Luigi Mangione has confessed to shooting Brian Thompson, a health insurance executive, in the back on a Manhattan sidewalk in 2024. He pleaded guilty to two federal stalking charges in court. Initially pleading not guilty to murder, weapons, and stalking charges in April 2025, Mangione had the murder and weapons charges dismissed by U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett due to legal technicalities, leaving him facing two stalking charges.
With the murder charges off the table, Mangione could still receive a life sentence without parole if found guilty of interstate stalking resulting in death and stalking through the use of interstate facilities resulting in death. During the plea hearing, Mangione confirmed he had never been treated for a mental illness, leading to the judge deeming him mentally competent to plead guilty.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 18, with uncertainty surrounding the impact of the guilty plea on second-degree murder charges filed by New York State officials in a separate case set for trial on September 8. Thompson, the victim, was the head of UnitedHealth Group’s insurance unit and was shot while attending a conference in Manhattan. His family, including his widow, attended the court hearing.
Mangione, who was captured after a five-day manhunt following the shooting, had been living a transient life before the incident, working remotely and moving between Hawaii, California, and Maryland. Police claim he expressed hostility towards health insurers in his personal writings, although UnitedHealth stated he was not a policyholder. Additionally, Mangione faced state terrorism, murder, weapons, and forgery charges in December 2024, with the terrorism charges being dismissed later in 2025.
If convicted of second-degree murder, Mangione could receive a sentence of 25 years to life. There is a possibility that his legal team might attempt to have the murder charge dismissed under New York’s double jeopardy law, although prosecutors would likely argue that the murder charge is legally distinct from the federal charges.