Luigi Mangione, the man alleged to have killed the CEO of United Healthcare, was seen being escorted from the Blair County Courthouse following an extradition hearing in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania on December 10, 2024.
Federal prosecutors are reportedly considering whether to bring charges against Mangione, according to two individuals familiar with the situation who spoke with NBC News on Wednesday. If these federal charges are indeed filed, however, the state murder case in New York would take precedence, the sources noted.
Mangione, 26, faced an indictment on Tuesday for first-degree murder and other charges. The charges stem from the deliberate assassination of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was allegedly shot in the back as he strolled down a Manhattan sidewalk on December 4.
Authorities suggest that Mangione’s motive may have been linked to the prominent size of United Healthcare, which stands as the largest private health insurance provider in the U.S.
In addition to being charged with first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism, Mangione also faces charges of second-degree murder and numerous other counts.
Under New York law, a first-degree murder charge requires an additional special circumstance beyond mere intent, such as the murder of a witness, a murder for hire, the killing of a police officer, or a murder in furtherance of terrorism.
Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Mangione’s lawyer for the New York case, expressed their readiness to challenge these charges regardless of the court in which they are presented. She remarked that the federal government’s decision to add on to an already substantial first-degree murder and state terrorism case is notably unusual and presents significant constitutional and statutory concerns regarding double jeopardy.
On Tuesday, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg described the shooting of Thompson as a shocking and intimidating act meant to grab attention.
According to Bragg, Mangione lingered outside a hotel wearing a hooded jacket and mask for almost an hour, waiting for Thompson to show up. When Thompson did, Mangione allegedly shot him from behind using a 9 mm handgun with a suppressor, at about 6:45 a.m.
Mangione was apprehended in Altoona, Pennsylvania on December 9, after being identified from security images released by the NYPD and FBI.
Currently, he is detained in Pennsylvania, and he is resisting extradition to New York. An extradition hearing is set for Thursday.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York chose not to comment, as did spokespersons for both the FBI and the NYPD.
If Mangione is found guilty of either first-degree murder or second-degree murder as a terror act, he could face a life sentence without the possibility of parole, Bragg noted. For a regular second-degree murder conviction, the maximum penalty could amount to 25 years to life.
