As Luigi Mangione awaits his court hearing over UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s death, the Mangione family shares their perspective in a recent statement.
The family of Luigi Mangione has spoken out through his cousin, Maryland Delegate Nino Mangione, for the first time since his arrest in Pennsylvania.
“Unfortunately, we cannot comment on news reports regarding Luigi Mangione. We only know what we have read in the media. Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” the family said.
They also conveyed sympathy to Thompson’s loved ones, acknowledging their loss. They urged the public to offer prayers for everyone impacted by the tragedy. “We are devastated by the news,” the family reiterated. Mangione’s family background adds another dimension to the story.
According to the New York Times, Mangione comes from a prominent and influential family in the Baltimore metropolitan area with deep roots in the real estate and business sectors. His grandparents, Nick Mangione Sr. and Mary C. Mangione, purchased and developed the Turf Valley Country Club in Ellicott City during the 1970s.
Over the years, the family expanded their ventures, acquiring Hayfields Country Club in Hunt Valley, Maryland, founding Lorien Health Services, a chain of nursing homes, and owning WCBM-AM, a politically conservative radio station.
Aaron Cranston, a former classmate of Mangione’s at the Gilman School in Baltimore, described him as a smart and ambitious student. Cranston expressed disbelief at the allegations, stating that Mangione’s background seemed inconsistent with such a crime.
Cranston also shared that earlier this year, Mangione’s family circulated a message seeking information on his whereabouts. They had reportedly not heard from him for several months following back surgery.
Authorities arrested Mangione at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on December 9, after a customer recognized him from widely circulated photos during a multi-state manhunt, according to NBC News.
Shortly after his arrest, Mangione was arraigned in Pennsylvania on two felony charges: carrying a firearm without a license and forgery. He also faced three misdemeanor charges: tampering with records, possessing instruments of crime, and providing false identification to law enforcement.
He was denied bail and has not entered a plea. Additional charges related to Thompson’s death are expected to be filed in New York soon, officials said. Officers immediately identified Mangione as the person of interest after asking him to remove his mask.
According to the police complaint, when questioned about whether he had recently been to New York, “the male became quiet and started to shake.”
Law enforcement reported that Mangione was in possession of a homemade firearm, or a “ghost gun,” along with multiple fake IDs and a handwritten document that allegedly provided insight into his motives.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny noted that the firearm, potentially made with a 3D printer, included a suppressor and had the capability of firing 9mm rounds.
