Mangione may reach a plea deal in his federal case. Here's what it means for his state charges

Luigi Mangione, a 28-year-old from a wealthy Maryland family, has pleaded guilty to federal stalking charges in connection with the 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione entered the plea in a Manhattan federal court, resolving one of two cases against him related to Thompson's death. This guilty plea could potentially lead to the dismissal of the state case on double jeopardy grounds, as Thompson was also charged by state prosecutors with ambushing the CEO outside a New York City hotel.

Surveillance footage showed a masked gunman shooting Thompson from behind, with the words "delay," "deny," and "depose" written on the ammunition, which authorities say mimics a phrase used in the insurance industry. Mangione, who is not a UnitedHealthcare customer, was arrested five days after the shooting in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Thompson, who had served as CEO of UnitedHealthcare since 2021, wasn't a well-known figure outside the industry. Mangione's private writings criticized health insurers as greedy, which made this case a topic of debate about the industry. A trial on state murder charges is set to begin next month, though it's unclear if this trial would still proceed if Mangione pleads guilty in the federal case.

Both the federal and state cases could result in a life prison sentence, with the federal charges specifically accusing Mangione of stalking Thompson to cause his death.