year-old is now charged with second-degree murder over the death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Brian Thompson was killed last week. Credit: UnitedHealth Group
The killing, carried out in broad daylight on a New York City sidewalk on December 4, has raised questions about Mangione’s motivations and mental state.
Here’s an in-depth look at what we know so far about Mangione, the crime, and the unfolding investigation.
A Privileged Background and a Promising Future
Born in Maryland to a wealthy family deeply entrenched in Baltimore’s real estate scene, Mangione’s early life was marked by achievement. He attended the prestigious Gilman School, an all-boys private school in Baltimore, where he graduated as valedictorian in 2016.
Mangione’s academic success continued at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned both a bachelor’s degree in engineering and computer science and later a master’s degree in engineering, graduating in 2020.
While at Penn, he was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and launched a video game development club, inspired by his love of independent games. “I just really wanted to make games,” he shared in a blog post, recalling how he taught himself to code during his freshman and sophomore years of high school, per Metro.
Luigi Mangione has been arrested in connection with the murder. Credit: PA Dept. of Corrections
Mangione’s promising future was apparent to many who knew him. Former friends and colleagues described him as “humble” and “destined for a bright future.” R.J. Martin, Mangione’s former college roommate, told ABC News: “He was absolutely not a violent person as far as I could tell.”
Another colleague, who worked with Mangione as a counselor at a Stanford University summer program, described him as outgoing and socially charming. “I am flabbergasted,” the colleague told CNN. “I never got the impression he would self-destruct.”
Despite his achievements, Mangione’s recent life paints a different picture. He maintained ties to multiple locations, including San Francisco, and his last known address was in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he reportedly lived for six months in 2022.
The Crime: A Brazen, Calculated Execution
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot last Wednesday (December 4) in what authorities are calling a “targeted” attack in Midtown Manhattan. The chilling incident occurred just blocks from Times Square and Central Park, as Thompson, 54, walked alone to the New York Hilton to attend a shareholders conference.
Surveillance footage captured the suspect — wearing a mask, a hood, and a light brown or cream-colored jacket — lying in wait for five minutes outside the hotel. At 6:40AM, as Thompson approached, the gunman calmly drew a 3D-printed ghost gun fitted with a silencer and opened fire from behind, hitting Thompson in the back and leg. Thompson was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later.
Police described the act as calculated, with no apparent signs of robbery or random violence. Thompson had been scheduled to speak at an investor conference later that day.
The suspect fled the scene, sparking a days-long manhunt. Authorities had referred to him as a “person of interest”, citing a lack of concrete evidence tying him to the crime. Efforts to locate the gunman involved land and water searches throughout New York City, as well as investigations by the U.S. Marshals Service to trace his arrival to the city, with officials believing he’d traveled to Manhattan by bus.
The crime scene yielded a bizarre clue: bullet casings with the words “deny”, “defend”, and “depose” scrawled on them in Sharpie. Investigators are exploring whether these terms are a reference to the so-called “three D’s of insurance,” a phrase often used by critics of the industry to describe alleged tactics insurers use to deny or delay claims.
The words echo — though do not exactly match — the title of a 2010 book, Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It, which critiques America’s privately run healthcare system.
Thompson was fatally shot on December 4. Credit: Spencer Platt / Getty
While investigators have not confirmed a motive, they are reportedly probing whether resentment toward the insurance industry played a role in the attack.
Per BBC News, authorities also found a discarded backpack in Central Park – believed to have been ditched by Mangione. It contained a jacket and some banknotes from the board game Monopoly but no gun, sources told CBS.
Attempting to find some form of motive behind the crime, another high school classmate of Mangione told ABC News that the suspect had undergone back surgery in recent months.
The anonymous classmate said: “Whether it was complications from his back surgery or personal issues with his family and the healthcare system, it definitely came as a huge huge surprise just because he’s not the type of person to do this without reason.”
Mangione’s Arrest
After a five-day manhunt, Mangione was taken into custody at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after an employee recognized him and alerted police. The arrest unfolded quietly, with Mangione reportedly “becoming quiet and starting to shake” when officers questioned him about recent travel to New York, according to court documents.
Arresting officer Tyler Frye later shared his thoughts on the moment, saying: “We didn’t even think twice about it; we knew that was our guy.” Reflecting on the significance of the case, he added: “It feels good to get a guy like that off the street, especially starting my career this way – it feels great.”
Authorities revealed that Mangione was in possession of a backpack containing a ghost gun, a silencer, a blue face mask, and a document described in court records as a “manifesto”. These items, coupled with his behavior, have raised further questions about his intentions and potential connections.
Mangione is facing a range of charges in both New York and Pennsylvania, according to court documents. In New York, he has been charged with murder, two counts of criminal possession of a loaded firearm, one count of criminal possession of a forged instrument, and one count of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Luigi Mangione was charged with the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Credit: Handout / Getty
In Pennsylvania, Mangione is facing five additional charges: forgery, carrying a firearm without a license, tampering with records or identification, possessing instruments of crime, and providing false identification to law enforcement.
The “Manifesto”
Authorities reportedly uncovered a three-page document and a spiral notebook with a “to-do” list when Mangione was arrested, shedding light on his potential motives and mindset.
A portion of the document, referred to by some as a manifesto, has been circulating online, revealing a mix of remorse, defiance, and sharp criticism of the American healthcare system.
The message begins with an acknowledgment of federal investigators: “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone. This was fairly trivial: some elementary social engineering, basic CAD, a lot of patience.”
Mangione appears to address the contents of the spiral notebook, noting that it contains miscellaneous notes and to-do lists that might provide further context to his actions. However, he insists his technical background as an engineer would have left little evidence behind.
He then offers what seems to be an explanation for his alleged actions, centered on his grievances with the U.S. healthcare system: “Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming. A reminder: the US has the #1 most expensive healthcare system in the world, yet we rank roughly #42 in life expectancy. United is the [indecipherable] largest company in the US by market cap, behind only Apple, Google, Walmart. It has grown and grown, but has our life expectancy?”
Despite not referring to any specific crime, he also reportedly wrote: “I do apologize for any strife of traumas but it had to be done.”
Mangione continues with an indictment of corporate power, writing: “No, the reality is, these [indecipherable] have simply gotten too powerful, and they continue to abuse our country for immense profit because the American public has allowed them to get away with it. Obviously, the problem is more complex, but I do not have space, and frankly I do not pretend to be the most qualified person to lay out the full argument.”
He references previous critics of the healthcare system, including “Rosenthal” and “Moore,” seemingly nodding to Elisabeth Rosenthal, author of An American Sickness, and filmmaker Michael Moore, whose documentaries explore healthcare inequities. Mangione’s note ends with a grim declaration: “Evidently I am the first to face it with such brutal honesty.”
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said that the document found on Mangione’s person “speaks to both his motivation and mindset”.
Mangione’s Family React
Mangione appeared in a Pennsylvania courtroom on Monday night, facing charges of illegal possession of a firearm and fraudulent identification. Without an attorney present, Mangione revealed glimpses of his strained relationship with his prominent Baltimore family, acknowledging he had been in touch with them “until recently.”
Despite his family’s wealth and influence, Mangione requested a public defender, citing his financial situation. His estrangement adds another layer of complexity to the case, given his family’s high-profile status in the Baltimore area.
The Mangione family is well-known in Maryland, thanks to their substantial real estate holdings and philanthropic efforts. Luigi’s grandfather, Nicholas Mangione, transitioned from being a masonry contractor to building an empire that included country clubs, nursing homes, and other real estate ventures in Baltimore’s suburbs.
The family also runs a foundation with nearly $4.5 million in assets and has made notable contributions to local institutions, including Loyola University, which named its aquatic center after them.On Monday afternoon, private security guards were seen outside the Mangione family home, emphasizing the family’s heightened concerns amidst Luigi’s legal troubles.
In a statement released through Maryland state delegate Nino Mangione, who is Luigi’s cousin, the family expressed their shock and sadness over the arrest. “We are shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” the statement read. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson, and we ask people to pray for all involved.”
The family further stated they “only know what we have read in the media,” underscoring their limited understanding of Luigi’s recent actions.
Mangione’s mother had previously filed a missing person report with the San Francisco Police Department in November, searching for her son’s whereabouts. The San Francisco police chief and department spokesperson have since redirected inquiries to the NYPD, as investigations into Mangione’s activities and motivations continue.
Mangione’s Lawyer Speaks Out
Mangione’s attorney, Tom Dickey, revealed during an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Tuesday night that his office has received emails from people offering to contribute to Mangione’s legal expenses.
Thomas Dickey, attorney for Mangione, spoke to the press after an extradition hearing on December 10. Credit: Jeff Swensen / Getty
“I have received some emails. I have not seen them personally, but my understanding from my staff is people are doing that,” Dickey said. Despite the offers, he expressed reluctance to accept outside financial support. “Obviously, my client appreciates the support that he has, but I don’t know… it just doesn’t sit right with me,” he added.
The offers coincide with growing social media sympathy for Mangione, where some users have referred to him as a “hero,” citing public frustrations with the U.S. healthcare system.
Dickey also expressed skepticism about the case against Mangione, particularly as his client resists extradition to New York, where he faces multiple charges, including murder. “I haven’t seen any evidence that they have the right guy,” Dickey said, adding that New York authorities “need to convince me.”
Dickey has declined to disclose who retained him to represent Mangione.
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