Luigi Mangione, the liberal activist accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on December 4, 2024, is now facing the most serious consequences as U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi moves forward with charges of murder, terrorism, and stalking.
In a statement released Tuesday, Bondi announced that the Justice Department will seek the death penalty against Mangione, 26, who allegedly stalked Thompson outside the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours before fatally shooting him multiple times at close range with a homemade pistol. Authorities say Mangione then fled the scene on an electric scooter, managing to avoid capture for four days.
“Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America,” Bondi said. “After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again.”
In a press release, the U.S. Justice Department described Mangione’s alleged shooting as “an act of political violence. Mangione’s actions involved substantial planning and premeditation and because the murder took place in public with bystanders nearby, may have posed grave risk of death to additional persons.” Bondi has appointed Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky to lead the prosecution in the high-profile case against Mangione. A trial date has not yet been scheduled, as defense attorneys continue to negotiate with the judge and prosecutors over evidence disclosures and witness lists.
The move to pursue the death penalty appears to be a direct order from President Donald Trump, who stated in December that anyone who celebrated Thompson’s murder was afflicted with a mental “sickness.” “I think it’s really terrible that some people seem to admire him, like him,” Trump said, People reported at the time. “And I was happy to see that it wasn’t specific to this gentleman that was killed. It’s just an overall sickness, as opposed to a specific sickness. That was a terrible thing.” He continued, “It was cold-blooded. Just a cold-blooded, horrible killing. And how people can like this guy is— that’s a sickness, actually.”
Thompson was 50 at the time of his death and is survived by his wife, Paulette, and their two sons. Though the couple were estranged, Paulette described him as a devoted father who deeply cared for their children. Colleagues and acquaintances said Thompson was committed to steering UnitedHealthcare through a challenging period in the U.S. healthcare landscape. They noted his awareness of and empathy toward Americans’ frustration over rising premiums and denied coverage. In the aftermath of his killing, a company spokesperson firmly pushed back against widespread claims that UnitedHealthcare was the nation’s leader in claim denials.
