Paulette Thompson, widow of the late UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson, made a rare public appearance Friday to witness Luigi Mangione admit to shooting and killing her husband in December 2024. Thompson was photographed entering Manhattan Federal Court, marking the first time she has come face-to-face with Mangione since the executive's death.
Mangione, 28, pleaded guilty to federal stalking charges, admitting, "I shot Mr. Thompson and he died." He faces between 24 and 30 years in prison for these charges. A state murder trial for Mangione is scheduled for next month. Mangione's lawyers have argued that his guilty plea to federal stalking charges, which resulted in death, may prevent a state murder trial due to double jeopardy laws.
The court hearing revealed Mangione's motive, stating he targeted UnitedHealth after suffering from back pain. He also detailed how he used a 3D printer to create a weapon and obtained information about Thompson's whereabouts by posing as an investor via email.
Brian Thompson, 50, was shot and killed on December 4, 2024, as he walked to an annual UnitedHealth Group investors' meeting at a Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. Thompson and his wife, Paulette, were separated and living in separate homes at the time of his death.
In the wake of Thompson's killing, Paulette Thompson and her two sons, then aged 16 and 19, have been subjected to a wave of stalking, abuse, and threats. These incidents began within 24 hours of his death, with fake bomb threats made against two of the family's homes in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Investigators determined these threats were an attempt at 'swatting,' designed to provoke a large law enforcement response.
While many perpetrators targeting the Thompson family have not been prosecuted, Shane Daley, 40, pleaded guilty earlier this year to sending harassing voicemail messages to the family. Daley's messages celebrated Thompson's death and wished a similar violent end upon his sons. Daley faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine when sentenced.
Paulette Thompson had previously stated that her husband had received death threats but proceeded with his New York trip. She described her family as "shattered" by the loss of Thompson, whom she remembered as an "incredibly loving father" and a "generous, talented man."
Mangione has garnered a following of what the notes describe as "twisted fans" who view him as a folk hero and argue that Thompson deserved to be assassinated due to perceived flaws in the insurance industry. This has led the Thompson family to largely avoid Mangione's court appearances to avoid encountering his supporters.