Fugitive’s Notes Reveal Elaborate Plans to Evade Capture After UnitedHealthcare CEO Killing

Handwritten notes discovered in Luigi Mangione’s backpack have offered investigators a detailed glimpse into his alleged strategies to avoid capture following the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last year.

“Keep momentum, FBI slower overnight,” read one note. “Change hat, shoes, pluck eyebrows,” advised another. These instructions were among several pieces of evidence presented this week during a pretrial hearing in Manhattan Criminal Court, where Mangione, 27, is fighting to suppress evidence seized during his December 9, 2024 arrest at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

The court also released previously unseen body-worn camera footage documenting the arrest, which occurred five days after Thompson, 50, was fatally shot while walking to a Manhattan hotel for his company’s investor conference. Surveillance video had captured a masked gunman shooting Thompson from behind before fleeing the scene.

Police testified they found a treasure trove of incriminating items in Mangione’s possession, including a 9mm handgun that prosecutors say matches the weapon used in Thompson’s killing. Officers also discovered a loaded gun magazine, silencer, and a notebook where Mangione allegedly wrote about his intent to “wack” a health insurance executive.

The evidence suggests Mangione’s stop in Altoona, a city of about 44,000 residents located 230 miles west of Manhattan, was only intended as a temporary layover. One note included a hand-drawn map showing potential travel routes, with lines linking Pittsburgh to Columbus, Ohio, Cincinnati, and other Midwestern destinations including Detroit, Indianapolis, and St. Louis.

“Check for red eyes from Pittsburgh to Columbus, Ohio or part way to Cincinnati (get off early),” one note instructed, apparently referring to overnight buses or trains heading west.

Another note, labeled “12/5” – the day after the shooting – included a starred entry: “buy black shoes (white stripes too distinctive).” This suggests Mangione was concerned his footwear might make him identifiable to investigators.

The notes also revealed a sophisticated understanding of surveillance techniques. One list advised spending more than three hours away from security cameras and using different transportation methods to “Break CAM continuity” and avoid tracking. It also mentioned “check reports for current situation,” likely referring to news coverage of the manhunt.

Prosecutors say Mangione fled to Newark, New Jersey, immediately after the shooting and took a train to Philadelphia. Evidence presented at the hearing included a Philadelphia transit pass purchased at 1:06 p.m. – approximately six hours after Thompson was killed – and a Greyhound bus ticket booked under the alias “Sam Dawson” for travel from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh later that evening.

Additional notes detailed plans for December 8th and 9th, including purchasing a digital camera and accessories from Best Buy, obtaining “hot meal + water bottles,” and visiting Sheetz, an Altoona-based convenience store chain. Under “Future TO DO,” the list mentioned “intel checkin” and “survival kit.”

When arrested, Mangione was carrying a Sheetz hoagie and a loaf of Italian bread from a local deli. Police officers testified that the bag and its contents were wet, suggesting he had walked in the rain from Altoona’s bus station.

The McDonald’s manager who called 911 told dispatchers she recognized Mangione despite his medical mask because his distinctive eyebrows matched photos of the suspect she had seen online. Altoona Police Officer Stephen Fox testified that Mangione later expressed concern for the 911 caller’s wellbeing, asking if police planned to release her name and commenting, “It would be bad for her” and “there would be a lot of people that would be upset.”

In another revealing moment during his arrest, Officer Fox recalled that when Mangione stumbled while in shackles, Fox apologized, saying, “I forgot you were shackled.” According to the officer, Mangione responded: “It’s OK, I’m going to have to get used to it.”

Mangione, the Ivy League-educated son of a wealthy Maryland family, has pleaded not guilty to state and federal murder charges. His defense team isn’t disputing the authenticity of the notes or the provenance of the items found in his possession but argues anything discovered in his backpack should be excluded because police conducted the search without a warrant. Prosecutors contend the search was legal, with officers justifying it as a check for potential explosives, and note they eventually obtained a warrant.

The pretrial hearing, which resumes Thursday, applies only to the state case. Mangione’s lawyers are making a similar push to exclude evidence from his federal case, where prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.