Despite a nationwide law enforcement effort led by the FBI, Luigi Mangione was ultimately arrested thanks to a complete stranger, and a former FBI agent is questioning how, or why, he wasn't identified sooner by those close to him.
Mangione, 26, was arrested in connection to the Dec. 4 shooting of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson after a sharp-eyed McDonald's employee recognized him and alerted authorities.
The capture did raise some eyebrows. Retired FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer on Monday questioned how nobody from Mangione's immediate family or friend circles came forward with his identity, suggesting that someone in Mangione's orbit should have been able to recognize him based on the released images.
Riddle me this?
— Jennifer Coffindaffer (@CoffindafferFBI) December 10, 2024
How can a complete stranger recognize #LuigiMangione, seeing him only 1 time, yet no one in his family, his friend circle, or acquaintances from school/work recognized him?
Or did they...#CEOAssassination #BrianThompson pic.twitter.com/7yGmGUtTuE
The New York Police Department (NYPD) revealed on Monday that they were not investigating Mangione as a suspect in the case until he was detained.
Mangione had increasingly been out of touch with his family and friends following back surgery in 2023, Newsweek reported. Mangione's mother was apparently concerned with his whereabouts, and filed a missing persons report with San Francisco police last month, The San Francisco Standard reported.
Mangione has been charged with one count of second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, one count of second-degree possession of a forged document, and one count of third-degree criminal possession of a firearm, according to PEOPLE.
Police said they found a three-page-long manifesto that "speaks to both his motivation and mindset."
