Who killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO and why? The suspect and the manifesto found

UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was walking into a popular New York hotel to prepare for an investors meeting when he was brazenly gunned down by a man who appeared to have been waiting for his arrival, and even left a chilling message on the bullet casings used in his murder.

Now, days later, a 26-year-old has been charged following a multistate manhunt that ended at a Pennsylvania McDonald's -- and with two critical pieces of evidence: a ghost gun and a manifesto.

Luigi Nicholas Mangione was arrested and charged with murder Monday.

Here's what we know about him and what investigators say they've discovered:

Who is Luigi Mangione?

NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Mangione was born and raised in Maryland, has ties to San Francisco and a last known address in Honolulu.

Mangione attended an elite Baltimore prep school, graduating as valedictorian in 2016, according to the school’s website. He went on to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a school spokesperson said.

One of his cousins is a Maryland state legislator and his family bought a country club north of Baltimore in the 1980s. On Monday, police blocked off an entrance to the property, which public records link to the suspect’s parents. A swarm of reporters and photographers gathered outside.

According to NBC News, Mangione once belonged to a group of Ivy League gamers who played assassins.

In the game, called "Among Us," some players are secretly assigned to be killers in space who perform other tasks while trying to avoid suspicion from other players.

Alejandro Romero, who attended the University of Pennsylvania with Mangione and was a member of the same Discord group, said he was shocked when news broke on social media that Mangione had been taken into police custody.

"I just found it extremely ironic that, you know, we were in this game and there could actually be a true killer among us," he said.

"As soon as his photo and name popped up on X, my friend texted me asking if I knew him, and then either I was calling some 10 friends or they were calling me," Romero added. "I didn't speak to anybody today who wasn't already aware of what had happened."

Mangione went from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh after the shooting, and likely “was in a variety of locations across the state,” said Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police said.

“Based on everything we have seen, he was very careful with trying to stay low profile, avoid cameras — not all that successfully in some cases, but that was certainly the effort he was making,” Bivens said.

In the days since the shooting, police turned to the public for help by releasing a collection of nine photos and video — including footage of the attack, as well as images of the suspect at a Starbucks beforehand.

Photos taken in the lobby of a hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side showed the suspect grinning after removing his mask, police said.

On Monday, police credited news outlets for disseminating the images and the tipster for recognizing the suspect and calling authorities.

Where Mangione was spotted

Mangione was sitting in the rear of the McDonald’s wearing a blue medical mask and looking at a laptop computer, court documents said. A customer saw him and an employee called 911, said Kaz Daughtry, an NYPD deputy commissioner.

Altoona Police Officer Tyler Frye said he and his partner recognized the suspect immediately when he pulled down his mask. “We just didn’t think twice about it. We knew that was our guy,” he said.

When one of the officers asked if he’d been to New York recently, he “became quiet and started to shake,” according to a criminal complaint based on their accounts of the arrest.

Manifesto found: 'Parasites had it coming'

Investigators earlier suggested the gunman may have been a disgruntled employee or client of the insurer. Ammunition found near Thompson’s body bore the words “delay,” “deny” and “depose,” mimicking a phrase used by insurance industry critics.

But a manifesto found with Mangione at the time of his arrest may provide more insights.

Police found a three-page document with writings suggesting that Mangione had “ill will toward corporate America,” Kenny said.

The handwritten document “speaks to both his motivation and mindset,” Tisch said.

A law enforcement official who wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said the document included a line in which Mangione claimed to have acted alone.

“To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone,” the document said, according to the official.

It also had a line that said, “I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.”

Suspect had a ‘ghost gun,’ police say

In his backpack, police found a black, 3D-printed pistol and a 3D-printed black silencer, the complaint said. Such ghost guns can be assembled at home from parts without a serial number, making them difficult to trace. The pistol had a metal slide and plastic handle with a metal threaded barrel.

He was taken into custody at about 9:15 a.m., police said.

Mangione had clothing and a mask similar to those worn by the shooter and a fraudulent New Jersey ID matching one the suspect used to check into a New York City hostel before the shooting, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.

Mangione also had a passport and $10,000 in cash — $2,000 of it in foreign currency, authorities said. Mangione, who said Hawaii was his most recent address, disputed the amount.

Mangione was arraigned and ordered held without bail during a brief court hearing. Asked if he needed a public defender, he asked if he could “answer that at a future date.” He eventually will be extradited to New York to face charges in connection with Thompson’s death, Kenny said.

Mangione family statement

The family of Luigi Nicholas Mangione, the 26-year-old man suspected in the brazen Manhattan killing of United Healthcare's CEO, released a statement after Mangione was arrested and charged with murder Monday.

"Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi's arrest," the statement, posted to X by Nino Mangione, said. "We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved," the statement continued.

According to his profile on X, Nino is a Republican member of the Maryland House of Delegates and Baltimore County.

The full statement can be found below:

What charges does Mangione face?

Late Monday, Manhattan prosecutors filed murder and other charges against Mangione, according to an online court docket. He remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police.

Who was Brian Thompson?

Thompson, a father of two, was named CEO for Minnesota-based UnitedHealthcare in April 2021, having served as a leader of numerous departments within the company prior, according to his bio on their site.

UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the country and also manages health insurance coverage for employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. It is the insurance arm of the health care giant UnitedHealth Group Inc., which is also based in Minnesota.

The company was scheduled to have its annual meeting with investors Wednesday morning, according to a company media advisory. It is believed Thompson was arriving early for that meeting to help set up, police said.

"We are deeply saddened and shocked at the passing of our dear friend and colleague Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare," UnitedHealth Group said in a statement. "Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him. We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time. Our hearts go out to Brian’s family and all who were close to him.”

Thompson's wife described him as "a wonderful person with a big heart" and someone "who lived life to the fullest."

“He will be greatly missed by everybody. Our hearts our broken and we are completely devastated by this news. He touched so many lives. We ask everybody to respect our privacy during this time," Paulette Thompson told KARE 11.