Online sleuths investigating the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson claim two sets of images showing the killer are of different people.
The NYPD initially released surveillance photos taken just before Wednesday’s killing that showed the gunman at a nearby Starbucks in Midtown New York.
The footage showed a white man carrying a gray backpack and wearing a black hooded jacket. Most of his face was obscured by a black balaclava-like covering.
As the manhunt for the suspect entered its second day, investigators released another set of photos showing the “person of interest” taken at the Upper West Side hostel where he had holed up prior to the attack.
These photos provided the first glimpse of the backpack with the suspect’s grinning face. He was again seen wearing a black face mask, but only around his neck.
He was also wearing a hooded jacket that appeared lighter in color than in the first set of images.
Online commenters were quick to point out other discrepancies between the images, claiming the differences indicate they show two different people.
‘Clearly different people, bigger frame. Jacket has no chest pockets. Facial hair is much darker,” someone wrote on X.
Online sleuths investigating the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson claim that two sets of images showing the killer are of different people
“So we just post pictures of people in jackets and hoodies?” another added.
‘Different backpack, different jacket, different nose. Well done guys!’ someone said.
“They look like two separate people,” another agreed.
Many focused on the fact that the killer’s clothes and backpack appeared to be different colors in the photos, although the image of his face may have been taken in late November.
Experts have also said that the killer almost certainly changed the outfit he was wearing at the time of the murder.
The NYPD has released the photos and is offering a $10,000 reward in an effort to get the public’s help in finding the killer.
The suspect remains at large after escaping on an e-bike following the ambush of 50-year-old Thompson.
The health insurance boss was shot as he headed to New York’s Hilton Midtown Manhattan for an investor conference.
Investigators have yet to release a motive, but shell casings with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” were found at the scene.
Officers are still searching for the unknown assailant who shot UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside the Hilton Hotel in Manhattan on Wednesday morning.
They released this photo of a “person of interest” as the hunt entered its second day
The NYPD released this photo showing the shooter at a nearby Starbucks before the attack
The messages bear a resemblance to Jay M Feinman’s 2010 book ‘Delay, Deny, Defend’, which describes ‘why insurance companies don’t pay claims and what you can do about it’.
While many have mourned Thompson’s death, his “brutal” murder has sparked outrage over the state of the US healthcare system, with many UnitedHealthcare customers posting online about claims that have allegedly been denied.
Thompson’s estranged wife revealed that the CEO had received threats “about a lack of reporting” prior to his trip to New York.
He had a security guard with him for the conference appearance, but they were not present at the time of the attack.
The gunman fired several shots during the ambush, jamming his gun, but managed to quickly clear the obstruction and continue shooting, hitting the CEO in the chest and calf.
Former FBI agent Robert D’Amico told DailyMail.com that while the suspect appeared calm and was clearly “competent,” he was far from a “professional” hitman.
Social media users pointed out clear differences between the clothes in the two image sets
Bullets litter the sidewalk at the site outside the Hilton Hotel in downtown Manhattan where Thompson was shot
The unknown killer rode a bus from Atlanta to New York City 10 days before he shot Thompson, arriving in Manhattan on November 24, according to CNN.
He reportedly spent his days bouncing around the city and even visited the Hilton hotel just days before the murder.
The suspect used a fake New Jersey ID to check into an Upper West Side hostel. He paid in cash.
He checked out of the hostel on November 29 and checked back in on November 30.