Suspected UnitedHealthCare CEO Killer Struggled With Severe Back Pain After Surfing Injury

Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthCare executive Brian Thompson, reportedly had his own physical struggles that may have shaped his mindset before the shocking crime. A friend of Mangione revealed the alleged killer suffered debilitating back pain following a 2022 surfing incident in Hawaii, leading to surgery and a long recovery.

R.J. Martin, who lived with Mangione in a coworking and co-living space in Honolulu, told CNN that Mangione’s surfing injury left him bedridden for a week. “It was traumatic for him,” Martin said. “He was only in his twenties and couldn’t even do basic things.”

As Mangione’s condition worsened, he eventually underwent back surgery, which Martin described as extreme. “His back looked heinous,” Martin noted, referencing an X-ray Mangione sent him earlier this year showing large screws implanted in his spine. Mangione even used a similar X-ray as his profile backdrop on his X account before police took it down following his arrest.

Mangione’s arrest took place on Monday morning in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where he was found eating inside a McDonald’s restaurant. A sharp-eyed employee recognized him from wanted posters circulating after Thompson’s murder and called local police. Mangione was taken into custody without incident, and authorities recovered the pistol allegedly used in the crime.

He now faces murder charges and additional serious offenses brought by the Manhattan District Attorney. Mangione remains in Pennsylvania custody while awaiting extradition to New York.

The shocking circumstances surrounding Mangione’s arrest and his troubled past have left many speculating about the link between his health struggles and his alleged actions.