On 4 December 2024, following the tragic murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare (an American medical insurance company), a manhunt was sparked throughout New York and beyond. Five days later, police charged a man in relation to the shooting: Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-0ld who was caught hundreds of miles away from the shooting site in Pennsylvania, in the middle of a McDonald's.
Today (21 February 2025), Mangione is set to appear in court for the first time as part of the ongoing murder case and it's reported that the judge could set a formal date for his no doubt high-profile trial to begin. It'll be Mangione's first time in public since his initial hearing which took place in late December 2024. So far, he has pleaded not guilty.
It's anticipated that prosecutors and defense attorneys will also be sharing updates on the status of the case, and it's said that supporters of Mangione are already in attendance outside of Manhattan Criminal Court.
But what do we actually know about the Ivy League graduate, who police are suspecting may have pulled the trigger and ended Thompson's life?
Who is Luigi Mangione?
Luigi Mangione is a 26-year-old Ivy League-educated man who has been charged in relation to the murder of Brian Thompson, which took place on West 54th Street in New York City on 4 December 2024.
Although the shooting of Thompson took place in New York, Mangione was found hundreds of miles away in Pennsylvania while eating in a McDonald's, after a fellow customer flagged his presence to a member of staff following police-issued CCTV images.
An X (formerly Twitter) account that uses the handle @PepMangione and appears to belong to Mangione has a customised banner showing three images: a Pokémon called Breloom (which has a mix of mushroom and dinosaur-like qualities), an x-ray of a body part with four screws in it and a shirtless photo of a man, who could well be Mangione, hiking.
It is believed that Thompson's murder was linked to his work in the complex health insurance world of America, which sees many denied or unable to afford care.
According to a BBC report, Mangione was found with a trace 'ghost' gun on him at the time he was apprehended, along with multiple IDs (both real and fake), ammunition, $10,000 in cash and a three-page handwritten document that officials have said suggests "motivation and mindset" in relation to Thompson's killing.
A former classmate said Mangione "quite honestly had everything going for him", claiming he was from a wealthy family and had good grades throughout his school years.
What happened with Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare?
Tragically, Brian Thompson (who had been CEO of UnitedHealthcare for three years, according to his LinkedIn profile) was shot and killed while walking in New York on 4 December, in an attack that could have been related to his high-profile job. Currently, many Americans are unhappy with the cost and coverage of medical insurance in their country, which has been criticised for not always delivering for people during some of the toughest moments of their lives and for denying sick patients vital healthcare.
Thompson's wife, Paulette, told NBC News that her husband had received death threats prior to his murder.
"Yes, there had been some threats basically I don't know, a lack of coverage? I don't know details," she said. "I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him. I can't really give a thoughtful response right now. I just found this out and I'm trying to console my children."
Bullets allegedly found at the scene of Thompson's death had the words 'deny', 'depose' and 'defend' carved into them, which some have interpreted as linked to the book Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don't Pay Claim and What You Can Do About It by Jay Feinman, or to the 'three Ds' – known tactics used by medical insurance firms to reject claims, leading people into debt, denying them vital medication or surgeries, and worsening their health (both physical and mental).
What happened when Luigi Mangione was caught?
When he was initially caught, it's reported that Mangione tried to show police officers a fake ID (which had also been used to check into a hostel after the shooting) with the name 'Mark Rosario', before being warned that if he was found to be lying he could be arrested. Only then did Mangione show his real ID.
At first, Mangione was detained in Pennsylvania where he was charged with murder and four other counts, including possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and showing police a false ID, according to a BBC report. He was later moved to a prison in New York.
During a press conference after the shooting, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described 50-year-old Thompson's murder as "a brazen, targeted attack", adding, "I want to be clear at this time, every indication is that this was a premeditated, preplanned, targeted attack."
A photo of a man in a hood with a beaming white smile was circulated shortly after the killing.
After Mangione's arrest was made public and CCTV images of a man wanted in connection to the killing went viral, social media has been ablaze with posts about Mangione's alleged online profiles, comments about his appearance and much more.
What has Luigi Mangione's family said?
An X post from an account under the name Nino Mangione, thought to be Luigi Mangione's cousin and a Republican member of the Maryland House of Delegates, offered condolences to Thompson's family and expressed shock over the incident.
"Unfortunately, we cannot comment on news reports regarding Luigi Mangione. We only know what we have read in the media," it reads. "Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi's arrest. We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson, and we ask people to pray for all involved. We are devastated by this news."
What has Luigi Mangione been charged with?
Although he was apprehended in a different state, given that the shooting took place in New York, Mangione was extradited back and is currently in prison in Brooklyn.
Mangione has been formally charged with eleven offences at the state level and four at the federal level. These charges include first-degree murder, murder committed to promote terrorism, illegal possession of a weapon, and stalking.
He faces life in prison without parole.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
