Luigi Mangione, 28, confessed on Friday to shooting Brian Thompson, a health insurance executive, in the back on a Manhattan sidewalk in 2024. This admission came as he pleaded guilty to two federal stalking charges in court. Initially pleading not guilty in April 2025 to murder, weapons, and stalking charges, Mangione had those charges dismissed by U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett due to legal technicalities, leaving only the two stalking charges intact.
The dismissal of the murder and weapons charges removed the possibility of the death penalty for Mangione. However, he still faces a potential sentence of life without parole if found guilty of interstate stalking resulting in death and stalking through the use of interstate facilities resulting in death.
During the court proceedings, Mangione affirmed that he had never been treated or hospitalized for a mental illness. Both his defense attorneys and prosecutors assured Judge Garnett of his mental competence to enter a guilty plea, which the judge validated. The sentencing has been scheduled for December 18.
It remains uncertain how Mangione’s guilty plea will impact the second-degree murder charges filed separately by New York State officials. The trial for those charges is set to commence on September 8.
Brian Thompson, the former head of UnitedHealth Group’s insurance unit, was fatally shot in Manhattan on December 4, 2024. His widow and other family members were present in court during Mangione’s hearing. The incident, captured in graphic footage, triggered a five-day manhunt that led to Mangione’s arrest at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
Mangione, a Maryland native, had a transient lifestyle leading up to the shooting, residing in various locations such as Hawaii and California while working remotely. Police alleged that he expressed animosity towards health insurers in his personal writings. UnitedHealth stated that neither Mangione nor his immediate family were policyholders with the company.
In a separate case, Mangione pleaded not guilty in December 2024 to state terrorism, murder, weapons, and forgery charges filed by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. The terrorism charges were dismissed by a judge in September 2025. If convicted of second-degree murder, Mangione could face a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
There is a possibility that Mangione’s legal team may attempt to have the murder charge dismissed under New York’s double jeopardy law, which prevents multiple prosecutions for the same offense. However, Bragg’s office is likely to contest this move, arguing that the murder charge is legally distinct from the federal charges.