These days, “celebrities” come in many forms. From the traditional movie, television, music, and sports stars to reality, social media, and internet stars, it’s much easier to gain fame than ever before. However, while a line should be drawn when it comes to criminals — especially murder suspects — Luigi Mangione, a strong person of interest in the cold-blooded killing of Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Healthcare (who was shot in his back in New York City on Dec. 4), has become an unlikely figure of adoration for many, gaining the nickname “the hot assassin”.
In fairness, that’s nothing new — the likes of Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and John Wayne Gacy received thousands of love letters and even marriage proposals while incarcerated — but the existence of the internet has made the reverence and glorification of seemingly attractive criminals all the more prevalent and noticeable.
Now, while it’s important to note that Mangione has yet to be officially convicted of any crimes, he has been indicted on eleven charges, including first-degree murder, terrorism, and criminal possession of a firearm, and the evidence against him is damning. There’s no doubt he’s a handsome man, but that should be the least of the public’s concerns, given the possibility (and, frankly, likelihood) that he killed a man. However, as per stories on the likes of U.S. News, Business Insider, and The Daily Beast, he’s been glamorized into a bona fide folk hero.
With that glamorization comes intrigue and Mangione’s fans wish to know more about him. One often-asked question is regarding his ethnicity. So, what is Luigi Mangione’s ethnic heritage?
What is Luigi Mangione’s ethnicity?
Born on May 6, 1998, in Towson, Maryland, 26-year-old Mangione is the son of 71-year-old Louis and 60-year-old Kathleen Mangione and the grandson of the late Nicholas and Mary Mangione (as per Style). The Mangiones are well-known real estate developers who also own nursing homes, travel companies, and country clubs in and around Baltimore, Maryland. The family originates in Italy — specifically the island of Sicily — meaning that while Luigi is an American citizen, he’s part Italian due to his parents’ heritage.
While the Mangione name will now forever be associated with the killing of Thompson, for decades previously, it meant something entirely different. It’s associated with wealth, power, prominence, and philanthropy — especially within Baltimore’s Italian and Italian-American communities (as per BBC News).
If you’d like to know more about him, you’ll be pleased to know there’s already a documentary about him on the way. We’re sure that’ll explain his Italian ancestry in greater detail.