‘I shot him, he died. Knew it was illegal’: Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to killing UnitedHealthcare CEO

He had initially pleaded not guilty in both the federal and state cases to killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Luigi Mangione has pleaded guilty to federal stalking charges stemming from the December 2024 killing of UnitedHealth Group executive Brian Thompson. This is his first admission of responsibility in the high-profile case. Mangione, 28, appeared in federal court in New York and acknowledged shooting Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel where the executive was attending an investor conference.

Prosecutors have said they found strong evidence tying Luigi Mangione, 27, to the murder, including a 9-millimeter handgun, a silencer, a loaded gun magazine and a diary. (File Photo/AP)

“On the morning of December 4, 2024, I shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan and he died,” Mangione said. “When I did I understood my actions would place him in fear of death or bodily injury. I knew what I was doing was illegal.”

He entered the plea without reaching a deal with prosecutors and could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Manhunt followed shooting

Until his guilty plea, Mangione had been tight-lipped. He also attracted substantial online support. Thousands of followers showed sympathy and dozens of supporters even turned up at his court hearings.

He initially pleaded not guilty in both the federal and state cases.

Luigi Mangione has accepted responsibility for the shooting death of Brian Thompson.

State murder trial next month

Mangione is due to face trial next month in New York state court, where he is charged with second-degree murder and other offences. A conviction could result in a sentence ranging from 25 years to life.

His lawyers are expected to challenge the state prosecution,. They will reportedly argue that New York law bars a defendant from being prosecuted twice for the same crime, even when prosecutors bring different charges.

US District Judge Margaret Garnett, who presided over Friday’s federal hearing, said any federal sentence imposed on Mangione could be added to the punishment handed down in the state case. She scheduled his federal sentencing for December 18.

Evidence cited by prosecutors

Authorities have said they gathered extensive evidence linking Mangione to the killing, including a homemade firearm and silencer, along with a notebook that allegedly described his intention to target a healthcare industry executive.

Thompson, 50, was the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, the insurance arm of UnitedHealth Group. Mangione is a University of Pennsylvania graduate and previously worked as a data engineer.

Murder charges previously reduced

Mangione’s legal team has already secured significant reductions in the charges against him.

Judge Garnett previously dismissed a federal murder charge that could have exposed Mangione to the death penalty. In the state case, New York Judge Gregory Carro dismissed the first-degree murder charge brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, removing the possibility of a mandatory life sentence in state prison.