The man arrested last week as a person of interest in the high-profile shooting of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson is related to a Republican politician.
Antonio “Nino” Mangione, 37-year-old state representative from Maryland, is the cousin of 26-year-old Luigi Mangione – handcuffed Monday at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania in connection with the crime.
The elder Mangione has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2019 and has yet to comment on the arrest.
As word spread that Mangione was being held for questioning, Fox News hosts Sandra Smith and Jeanine Pirro reported on the relative revelation in real time.
“Another twist in this story: this just in our newsroom: the suspect’s cousin is a Maryland state representative,” Smith said on air.
“This is now confirmed, the suspect’s cousin is a Maryland State Representative, Antonio D. Mangione – name is Nino.”
Smith then criticized the politician for what she perceived as a mistake, asking how someone of his stature had not already turned in the Ivy League degree.
Former FBI investigator Bill Daly, who joined the two as a guest, seemed to agree, pointing to how photos of the younger Mangione’s face were sent around the country.
Maryland State Delegate Nino Mangione (right) is the 37-year-old cousin of 26-year-old Luigi Mangione – handcuffed Monday in connection with the crime. The Republican has not yet issued a statement about the arrest
As word spread that Mangione was being held for questioning, Fox News hosts Sandra Smith and Jeanine Pirro reported on the relative revelation in real time.
“How can someone who is related to this person not say, I know that guy, and call the police?” the veteran federal investigator added.
‘How was it possible that there was no one anywhere in the country who said: that person is in my family, I know him?’ an incredulous Smith further asked.
Daly, who worked for the FBI for more than a decade, admitted that it was “quite surprising that it took a McDonald’s employee in Pennsylvania to identify this individual.”
The confession involved the tipster who called police after recognizing Mangione’s likeness in photos released by the department last Thursday — an “elderly patron,” law enforcement sources told The New York Times.
“Well, that’s certainly a very relevant question,” Pirro agreed as he wondered how the elder Mangione could not have come to the same conclusion, having seen the same photos and simply being related to the wanted fugitive.
“If a guy at McDonald’s can answer the phone, and a family member and someone who has a certain job – where he’s essentially working for the government and for the people – can’t, then you know you have a problem. ‘ she concluded.
Similar sentiments were seen online as the manhunt for the person seen in the surveillance footage at a hostile Upper West family before the killing appeared to end on its sixth day.
“The suspected shooter, Luigi Mangione, is related to a (R)epublican state assemblyman named Nino Mangione,” one person wrote as publications like the Times began naming the UPenn grad as the person handcuffed in connection with the probe.
Former FBI investigator Bill Daly, who joined the two as a guest, seemed to agree, pointing to how photos of the younger Mangione’s face were sent around the country.
Smith went on to criticize the politician for what she perceived as a mistake, asking how someone of his stature had not already turned in the Ivy League degree. The only shot of the person of interest’s face that was available during the search can be seen here.
The eldest Mangione has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2019 and can be seen here. The pair are Facebook friends and follow each other on social media
“Suspected murderer Luigi Mangione is a cousin of Nino Mangione, a Republican state lawmaker in Maryland,” another X user said similarly.
Furthermore, the pair are currently Facebook friends and continue to follow each other on social media, where a large number of anti-establishment posts from the suspect have been discovered.
Up since deleted Goodreads accountthe data scientist shared a series of quotes online from ‘Unabomber’ Ted Kaczynski, along with others referencing health and illness.
“Imagine a society that subjects people to conditions that make them terribly unhappy and then gives them the drugs to take away their unhappiness,” read an excerpt from a Kaczynski quote on Mangione’s Goodreads page.
“The concept of ‘mental health’ in our society is largely defined by the extent to which an individual behaves in accordance with the needs of the system and does so without showing signs of stress,” said another.
In the meantime, Mangione is being interrogated and eventually extradition is needed to file charges against him in New York.
He was handcuffed after being found with a 3D-printed gun, a handwritten manifesto and a series of IDs on his person — at least one of which matched the identification he produced at the HI hostel in Manhattan, police said.
Thompson was killed outside a Hilton hotel in downtown Manhattan at 6:44 a.m. on December 4 by an assailant who had been at large for six days as of Monday morning (photo)
Others were also critical of the medical community – a likely motive police had looked into in connection with the crime.
Part of his own manifesto reportedly read: “I apologize for any conflict or trauma. But it had to be done. These parasites had it coming.”
Mangione has yet to be charged with Thompson’s murder as of 4:45 PM ET. The investigation by police and federal officials is still ongoing.