Luigi Mangione, the suspect accused in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is expected to appear at an extradition hearing in Pennsylvania on Thursday after Manhattan prosecutors filed a slew of new charges related to the brazen attack.
According to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office, Mangione, 26, faces one count of first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism and two counts of second-degree murder, including one count of second-degree murder as an act of terrorism.
“This was a frightening, well-planned, targeted murder designed to cause shock, attention and intimidation,” Bragg said. If convicted on all charges, Mangione could face life in prison without the possibility of parole, Bragg said.
More: Luigi Mangione's mother said she could “see him shooting the police.”
The valedictorian and Ivy League graduate is accused of shooting Thompson as he was on his way to a company conference on Dec. 4, sparking a massive search that ended when a tipster at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, found Mangione recognized.
He was arrested in Pennsylvania for fake IDs and a 3D-printed gun that investigators found during his search. The New York Police Department said the handgun matched shell casings found at the crime scene and Mangione's fingerprints matched those taken as evidence near where the shooting occurred.
Officials in Pennsylvania and New York have been working together since his arrest to extradite Mangione to Manhattan to face murder charges. While Mangione's lawyer in Pennsylvania initially said he would fight extradition, Bragg said he had signs that Mangione may be waiving his right to challenge his extradition to New York.
The law firm of Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Mangione's New York defense attorney, declined to comment on the charges and the upcoming extradition hearing.
Legal experts in Pennsylvania have previously told USA TODAY that it is unlikely that a legal challenge presented by Mangione's lawyers would prevent his extradition, especially given the indictment and the way officials in both states have vowed to arrest him in New York to accuse.
The hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Thursday at the Blair County Courthouse, according to a court filing.
Contributors: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY; Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Luigi Mangione be extradited to New York? The hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
