A 26-year-old man has been charged with the murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, following a fatal shooting in New York City last week.

Luigi Mangione was apprehended on Monday at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, approximately 280 miles west of New York City. Authorities were alerted after a customer recognized him from media reports. Police recovered a firearm and a handwritten document from Mangione, which they described as providing insight into his “motivation and mindset.”

Mangione, an Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland family, was arraigned in a Pennsylvania court on multiple initial charges, including possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery, and providing false identification. Bail was denied. Shortly afterward, New York investigators charged him with murder and several other offenses, including firearms violations.

Thompson, 50, was fatally shot in the back outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan last Wednesday morning, where UnitedHealthcare was hosting an investors’ meeting. Police have stated the killing was premeditated.

Mangione remains in custody in Pennsylvania, where he appeared in court wearing handcuffs and dressed in jeans and a dark blue jersey. He reportedly remained calm throughout the hearing, occasionally glancing at those in attendance, including members of the media.

A Complex Investigation

The incident prompted an extensive manhunt involving New York City’s vast digital surveillance network, police dogs, drones, and divers searching a Central Park lake. Investigators admitted they did not have Mangione on their suspect list until his arrest in Altoona.

According to court documents, when police confronted Mangione, he initially presented a fake New Jersey driver’s license under the name Mark Rosario. When questioned about his recent whereabouts, he hesitated and eventually disclosed his real identity. A search of his belongings revealed a “ghost gun,” a 3D-printed firearm, a loaded magazine, a U.S. passport, and approximately $10,000 in cash, including $2,000 in foreign currency. Mangione disputed the amount of cash in court.

Authorities also found a three-page handwritten document in his possession suggesting hostility toward corporate America. Officials noted that shell casings recovered at the murder scene bore the words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose,” which they believe reference alleged tactics used by insurance companies to deny claims in the U.S. healthcare system.

Links to the Murder

New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed that the weapon and suppressor found in Mangione’s possession matched those used in Thompson’s murder.

Prosecutors and investigators continue to work on the case, describing Mangione’s arrest as a critical breakthrough in their efforts to understand the motive behind this high-profile killing.