Feds Seek Death Penalty In Killing Of Minnesota CEO

MINNESOTA — U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old accused of fatally shooting Minnesota-based UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a New York City hotel on Dec. 4.

Mangione faces both federal and state murder charges in a killing that shocked the business world but also galvanized critics of the nation's health insurance industry.

Federal prosecutors have charged him with murder through the use of a firearm—a crime eligible for the death penalty. The separate state case against him carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

"Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America," Bondi said in a statement.

"After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again."

President Donald Trump oversaw an unprecedented series of executions at the end of his first term. He signed an executive order on his first day back in office directing the Justice Department to seek the death penalty in applicable federal cases.

The action undid a federal execution freeze put in place under President Joe Biden.

Related: Luigi Mangione Initiative Targets Insurance Denials In CA, Banning 'Delay, Deny' Tactics

Killing of Minnesota CEO Brian Thompson

Thompson was stalked by a masked gunman who used ammunition emblazoned with the words "deny," "defend," and “depose,” echoing a phrase used by insurance industry critics, law enforcement officials said.

The head of one of the largest U.S. health insurers, Thompson died in a dawn ambush as he walked from his Midtown hotel to the company's annual investor conference at a Hilton across the street.

A husband and father of two sons, Thompson had been with Minnetonka-based UnitedHealthcare since 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years.

UnitedHealthcare provides coverage for over 49 million Americans and brought in more than $281 billion in revenue last year. It is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S. and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state and federally funded Medicaid programs.

In December, Maple Grove, Minnesota police responded to hoax bomb threats at homes connected to Thompson just hours after he was shot dead.

Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this story.