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'ASSASSIN' CHARGED
Luigi Mangione, 26, charged with murder of CEO Brian Thompson after being caught at McDonald’s
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A WEALTHY college graduate has been charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Luigi Mangione, 26, was arrested on Monday at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania after five days on the run.
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A member of staff phoned cops after noticing a man who looked similar to the person of interest eating at a table.
Mangione - a valedictorian from a wealthy family - was then detained by surging cops who arrived at the McDonald’s store.
The suspect was asked to pull down his mask as police are said to have instantly believed they found the right man.
New York City Police Department first launched an investigation into the murder of Thompson, 50, after he was gunned down on Wednesday.
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The top CEO was shot multiple times from close range before being left to die on the streets of New York outside of a Hilton hotel.
Mangione had managed to make it just 280 miles since fleeing from the crime scene, cops believe.
What we know so far...
- Luigi Mangione charged with murder of Brian Thompson
- A person of interest was arrested at McDonald's with a ghost gun, silencer, and the same fake ID used by the killer at a NYC hostel
- He had a handwritten manifesto on him that slammed healthcare companies for putting profits above care, sources said
- The arrest comes after police found the assassin's backpack at Central Park and discovered Monopoly money inside
- Photos showed the suspected killer smiling as he pulled down his face mask to flirt with a hostel receptionist
- An expert said the killer's gun malfunction may have been ‘for show’ and linked to a secret message on bullets
- The shooter milled around the entrance for minutes before sneaking up behind the CEO and unloading a barrage of bullets into his back and leg, eerie surveillance revealed
Most read in The US Sun
The 26-year-old, said to be from Maryland, was found with a ghost gun similar to the murder weapon and documents that appeared to be linked to the killing, cops say.
One handwritten document is said to have indicated "motivation and mindset", according to police.
The manifesto reportedly said: "These parasites had it coming.
"I do apologize for any strife and trauma, but it had to be done."
A note also saw him reportedly admit that he acted alone and was self-funded, cops who saw the document told .
He also had a fake ID on him similar to what the killer is said to have used before shooting Thompson.
CEO shooting minute-by-minute breakdown from Starbucks trip to 'hitman' execution
Mangione was taken to Altoona Police Department shortly after.
He held a sombre expression as he was marched into Blair County courthouse by cops for a preliminary arraignment last night.
He was later pictured inside the station wearing a dark blue long sleeve top and jeans.
Cops first charged him with five crimes separate from the murder.
These included forgery, carrying a gun without a license, false identification to law enforcement authorities, and tampering with records or identification.
He is yet to officially answer to charges or enter a plea after being denied bail but was seen in court in handcuffs.
Investigators say Mangione wasn't apart of a list of names they were looking in to around the potential killer.
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His capture was a complete surprise as the NYPD thanked the McDonald's worker for phoning the cops.
When police swooped in, Mangione gave them a fake New Jersey driver's licence that said his name was Mark Rosario, according to court papers.
Mangione "started to shake" when the officers approached him and asked if he had been to New York in recent days, they added.
Cops recognised the ID as fake and threatened to arrest Mangione on the spot if he didn't give up his true identity.
He then quietly admitted his real identity before having his possessions searched.
The life of Luigi Mangione
Mangione was born and raised in Maryland in a wealthy family, where he was valedictorian of his high school graduating class at Gilman School in Baltimore.
His last known address was in Honolulu, Hawaii.
He had no prior criminal history.
His family have expressed their "shock and devastation" at his arrest and charge.
Luigi’s cousin Nino Mangione, a Republican member of the lower house of Maryland’s state legislature, said: “Unfortunately, we cannot comment on news reports regarding Luigi Mangione. We only know what we have read in the media.”
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He added: “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.”
The 2016 grad was "popular" and had a large circle of friends in high school, a Gilman alum told The U.S. Sun.
“We went to the same school but didn’t really have the same friends. I’m really shocked by this whole thing," the former student, who didn't share his name, said.
“I think he played soccer, it was an all-boys school so being a good athlete got you social currency for sure.”
He said Luigi got a “fantastic education,” adding, “For all the money it was, it ought to have been honestly."
The suspect's other close pal Tracy Le, a data analyst based in New York, says she has been left "shaken" by the scandal as she defended his character.
After high school, Mangione graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied Computer and Information Science, according to his LinkedIn profile.
He also got his masters from the Ivy League school.
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Mangione was reportedly a data engineer at a car company in California.
But a spokesperson for TrueCar shared with The U.S. Sun: "While we generally don’t comment on personnel matters, we can confirm that Luigi Mangione has not been an employee of our company since 2023."
Timeline of Brian Thompson's murder
BRIAN Thompson, the 50-year-old CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot to death in Manhattan in an execution-like killing.
Here is everything we know about Thompson's murder so far.
Monday, December 2 - Thompson travels from his home in Minnesota to New York City for an investor conference in Midtown Manhattan.
Wednesday, December 4, 6:45 am - Thompson walks from his hotel across the street to the New York Hilton Midtown and is murdered by a masked shooter. The execution was caught on surveillance, and the suspect was seen biking away toward Central Park. Cops spark a citywide search for the assassin.
11:30 am - Cops released disturbing images of the execution, offered a reward for information, and made a desperate plea for New Yorkers to keep their eyes out.
12:00 pm - Thompson's estranged wife Paulette revealed her husband had been threatened before he was shot.
2:45 pm - Cops released more eerie images of the suspect ordering at Starbucks that partially revealed his face. The U.S. Sun confirmed the coffee shop was just two blocks away from the shooting, but it's unclear when he stopped by.
December 5, 6 am - Reports claim the words "deny," "dispose," and "defend" were engraved on live rounds and shell casings left behind by the assassin. These words echo the book Delay, Deny, Defend, which is about the failings of the healthcare industry. The author of the book had no comment on the reports.
8 am- Cops raid a hostel in the Upper West Side of New York City where the suspect is said to have stayed. It's believed he wore a mask for most of the time he was there.
11 am - A person of interest in Thompson's murder is pictured. He's wearing a hood in the photo, but his full face could be seen breaking into a beaming grin. Still, no arrests have been made in the investigation.
Afternoon - Law enforcement confirms the suspect arrived in New York City on a Greyhound bus on November 24. It's also confirmed that the suspect dropped a burner cell phone near the scene of the shooting.
December 6, 3 pm - Police announce they believe the killer has left New York City via interstate bus. They release more surveillance footage that shows him taking a taxi to the George Washington Bridge Bus Station.
December 9 - Luigi Mangione, 26, is arrested as a "strong person of interest" at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He was carrying a three-page manifesto, fake IDs, and a gun similar to the one used in Thompson's murder.
He is later charged with the murder of Thompson.
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