Mangione charged with terrorism-related murder in UnitedHealth CEO killing
Luigi Mangione has been officially indicted in New York for the murder of the 50-year-old CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson.
While it was initially expected that Mangione would be charged with second-degree murder—the most serious charge for most homicides—a grand jury has instead charged him with first-degree murder, in furtherance of terrorism. Mangione is also charged with two counts of second-degree murder, one of which is a terrorism-related charge, along with a litany of other charges.
According to a statement from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, those additional charges include “possession of a weapon in the second degree; four counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree; one count of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree; and one count of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree.”
The 11-charge indictment was announced on Tuesday, as Mangione is expected to be soon extradited to New York. He was arrested in Pennsylvania last week, where he also faces charges related to the possession of fake IDs and an illegal firearm.
Police have said they believe the gun taken from Mangione was used to kill Thompson, who was murdered on Dec. 4 outside the New York Hilton Hotel in Manhattan.
The nationwide manhunt allegedly ended when a McDonald's employee recognized Mangione from photos of the supposed assailant circulated by the New York City Police Department (NYPD). Police said that the employee called local authorities in Altoona, Pennsylvania, who then arrested Mangione for possession of the weapon and fake IDs.
Mangione will be put on trial in New York for the murder of Thompson, with Assistant District Attorneys Joel Seidemann, Kristin Bailey, and Zachary Kaplan leading the prosecution, Bragg’s office said.
The most serious charge, first-degree murder, carries a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Mangione is innocent until proven guilty and has retained counsel in both Pennsylvania and New York. In public statements, his lawyers said they intend to fight the charges.
Police said they found a handwritten letter on Mangione in Pennsylvania, wherein the 26-year-old allegedly wrote that he “wasn’t working with anyone” and provided clues to his motivation, writing that “the U.S. has the #1 most expensive healthcare system in the world, yet we rank roughly #42 in life expectancy.”
A date for the trial has not been set, as Mangione remains in custody in Pennsylvania. He is expected to be arraigned in New York in the coming days.
The full statement on the grand jury indictment can be found here.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.