Luigi Mangione was formally indicted by a federal grand jury in Manhattan on Thursday for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The indictment includes charges of murder using a firearm, stalking, and a gun-related offence.
If convicted, Mangione could face the death penalty—a decision that follows an order by US attorney general Pam Bondi. This marked the first instance of the justice department seeking the death penalty since president Donald Trump returned to office on 20 January, following his pledge to restart federal executions that had been paused under the Biden administration.
Thompson, 50, was shot and killed on 4 December 2024 outside a Manhattan hotel, just before an investor conference. Surveillance footage showed a masked gunman firing from behind. Police later identified Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate from Maryland, as the suspect. They said ammunition found on the scene had the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose” written on it—phrases often linked to criticism of the insurance industry.
Mangione’s arrest five days later in Altoona, Pennsylvania, sparked intense media attention. Authorities found a 9mm handgun and a notebook in his possession, which prosecutors say contained anti-insurance sentiments and specific threats against executives. UnitedHealthcare has confirmed that Mangione was not one of their clients.
His defence team, led by Karen Friedman Agnifilo, has accused the government of politicising the case. They argue that Bondi’s public push for the death penalty, including social media posts and TV appearances, has tainted the judicial process and prejudiced the grand jury.
