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CEO ‘assassin’ Luigi Mangione pictured eating McDonald’s hash brown before he was left ‘shaking’ when confronted by cops
Watch our latest coverage of the shocking murder of Brian Thompson
CEO assassin suspect Luigi Mangione risked it all to have a hash brown at McDonald's before being caught by cops.
Mangione, 26, spent five days on the run but was eventually caught out by a rookie cop as he sat in the fast-food giant store.
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Mangione managed to flee 280 miles from the scene of the crime in New York to Altoona, Pennsylvania, cops believe.
He led officers from across state lines on a desperate manhunt leaving hardly any clues behind.
Cops have even admitted that Mangione was never on their list of potential suspects and he was only found thanks to a heroic McDonald's worker.
The staff member phoned 911 after noticing a man who looked similar to the person of interest ordering breakfast.
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He was sitting calmly at a table wearing a beanie with a mask and a big bag next to him.
What we know so far...
- Luigi Mangione charged with murder of Brian Thompson
- Suspect may have turned "absolutely crazy" after agonising back surgery, pals claim
- 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
- 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
The data engineer "started to shake" when he was quizzed by cops moments before his arrest.
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The suspect was asked to pull down his mask as police are said to have instantly believed they found the right man.
A junior cop said: “As soon as he pulled that down, me and my partner recognised him immediately. We knew that was our guy."
CEO shooting minute-by-minute breakdown from Starbucks trip to 'hitman' execution
He remained calm and continued to quiz the potential killer as he asked to see his driver's license to identify him.
One of the customers at the McDonald's revealed he joked to his friend that Mangione looked like the suspected shooter
He told CNN: "It started out almost like a joke, my one friend thought he looked like the shooter.
"He probably heard us. He had a mask, a hood and a backpack from what my buddy told me. My friend saw him better than I did, actually."
Mangione slowly handed over a fake New Jersey license with the name Mark Rosario on it.
Rosario was also the name given to New York City hostel staff when the suspected killer checked in a few days before the fatal attack.
Frye continued to talk to the suspect as fellow cops searched for the name on their records.
He asked if the man had been to New York City anytime recently and at this point Frye recalls Mangione becoming "visibly nervous".
The junior policeman also said he "started shaking".
Shortly after, Frye told the man that the name Mark Rosario wasn't in the US database.
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They then threatened to arrest Mangione on the spot if he didn't give up his true identity to which he admitted to being Luigi Mangione.
He reportedly told officers he "clearly shouldn’t have" used a pretend name and fake ID.
His belongings were then thoroughly checked with cops discovering a number of incriminating items inside his bag.
The wealthy college graduate from Maryland had 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 was charged with five crimes including forgery, carrying a gun without a license, false identification to law enforcement authorities, and tampering with records or identification.
He held a sombre expression as he was marched into Blair County courthouse by the Altoona Police Department for a preliminary arraignment last night.
He was later pictured inside the station wearing a dark blue long sleeve top and jeans as he had his mugshot taken.
Cops later charged him with murder.
He is yet to officially answer to the charges or enter a plea after being denied bail but was seen in court in handcuffs.
It comes as cops are continuing to look into a number of leads following Mangione's capture.
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One of the latest theories involves his pals claiming he turned "absolutely crazy" after an agonising botched back surgery.
It left him distant from his family and friends with several concerned messages now being unearthed.
Who is Luigi Mangione?
MANGIONE, 26, was regarded as a beloved, clever and wealthy man by his family, friends and all who knew him.
He was born and raised in Maryland where he was valedictorian of his high school graduating class at Gilman School in Baltimore.
He had no prior criminal history and was said to have been a model student, footballer and all-round athlete at high school.
One former student from the Gilman School told The U.S. Sun Mangione was "popular" and had a "big circle of friends."
The former student, who asked not to be identified, said: "We went to the same school but didn't really have the same friends. I'm really shocked by this whole thing.
"I think he played soccer, it was an all-boys school, so being a good athlete got you social currency for sure."
After, 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.
Mangione was reportedly a data engineer at a car company in California before moving to Hawaii.
His cousin is also Republican Maryland House of Delegates member Nino Mangione.
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