Manhattan defendant pleads guilty to federal stalking charge in UnitedHealthcare CEO killing

A Manhattan federal court heard 28-year-old Luigi Mangione enter a guilty plea to a federal stalking charge related to the December 4, 2024 shooting that killed UnitedHealthcare chief Brian Thompson outside a Midtown hotel. The plea was entered without a negotiated agreement, and the judge confirmed Mangione’s competence before accepting the admission. Mangione told the court he had suffered chronic back pain, used a 3D printer to create gun components, and traveled to New York posing as an investor to locate the conference where Thompson was speaking. He said he shot Thompson with the intent to kill and acknowledged the illegality of his actions.

Prosecutors highlighted video evidence of the shooting, Mangione’s flight on a bicycle, his arrest in Pennsylvania, recovered firearm parts, shell casings and DNA linking him to the scene, as well as notebook entries expressing a desire to kill a health-care executive. The federal case originally included four charges; two were dismissed earlier, leaving the stalking charge that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment without parole. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 18, and the judge noted that Mangione will be required to serve at least 85% of any term imposed.

Mangione’s defense filed a motion to dismiss the parallel New York state charges, citing the state’s double-jeopardy protections. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said it will contest the motion and continue pursuing a state trial slated for September, where Mangione faces second-degree murder and other counts that also carry a potential life sentence. Legal analysts said the double-jeopardy argument will focus on whether the federal stalking charge is distinct from the state murder charge.

Family members of Brian Thompson released a statement calling the plea an “important step toward justice” while urging a sentencing that reflects the crime’s severity. UnitedHealthcare expressed gratitude to law-enforcement officials for the investigation. U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald emphasized that no grievance can justify murder and noted that the government is free to seek the maximum penalty. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch praised the department’s investigative work and warned against glorifying the perpetrator.