Luigi Mangione has admitted to shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson dead on a New York sidewalk—a stunning admission that comes as he flips his not-guilty plea to guilty.
Mangione, 28, pleaded guilty to federal stalking charges but is still staring down a second-degree murder charge in New York state court. However, his fate of decades behind bars, if not a lifetime, appears to be sealed by Friday’s admission.
“I shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan,” Mangione told the judge. “I understood that my actions would place him in fear of death or bodily injury. I knew what I was doing was illegal.”
The New York Times, which had reporters present in the courtroom, reported that Mangione “appeared relaxed” and “has shown virtually no emotion during the proceeding.”
It added that the killer “answered questions solemnly and clearly.”
Mangione will be sentenced on his federal stalking charges on Dec. 18. Before that, he is due to stand trial in New York state court in September. His lawyers say they will argue that the federal case triggers double jeopardy, which would bar the government from trying him twice for the same crime.
Both of the charges Mangione pleaded guilty to Friday—interstate stalking resulting in death and stalking through use of interstate facilities resulting in death—carry a maximum sentence of life behind bars.
Thompson’s loved ones, including his wife, were in court on Friday. Thompson, 50, a father of two, was executed in Manhattan on the morning of Dec. 4, 2024. He was walking to address UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference. Mangione shot him dead from behind.
Mangione admitted Friday that he learned Thompson’s location by posing as an investor over email and soliciting information from the company. He said that he shot Thompson with a gun he printed using a 3-D printer and affixed it with a silencer.
A five-day manhunt ensued that gripped the attention of the nation, culminating in Mangione being arrested inside a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Mangione, an Ivy League tech graduate, escaped police in New York by bus but was recognized by a patron at the fast-food restaurant.
Thompson’s family reportedly ignored questions from reporters as they exited the courtroom, but released a statement after the plea saying that the development “marks an important step toward justice for Brian and for our family.”
“While nothing will ease the pain of losing him, we are grateful that the federal justice system has held the person responsible for this heinous act accountable,” they added. “Now we look to the court to ensure the sentencing reflects the severity of this crime.”
