Bruce Thompson, uncle of slain UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, says he hopes confessed killer Luigi Mangione, 28, gets “what he deserves” — life in prison.
Bruce Thompson, brother of the murdered executive’s father, spoke to The Times of London on Friday after Mangione pleaded guilty to two federal stalking counts in Manhattan federal court. The uncle made clear the family wants the maximum punishment when U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Garnett hands down her sentence.
“I hope he gets what he deserves,” Bruce told the outlet.
“There’s still a lot of legal hassle we have to go through,” the uncle added. “We’ll see what December 18 brings — we hope he gets the max.”
The Thompson family, several of whom were in court Friday including the victim’s weeping widow Paulette, found out several days ago that a plea deal was coming. However, “seeing it actually happen…it’s been an overwhelming morning,” Bruce said of Mangione’s confession to the cold-blooded assassination of the 50-year-old dad of two over grudges about the healthcare industry.
In a Friday statement, the Thompson family said that Mangione’s “guilty plea marks an important step toward justice for Brian and for our family.”
“While nothing will ease the pain of losing him, we are grateful that the federal justice system has held the person responsible for this heinous act accountable,” the statement said.
“Now we look to the court to ensure that sentencing reflects the severity of this crime. We remain mindful that additional proceedings in New York and Pennsylvania are still to come, and we will continue to seek the justice Brian deserves.”
Mangione entered an “open plea” to two counts of stalking resulting in death, meaning he received no concessions from prosecutors in exchange for his admission. Both counts carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. When Judge Garnett asked whether he understood he could spend the rest of his life behind bars, Mangione answered neutrally: “Yes.”
During the hearing, Mangione read a statement describing his actions. “After years of enduring severe pain from a broken back, navigating obstacles from the health insurance system, I learned that UnitedHealthcare would be holding its annual investor conference in New York City on December 4, 2024,” he said. “I traveled to New York with the intent to shoot Brian Thompson. On December 4, 2024, I shot Brian Thompson, and he died. When I did so, I understood my actions would place him in fear of death or severe bodily injury. I knew what I was doing.”
Mangione also admitted he used a ruse to obtain information about the event, contacting the company ahead of time posing as an investor at a multibillion-dollar firm. He said he used a 3D printer to make part of the gun used in the killing.
In the viral moment that launched a nationwide manhunt, Thompson was gunned down on the morning of Dec. 4, 2024, outside the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan as he walked to UnitedHealthcare’s annual investor conference. The 50-year-old father of two was shot in the back and leg by a masked assailant who fled on a bicycle, then took a taxi to a bus station and escaped the city. Shell casings at the scene bore the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose” — a reference to tactics used by insurance companies to avoid paying claims. A five-day manhunt ended when Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a customer recognized him from news reports.
Mangione’s defense team immediately moved to dismiss his separate New York state murder case, arguing that New York’s double jeopardy law protects him from being prosecuted twice for the same conduct. “Despite this being a single, isolated event, Mr. Mangione has been unfairly treated since the outset in every way,” his attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo told reporters outside court. “He’s been treated differently from every other defendant charged with this offense in New York.” State prosecutors said they are prepared to litigate the motion, and the trial remains scheduled to begin Sept. 8.