Luigi Mangione the suspect arrested in connection with the killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan last week as he walked to a shareholder’s meeting, appeared to be a potentially untraceable 3D gun- a firearm without serial numbers, that can be assembled at home, copied from Hollywood movie The Day of the Jackal. He was arrested on Monday at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and was allegedly in possession of a gun, bullets, multiple fake IDs and cash. Law enforcement sources say ”Deny, Defend, Depose, the three D’s of insurance” tactics used by companies to reject payment claims by patients.

Mangione was charged in Altoona with weapons, forgery and other charges, and will now be extradited to New York. 

Mangione family in the Baltimore area are known for businesses including country clubs, nursing homes and a radio station. The suspect’s paternal grandparents, Nicholas and Mary Mangione were real estate developers who purchased The Turf Valley Country Club in 1978 and Hayfields Country Club in Hunt Valley in 1986.

 Luigi(26) is the scion of a prominent Maryland family who  was valedictorian, an accolade bestowed for coming top of his class at all-boys Gilman School in Baltimore, an elite private school  before graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League college where he gained a bachelor’s and master’s degree in computer science. According to law enforcement bulletin Mr Mangione was allegedly motivated by resentment at what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies. He had spent time in Surfbreak, a co-living surfing community in Hawaii, but left due to debilitating back pain.  Mr. Mangione was employed as a data engineer for TrueCar, a digital retailing website for new and used cars until 2023.

Police said it was capable of firing 9mm rounds, and was consistent with the type of weapon used in the fatal shooting of Mr. Thompson in New York, a week before.

Until August 2023, anyone with internet access could legally buy many of the parts needed to make a gun without a background check. Online tutorials give a graphic description of how to assemble together the pieces into a fully functioning firearm in less than an hour.