New bodycam footage has been released showing the moment alleged United Healthcare killer Luigi Mangione was arrested in a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Police had been searching for Mangione for five days before finding him at the fast-food restaurant.
In the video, one officer says, 'It's f–king him, dude,' as they discover a magazine of bullets in his backpack. The footage, which was first shown during a court hearing last year, has now been released publicly for the first time.
Eyebrow recognition led to arrest
The McDonald's manager who called police said she searched online for photos as Mangione sat in the restaurant and recognised his distinctive eyebrows from police images. 'The only thing you can see is his eyebrows', said the manager in her 911 call. Her name was not released.
Brian Thompson, 50, was killed as he walked to a Manhattan hotel for his company's investor conference on Dec. 4, 2024. Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting him from behind. Police have said 'delay, deny and depose' was written on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.
Guilty plea and legal implications
This year, Mangione entered a guilty plea to federal charges in connection with the fatal shooting of healthcare boss Thompson. Mangione previously pleaded not guilty to Thompson's death, with his latest pleas coming as a stunning move with the potential to torpedo his upcoming state murder trial.
He has now pleaded guilty to one count of interstate stalking resulting in death and one count of stalking through use of interstate facilities resulting in death. His legal team is expected to try to get his charges thrown out under the double jeopardy law, but prosecutors will argue against it.
This means he could still face life behind bars, but the death penalty has been ruled out. The maximum sentence for each of his two stalking charges is life.
