Notorious CEO killer Luigi Mangione, who is behind bars for fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare boss Brian Thompson, led a somewhat adventurous and eventful life before becoming the figure he is today. To anti-capitalists he is seen as a hero and messiah, but to Republicans he is just another cold-blooded murderer.Before being charged with murder at the state and federal level, Mangione led a life marked by academic achievement, globetrotting and intellectual curiosity.Mangione, who has been in a New York jail for months, has pleaded not guilty.
The origin
The 27-year-old was born and raised in a suburb of Baltimore. Mangione belonged to a prominent local family involved in businesses including country clubs and a chain of nursing homes. He attended the elite Gilman School, where he graduated as valedictorian in 2016, before enrolling at the University of Pennsylvania. There he obtained both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in computer engineering. Peers describe him as intelligent, thoughtful and considerate. He struggled with brain fog and chronic back pain, which worsened after a surfing accident.In July 2023, Mangione underwent surgery for his spinal condition, which he later described as an unexpected success. The operation paved the way for his backpacking trip through Asia in early 2024.
The six-day isolation period in Japan
On May 6, 2024, Mangione turned 26 years old. He arrived in the small village of Tenkawa, Japan, the gateway to Mount Omine, a sacred mountain that has been a spiritual site for more than a thousand years. Devotees of Shugendo, a fusion of Buddhism and mountain worship, climb the treacherous ridges in search of spiritual enlightenment. Mangione checked into a small guesthouse in Tenkawa and spent six days. The inn had only four rooms and was almost empty. The guest house’s owner, Juntaro Mihara, said Mangione left his room spotless and took out his own trash, also describing him as “quiet.”During this time, Mangione seemed to withdraw from socializing and casual friendships, focusing instead on thinking and planning. His writings and conversations with others reveal that he was interested in issues such as corporate greed, the impact of social media, and problems such as declining birth rates. He was particularly concerned about the American health care system.
Travel to India
After Japan, Mangione traveled to Mumbai, India, in May 2024, where he met writer Jash Dholani. Known for summarizing classic texts, Dholani had posted fourteen insights on Ted Kaczynski, America’s infamous domestic terrorist, on social media. During this time, Mangione’s interest in Kaczynski, whom he called a “philosopher-terrorist,” seemed to grow. He wrote about Kaczynski’s predictions about modern society and technology. Mangione claimed that Kaczynski was “rightly imprisoned” for violent acts, but his observations about social problems were important.After returning to the US in July 2024, Mangione temporarily settled in San Francisco. He stopped posting on his well-known social media accounts and stopped responding to messages from family and friends. His mother later reported him missing after losing contact with him in November.
‘Checking every box’ in murder
Court documents show that Mangione carefully planned an action against the health care system. In an August 2024 diary entry, he wrote, “I’m finally confident in what I’m about to do. The details are finally coming together. And I have no doubt that it’s right/justified. In a way, I’m glad I postponed it because it allowed me to learn more about UHC.” He also wrote: “The target is insurance. It checks every box.”In another submission filed with the court on Wednesday, Mangione discussed Kaczynski and the challenges of revolutionary acts. “He crosses the line from revolutionary anarchist to terrorist – the worst thing a human being can be,” he wrote. He reflected on how violent actions often overshadow the intended message, making it difficult for the audience to understand the purpose of the act.
The ultimate use of engraved bullets
On December 4, 2024, prosecutors said Mangione carried out the murder with careful planning. He traveled to New York City, arrived outside a Hilton Hotel where a UnitedHealthcare investor conference was being held, and shot Thompson while masked on the sidewalk with a 3D-printed 9mm pistol equipped with a silencer. Words such as ‘delay’, ‘depose’ and ‘den’ were found on the spent shell casings.Five days later, Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, while eating a hash brown and browsing his laptop. Authorities found a manifesto denouncing for-profit health care and a diary detailing the murder plans.
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