Luigi Mangione has been charged with murder in New York in the death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was shot and killed on a Manhattan street Wednesday.
via: CNN
Luigi Mangione has been charged with one count of second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, one count of second-degree possession of a forged document, and one count of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, online court documents show.
He is currently being held without bail in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where authorities say the extradition process could take days, if not weeks. Investigators are now pouring through what they call a mountain of evidence, trying to fill in the gaps of his journey and determine if he acted alone.
The 26-year-old was caught five days after the shooting after a customer spotted him at a McDonald's in Altoona, which is about 300 miles away from the shooting scene in Midtown Manhattan.
A witness named Larry said he and friends saw Mangione sitting alone.
"He had a mask and hood and a backpack," said Larry, a regular at the fast-food restaurant. "The one guy said, 'It looks like the shooter from New York.' Well, then we laughed and I guess he placed his order and we went on about our business, but we were kidding, like, wouldn't that be something?"
Another customer recognized Mangione from the wanted photos and told an employee, who called police. Officers responded and began asking Mangione if he had recently been in New York City.
"He became visibly nervous, kind of shaking at that question, and he didn't really answer it directly," Altoona Police Deputy Chief Derick Swope told reporters Monday.
When prompted for his ID, police said he gave a fake New Jersey drivers license, which investigators believe was the same one used to check into a Manhattan hostel 10 days before the shooting.
According to court documents, officers asked why he would lie to them about the ID.
"I clearly shouldn't have," Mangione said.
"We didn't think twice about it, we knew it was our guy," Altoona Police Officer Tyler Frye said.
Police arrested Mangione on a forgery charge, and, once in custody, they searched his backpack, where they found a U.S. passport, clothes that matched the gunman's description, a 3D-printed pistol with a suppressor that was consistent with the murder weapon, and a three-page handwritten note.
"We don't think there's any specific threats to others mentioned in that document, but it does seem he has some ill will toward corporate America," NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said.
The McDonald's has since hired private security because employees told police they're worried for their safety, and the Altoona Police Department, itself, has been receiving multiple emails and calls, including death threats since Monday's arrest.
Police also said Mangione was carrying various electronic devices, which they believe he was using to evade detection.
"He was very careful with trying to stay low profile, avoid cameras," said Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens.
Investigators said the most crucial clue in the investigation was a photo from the hostel where the suspect pulled down his mask.
The NYPD has been working around the clock to track his movements -- from his arrival by bus to New York City, to his escape from the crime scene by bicycle to Central Park, and his taxi ride to an uptown bus terminal, where they believe he fled.
Police believe he left New York City and had been traveling around Pennsylvania in the days after. They believe he took a Greyhound bus to Philadelphia and spent some time there before going to Pittsburgh and eventually Altoona.
Who is Luigi Mangione?
CBS News has learned Mangione is from a prominent Maryland family that owns country clubs, health care facilities and real estate companies. He graduated valedictorian from a private, all boys high school, got his Masters in Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, and also has ties to Stanford.
A former classmate and childhood friend told CBS News he was nice, smart and didn't have any enemies during his time at school.
The Mangione family released a statement overnight saying they are devastated and shocked by the news.
"Unfortunately, we cannot comment on news reports regarding Luigi Mangione. We only know what we have read in the media. Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi's arrest," the statement read. "We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved. We are devastated by this news."
According to his LinkedIn account, Mangione last worked as a data engineer at a vehicle-buying website called True Car in 2023. In recent months, posts tagging him on social media imply he lost touch with friends, with some asking where he was and what he was doing, and wishing him the best and hoping that he was OK.
CBS News has also learned Mangione had been living at a co-working, co-living space called Surfbreak in Honolulu up until 2022, when a spokesperson for that community says he left due to a lifelong back injury that was exacerbated by surfing and hiking.
Sources tell CBS News back pain was a major factor in his life and appeared to be a source of pain and frustration for him.
"I was roommates with him, friends. Hiked, went to yoga. He did his best to be athletic," said R.J. Martin, a former acquaintance from Surfbreak. "Unfathomable knowing the kind of person that I saw and knew. "Personally, I can make zero sense of it. There is never a justification for violence."
The spokesperson said they believe he returned to Hawaii in 2023 and started a book club, which they said several members left due to "discomfort in book choices."
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