Mangione to Plead Guilty in Federal Case Over CEO Killing

Luigi Mangione, the man accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan, told a court on Friday that he intends to plead guilty in his federal criminal case.

The plea would avoid a federal trial in the case, which has drawn intense public attention. Mangione, 28, had previously entered a not-guilty plea in April 2025 to federal murder, weapons, and stalking charges.

In January 2026, U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett dismissed the murder and weapons charges on legal technicalities, removing the possibility of the death penalty. Mangione still faces a potential sentence of life without parole on the remaining stalking charges if convicted. His federal trial had been scheduled for January.

Separately, Mangione pleaded not guilty in December 2024 to state charges including murder, weapons, and forgery brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. A judge threw out the terrorism charges in September 2025. The state trial is set for September 8 before Justice Gregory Carro, where a second-degree murder conviction could bring 25 years to life in prison.

Resolving the federal case could allow Mangione to seek dismissal of the state murder charge under New York's double jeopardy law, which bars prosecution twice for the same conduct. Bragg's office is expected to oppose the move, arguing the charges are legally distinct. The losing side would likely pursue an emergency appeal.

Thompson was shot dead on December 4, 2024, outside a Manhattan hotel before an investor conference. The killing, captured on video, and the subsequent five-day manhunt made the case a media sensation. Mangione was arrested in Pennsylvania.