Luigi Mangione confessed in federal court on Friday to stalking and fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024. The 28-year-old admitted to the charges of interstate stalking resulting in death and stalking through the use of interstate facilities resulting in death.
Mangione claimed that severe back pain motivated his actions. He stated in a prepared statement to the court that after enduring pain and navigating health insurance obstacles, he learned UnitedHealthcare was holding an investor conference in New York City. He then posed as an investor to gather information about the event. Mangione detailed how he traveled from out of state to Manhattan and, using a 3-D printer, constructed part of a gun equipped with a silencer and magazine, with the intention of shooting Thompson.
"On the morning of December 4, 2024, I shot Mr Thompson in Manhattan, and he died," Mangione told the court. "When I did so, I understood that my actions would place him in fear of death or serious bodily injury. I knew what I was doing was illegal."
Following his guilty plea, some of Mangione's friends spoke with Rolling Stone, expressing a mix of shock and continued support. RJ Martin, a friend and former landlord, described the situation as "deeply emotional" and asserted that Mangione is "a human being with a circle of longtime friends who know who he is, stay in touch, and care about him deeply." Martin also suggested that the government's portrayal of Mangione from the outset would have made a fair trial difficult.
Another friend, identified only by the initials RK, called Thompson's murder "unacceptable and deeply sad." RK expressed surprise at Mangione's plea and suggested it reflected "radicalization in this country in the current day." While disagreeing with his friend's actions, RK hoped the incident would not overshadow discussions about injustices within the American healthcare system.
The Thompson family issued a statement after the plea, expressing gratitude for the federal justice system holding Mangione accountable and calling for a sentence that reflects the severity of the crime. They noted that additional proceedings in New York and Pennsylvania are forthcoming.
Federal prosecutors stated that Mangione does not have a plea deal and that they will seek the maximum sentence. The federal sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 18. The judge indicated that federal sentencing guidelines suggest a sentence of roughly 24 to 30 years, although she is not bound by this range.
Mangione's state murder trial, initially set for September 8, has been postponed to December 10. His legal team has filed a motion to dismiss the state charges, citing New York's double jeopardy laws, which could prevent prosecution for the same conduct after a conviction by guilty plea or trial verdict in a separate jurisdiction.