Officer Stephen Fox testified Tuesday that Luigi Mangione made a remark as he walked past spectators and reporters on his way out of the Pennsylvania courthouse.
The Arrest and Year‑Long Manhunt
On December 4, 2024, Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, ending a five‑day manhunt for the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City. The arrest marked one year since the incident. Mangione, 27, was arraigned the same day at the Blair County Courthouse.
Charges and Court Proceedings
Mangione faces New York state charges that include one count of second‑degree murder, seven counts of various weapons offenses, and one count of second‑degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. He is also charged with two federal stalking counts, one count of murder through the use of a firearm, and one firearms offense. He has pleaded not guilty to nine state counts and four federal charges filed separately, and the federal charges carry the possibility of the death penalty.
The hearing in Manhattan Criminal Court, which started last week, focuses on the defense’s bid to exclude evidence from Mangione’s state murder trial.
Officer’s Testimony and Evidence Search
Fox, who had responded to the McDonald’s a year ago after a call about a suspicious person, took the stand as the ninth witness for the prosecution. He said he was with Mangione at the Pennsylvania courthouse when he was arraigned and that, as he escorted him out, Mangione remarked on the people who had shown up.
“All of these people are here for a mass murderer? Wild,” Mangione allegedly said, according to Fox.
Fox apologized to the shackled Mangione for walking too fast when he stumbled as the officers were handing him over to state police. “It’s OK, I’m going to have to get used to it,” Mangione said, according to Fox.
Fox also testified that he helped search Mangione’s backpack after the arrest. He told the court, “It’s f—ing him, 100%” as a colleague found a magazine with bullets inside the backpack.
Bodycam footage of the detention was played in court. Mangione was seen taking notes on a yellow legal pad and sifting through papers at the defense table as the footage played.
During the video, Fox and other officers discussed the need for a search warrant. Fox argued that a warrant was unnecessary because of the “search incident to arrest” exception, while another officer agreed. A third officer later said a warrant was needed because of the case’s severity. Fox maintained that Mangione had committed a crime at the McDonald’s by providing officers with a forged identification card, so a warrant was not required.
Recovered Items and Search Warrants
Blair County First Assistant District Attorney Nichole Smith testified Monday that she approved two search warrants that day. The warrants authorized the continued seizure of Mangione’s property and permitted the transfer of evidence—including a suppressor, handgun, ammunition, and a fake identification card—to the NYPD.
Pictures of items recovered from Mangione’s backpack included a loaded handgun, a silencer, a magazine with bullets wrapped in underwear, a notebook, a cellphone, a passport, a Maryland identification card, and various bank and credit cards. A to‑do list was also found, containing notes such as “buy black sneakers (white stripe too distinctive),” “Change hat, shoes, pluck eyebrows,” “keep momentum, FBI slower,” and “check reports for current situation.”
Key Takeaways
- Mangione made an offhand remark about the crowd as he exited the courthouse.
- Officer Fox provided testimony on the arrest, evidence search, and his own remarks.
- Search warrants were approved to seize and transfer Mangione’s evidence to the NYPD.
The court proceedings continue to unfold as the case moves toward trial in New York state court.
