NEW YORK (AP) — Plucking eyebrows. Buying less conspicuous shoes. Trip plans suggesting travel west toward Cincinnati and St. Louis. Avoiding surveillance cameras were just some items on a peculiar to-do list found during the arrest of Luigi Mangione, whose trial is linked to the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO, Brian Thompson, last year.
The notes, highlighted during a pretrial hearing, reveal the extent of Mangione's efforts to elude police following the crime. Phrases like, “Keep momentum, FBI slower overnight,” and “Change hat, shoes, pluck eyebrows,” suggest a calculated approach to avoiding detection.
On December 9, 2024, Mangione was arrested at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where police seized various items from his backpack, including a 9 mm handgun, a loaded magazine, and silencer, which prosecutors argue match the weapon used to kill Thompson. Body-worn camera footage from the arrest was also released to the court this week.
Legal arguments centered on the legality of the police search have come to the forefront. Defense attorneys have not contested the authenticity of the evidence but argue that the warrantless search was unjustified as police were checking for a bomb at the time of arrest. Prosecutors maintain this search was legal, claiming a warrant was secured afterward.
Evidence from Mangione's notes detailed various strategies to evade police surveillance, including spending time away from cameras and utilizing different modes of transport to break continuity. Notably, the plans included a map drawn with connections to various cities, underscoring that his stop in Altoona may not have been an endpoint.
The gruesome details surrounding Thompson's murder, occurring on December 4, 2024, as he approached a Manhattan hotel for a corporate conference, have captivated public attention. Surveillance footage captured a masked assailant fleeing the crime scene, raising the urgency of the investigation.
Mangione, currently 27, pleaded not guilty to both state and federal charges and faces a possible death penalty in the federal case. As the pretrial hearing continues, the complex interplay of legal tactics, surveillance concerns, and public scrutiny paints a troubling portrait of a suspect determined to escape justice.
