Luigi Nicholas Mangione, the 26-year-old man charged in the December 4 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, appeared in a Pennsylvania courtroom on Tuesday. Arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Mangione is accused of killing Thompson, with authorities linking him to the attack after a McDonald’s worker tipped off police.
When Mangione was taken into custody, he was found with a gun believed to be used in the murder, as well as documents indicating his anger toward corporate America. Mangione’s arrest followed a tip from a McDonald’s employee, who recognized the suspect from surveillance footage.
In court, Mangione struggled with officers and muttered an incomprehensible statement, referring to an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.” He was later escorted out of the courtroom without further comment.
Currently, Mangione is facing charges in Pennsylvania for possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery, and providing false identification. Manhattan prosecutors have charged him with five criminal counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and criminal possession of a forged instrument.
During the hearing, Mangione sat mostly silent, wearing an orange jumpsuit, while occasionally consulting documents and looking around the courtroom. At one point, he attempted to speak but was silenced by his attorney.
Judge David Consiglio denied bail, and Mangione’s attorney, Thomas Dickey, indicated that his client plans to contest extradition to New York, requesting a hearing on the matter. Despite this, Blair County District Attorney Peter Weeks assured that the extradition process would not be significantly delayed.
Evidence found in Mangione’s possession includes a handwritten three-page document expressing resentment toward corporate America. Additionally, authorities discovered a ghost gun—a homemade, untraceable firearm—along with fraudulent IDs, a U.S. passport, and a silencer, which is consistent with the weapon used in the murder, according to New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
As Mangione prepares to face charges in both Pennsylvania and New York, authorities continue to piece together evidence related to his involvement in the deadly attack on Thompson.
