Luigi Mangione Pleads Guilty to Federal Stalking in CEO Murder Case

Thompson, 50, was killed on December 4, 2024, while walking toward a UnitedHealth Group investor conference near the New York Hilton Midtown. Prosecutors allege Mangione waited for his target for nearly an hour before fleeing the scene through Central Park. He was apprehended five days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a restaurant manager reported a man matching the suspect's description. Authorities recovered a 3D-printed pistol and a notebook detailing plans to target health insurance executives from his backpack.

The path to trial has been marked by complex procedural disputes, including a federal effort to seek the death penalty that was ultimately blocked by U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett. In the state case, Judge Gregory Carro dismissed terrorism charges against Mangione, removing the possibility of a mandatory life sentence. Despite initial indications that the defense would pursue a psychiatric strategy, Mangione’s counsel recently confirmed they would not rely on a plea of extreme emotional disturbance during the upcoming state proceedings.