(Julianna Frieman, Headline USA) Luigi Mangione, the alleged murderer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, reportedly faced difficulty having sex as a result of a problem with his spine.
Mangione, 26, was arrested on firearm charges Monday at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after an employee recognized him and called 911, according to the New York Times.
He was later charged in New York for allegedly murdering Thompson outside a Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan early Wednesday.
Mangione, a dedicated student with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in computer science, reportedly lived in shared quarters in Honolulu, Hawaii with about 20 other remote workers beginning in 2022. The co-living space called “Surfbreak” was founded by R.J. Martin, who described the murder suspect as a sufferer of chronic back pain.
“His spine was kind of misaligned,” Martin said. “He said his lower vertebrae were almost like a half-inch off, and I think it pinched a nerve.”
Mangione’s reported back issue caused a lot of pain, especially when he arched his spine, Martin told the outlet. The murder suspect desperately wanted a normal lifestyle, but activities like having sexual relationships were nearly impossible due to his physical condition.
“He knew that dating and being physically intimate with his back condition wasn’t possible,” Martin said of his former roommate. “I remember him telling me that, and my heart just breaks.”
Mangione’s social media profile provided hints about his health struggles. The murder suspect’s X banner was composed of the following three images: (1) the Pokémon character Breloom, (2) an X-ray photo of a spine with four screws in it and (3) a photo of what appeared to be himself shirtless, revealing a muscular physique.
Police identified Luigi Mangione, 26, as the suspect who shot dead UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. pic.twitter.com/Td8fnTw5up
— Julianna Frieman (@JuliannaFrieman) December 9, 2024
Mangione’s profile on X has since been suspended. He frequently posted about science, artificial intelligence and health.
Before identifying Mangione as the suspect following a five-day manhunt, police found shell casings with the words “deny,” “depose” and “defend” and a backpack full of money from the board game Monopoly.
Julianna Frieman is a freelance writer published by the Daily Caller, Headline USA, The Federalist, and the American Spectator. Follow her on Twitter at @JuliannaFrieman.
