Luigi Mangione, the person of interest identified in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, had seemingly scheduled the release of a YouTube video just hours before his arrest.
An 84-second clip, titled The Truth, surfaced on a YouTube channel linked to Mangione on Monday, complete with a 60-second timer on the screen and text that read: “If you see this I’m already arrested.” The end of the clip also featured text saying that “All is scheduled,” likely in reference to the release of another YouTube video, and told viewers to “be patient.” The video concluded with the quote “bye for now,” alongside a listing of the date December 11. The cryptic video was uploaded under the username @PepMangione, which matches other social media accounts belonging to Mangione.
The video came to light several hours after police made a major break in their investigation into Thompson’s shooting, culminating in Mangione’s arrest and detainment as a person of interest in connection to the murder. According to multiple outlets, a second video was scheduled to be released at 6:45pm EST on Monday, but the account has since been suspended by YouTube. “This video is no longer available,” a disclaimer reads when trying to access The Truth video at the time of writing, “because the YouTube account associated with this video has been suspended.”
While the YouTube account was not officially confirmed to be Mangione’s, the user’s photo matches his description and appearance, as well as the listed age of 26 years old. In the account details, the user said they were educated at the University of Pennsylvania, where Mangione was actually enrolled, and that they had joined YouTube in January of this year. The Truth clip was the only piece of content shared by the account during its 11-month run.
Neither authorities nor Google have responded to the surfacing of the mysterious video, but Mangione’s other social media accounts, including Facebook and Instagram, were deactivated hours after his arrest. It adds to what has become an increasingly shocking criminal case, following a week-long manhunt for Mangione after Thompson was brazenly gunned down outside a Hilton Hotel in New York on December 4. During the search for a suspect, investigators found a backpack in the nearby Central Park believed to be owned by the gunman and containing money from the board game Monopoly.
The manhunt then crossed state lines after the suspect was believed to have left New York City on an interstate bus, with Mangione eventually being arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania after being noticed by an employee at a McDonald’s restaurant. He was allegedly in possession of a handwritten note at the time of his arrest, which is said to include quotes like “these parasites had it coming” and “I do apologise for any strife and trauma, but it had to be done.” Reports are now emerging that Mangione’s murder of Thompson was driven by his disdain for the medical industry because of how it treated one of his sick relatives.
Mangione has become something of an internet sensation since first being identified as a suspect in the case, with scores of netizens seeming to sympathize with the alleged killer on social media. It’s not yet known whether a new YouTube account connected to Mangione will spring up following his original account’s deactivation, but the suspect made his first initial court appearance on Monday evening.
Published: Dec 9, 2024 07:43 pm