Suspected murder of insurance executive extradited under heavy security

The American suspected of the murder of the CEO of the country’s largest health insurer has been extradited to New York. Accompanied by heavily armed police officers, Luigi Mangione was transported from the state of Pennsylvania, where he was being held.

Mangione is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealth Group CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel earlier this month. The victim was scheduled to speak at an event for investors of the billion-dollar company. Five days later, Mangione was arrested in Pennsylvania, a state bordering New York.

The 26-year-old suspect initially resisted extradition. The police in New York had requested the extradition. But Mangione’s lawyers say there is no evidence he is the shooter.

Yesterday, Mangione agreed to be extradited during a hearing. He was immediately handed over to at least twelve NYPD officers present in the courtroom. They escorted him to a plane to Long Island, from where he was flown by helicopter to Manhattan.

In addition to state charges, Mangione is now also facing federal charges. He is charged with stalking, murder with a firearm and a firearms violation, according to public court records. Murder with a firearm could carry the death penalty, although federal prosecutors have not yet indicated whether they will seek that punishment.

Earlier this week, charges were filed against Mangione in New York state, accusing him of murder with a terrorist motive. If found guilty, he could face life in prison without the possibility of parole. New York State does not have the death penalty.

According to the federal indictment, a notebook Mangione had with him during his arrest contained several handwritten pages in which he made threats toward the health insurance industry and wealthy executives in particular. An October note described a plan to eliminate the CEO of an insurance company at an investor conference. He also had a handwritten letter with him that labeled health insurers as “parasites”.

The murder of the 50-year-old CEO of UnitedHealth led to a flood of stories about resentment against American health insurers. At the courthouse in New York, sympathizers of Mangione stood with signs that read, among other things, “Luigi freed us.” Authorities previously called on the American public to reject his violent action.