Luigi Mangione confessed to shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside of a New York City hotel as he pleaded guilty to federal stalking charges.

Mangione, 28, admitted to gunning down Thompson, 50, in Midtown Manhattan as he walked to a conference on December 4, 2024.

'I shot Mr Thompson and he died,' Mangione told the judge on Friday. 'I understood that my actions would place him in fear of death of bodily injury. I knew what I was doing was illegal.' 

The confession came as the Maryland native pleaded guilty to one count of interstate stalking resulting in death and one count of stalking through use of interstate facilities resulting in death. 

Thompson's grieving family came face-to-face with Mangione for the first time at the hearing.

They watched as Mangione answered a series of questions from the judge about his state of mind after his lawyers said he was prepared to plead guilty.

Mangione said that 'after years of enduring pain from a broken back' he learned about the UnitedHealthcare investor conference.

Both stalking charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. The Justice Department initially wanted the death penalty for Mangione in his federal case, but US District Judge Margaret Garnett blocked that from happening in January.

The shock plea comes just weeks before Mangione is slated to go to trial on state murder charges.

Legal experts believe the federal plea could be a tool by his star legal team to get his state charges thrown out because of New York's double jeopardy laws.

Federal and state governments can prosecute for the same conduct because they are considered independent of each other, but under New York state law, double jeopardy can come into play when a prior prosecution for the same conduct ends in a conviction by guilty plea or a resolution at trial.

'In New York state, there's more robust protections for defendants around the double jeopardy laws. And so that could be a real issue here, at least one that would merit litigation, if not dismissal,' CBS News legal analyst Caroline Polisi said. 

Retired FBI Special Agent James Gagliano suggested Mangione made the move so he could spend his sentence in a cushy federal prison rather than a state facility.

'What is confounding to all of us is why the Southern District would be doing this without working with the state because the only thing that can be the possible outcome here is, Luigi Mangione's attorneys are trying to get him to the comfy confines of FCI Otisville and avoid Sing Sing, Attica, Clinton or places like that in the state system,' Gagliano told Fox News.

A legal expert previously told the Daily Mail that a plea deal might be the next move in his case so Mangione can get a lower sentence than if he went on trial.

'Any time they're going to get a penalty that's anything better than Mangione spending the rest of his life in jail, that's a victory,' former federal prosecutor David S. Weinstein said.

Weinstein said that the double jeopardy law is also another major benefit if a plea deal is presented.

'If they [Mangione's legal team] craft their resolution in a way that allows the NY state law to apply then it takes care of the New York state case.

'If they say these are crimes that arise out of the same matter then they can't prosecute him.

'They will file a motion to dismiss based on double jeopardy, so there won't be a trial on Sept 8th,' he shared.

Mangione was in court earlier this week on Tuesday where the judge ruled that the jury for his state trial will be anonymous because of the high-profile nature of the case.

Since his capture, Mangione has gone on to attract a large fan base – mainly of women – who show up to court in support of the alleged killer.

An online defense fund for him has raised more than $1.5 million since his arrest in December 2024. He has also received a significant amount of fan mail and emails while locked away inside Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center.

For his trial, jurors' names and personal information will remain a secret from the public, the judge ruled, adding that both the defense and prosecution need to come up with questions for prospective jurors.

That questionnaire will determine how much possible jurors know about the case, their experience with the law, and more factors, NBC News reported. The judge will have the final say on what they are asked.

The judge also acknowledged the number of people expected to be allowed in the main courtroom, and what should be done about the large crowd.

More than 80 news outlets, including independent journalists and major publications, are set to cover the trial.

Surveillance video of the killing showed a masked gunman shooting Thompson from behind.

Police say 'delay,' 'deny' and 'depose' were written on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.

Mangione was arrested five days after the shooting at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania. 

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