US health insurance firm CEO shot: 3 things about Luigi Mangione, the school topper, Ivy Leaguer suspect

At the time of his arrest, Mangione was carrying the kind of ‘ghost gun’ that killed Thompson.

Here are three things you should know about the murder and the accused.

1. 01

   Valedictorian, went to Ivy League college

   Luigi Mangione's grandfather built a real estate empire in Baltimore. His family owns several nursing homes and two country clubs. Mangione studied in an elite all-boys' school, Gilman School, where he was valedictorian when he graduated in 2016. He did his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, with a major in computer science.

   His classmates from school and college, as quoted by various US-based media outlets, remember him as bright, cheerful, and helpful.

   After graduating college, he worked in an online car sales company, and lived in Honolulu for some time. He cut off contact with his family around six months ago.

   Luigi Mangione, 26, a suspect in the New York City killing of UnitedHealth executive Brian Thompson, stands in a cell in Altoona, Pennsylvania, U.S. December 9, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)

   For some time, Mangione had been suffering from crippling back pain, and he had shared his experiences of the ailment and the treatment online.

2. 02

   Manifesto; 'deny', 'defend', 'depose'

   The shell casings at the site of the murder had the words “Deny,” “Defend,” and “Depose” inscribed on them, reported CNN. The police are probing if they are a reference to health insurance firms' tactics of delaying and denying money to customers when they need them. A 2010 book on the issue is titled 'Delay Deny Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don't Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It', by Jay Feinman, an expert in insurance law.

   The murder victim, Brian Thompson, was the CEO of UnitedHealth's insurance unit. UnitedHealthcare is the largest US health insurer, providing benefits to more than 50 million Americans, according to Reuters. The NYT reported that the company has “attracted scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators who accused them of systematically refusing to authorize health care procedures and treatments.”

   According to the police, Mangione was carrying a 'manifesto' that showed “ill will towards corporate America”. According to CNN, ““These parasites had it coming,” one line from the document reads, according to a police official who has seen it. Another reads, “I do apologize for any strife and trauma, but it had to be done.””

3. 03

   Ghost Gun

   Mangione was found with something called a ghost gun. A ghost gun is one that can be assembled at home, and thus does not have a serial number. Guns made by licensed firms have a serial number that can be used to track the manufacturer, seller, and first buyer. A ghost gun, made with parts bought separately, is more difficult to track.