BURSTNew York Police Department (NYPD) Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, may have filed an insurance claim for back pain last year.
“He was posting an X-ray on his social media. Some of the writings that he had, he was discussing the difficulty of sustaining that injury," Kenny said during a Tuesday appearance on Fox News’ “Your World with Neil Cavuto.”
"So we're looking into whether or not the insurance industry either denied a claim from him or didn't help him out to the fullest extent.”
He added that investigators believe Mangione’s injury may have been sustained on July 4, 2023.
The suspect’s attorney has maintained his client’s presumed innocence throughout the high profile probe.
“I don’t want people to jump to these prejudgment things, because nobody would ever want that if they were accused or their loved ones were accused,” Thomas Dickey, Mangione’s lawyer, told NewsNation’s “Cuomo” on Tuesday evening.
Mangione, a University of Pennsylvania graduate, was arrested and charged in the state on Monday. Law enforcement found him at a local McDonald’s in possession of a gun after a tip from an employee.
Manhattan prosecutors have been working with Blair County District Attorney Peter Weeks to order Mangione’s extradition to New York where he will likely undergo legal proceedings related to the murder.
The removal requires a warrant issued by Gov. Kathy Hocul (D).
"We're going to do what's necessary to get the governor's warrant and we're working with the New York City Police Department and the Manhattan DA's Office, and we're gonna get the defendant out there so they can prosecute him on their charges," Weeks said during a press conference.
Mangione’s attorney said he would contest the extradition.