Suspect in Manhattan CEO Murder Had Written About Unabomber, Police Say

A former tech was charged with murder in the brazen morning shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel Wednesday. Luigi Mangione, 26, was arrested Monday at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after an employee recognized him from widely circulated surveillance images.

According to reports, the New York Police Department said Mangione shot Thompson at point-blank range outside the New York Hilton Midtown, where the healthcare company was holding an investors conference. After the shooting, the suspect fled by bicycle through Central Park to the Upper West Side before leaving the city by bus, according to police.  He was allegedly found with a ghost gun and what investigators describe as an anti-corporate manifesto.

NYPD Chief Detective Joseph Kenny told Yahoo! News the document in Mangione's possession indicated some "ill will toward corporate America." Investigators also said they found Mangione had previously written online about Theodore Kaczynski, known as the "Unabomber," praising what he called the "prescient" nature of Kaczynski's predictions about modern society.

Maryland Republican Delegate Nino Mangione, a family member of the suspect, addressed the situation in a statement to NPR. “Our family is shocked by this news,” he said. He also  extended condolences to the Thompson family and noted they only knew what had been reported in the media.

Mangione faces multiple charges in Pennsylvania and New York. According to NBC News, the Manhattan District Attorney's office confirmed charges including murder, possession of a loaded firearm, possession of a forged instrument, and criminal possession of a weapon. In Pennsylvania, he faces five additional charges, including carrying a gun without a license, forgery, falsely identifying himself to authorities, and possessing "instruments of crime," according to court documents.

Police recovered what they described as "an enormous amount of forensic evidence" and hundreds of hours of video footage, according to ABC News. The suspected murder weapon—a ghost gun capable of firing 9mm rounds with a suppressor—was found in Mangione's possession and is "consistent with the weapon used in the murder," NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch told reporters. Investigators said the gun may have been made on a 3D printer.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, speaking during a press conference after the arraignment of Luigi Mangione Monday evening in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, addressed public reaction to the case. "I understand people have real frustration with our health care system," Shapiro said. "This killer is not a hero. He should not be hailed."

Mangione remains in the custody of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections pending his extradition to New York. A UnitedHealth Group spokesperson expressed hope that "today's apprehension brings some relief to Brian's family, friends, colleagues and the many others affected by this unspeakable tragedy."

Thompson is survived by his wife, Paulette, and two children. Paulette told NBC News her husband had received threats before his death. Thompson had led UnitedHealthcare since 2021, where he oversaw significant developments in the company's healthcare services.