The 911 emergency call made by a fast-food restaurant manager, which directly led to the arrest of the man accused of murdering a top US health insurance executive, has been released to the public for the first time.
The Suspicious Customer and the Panicked Call
In a hearing at Manhattan state court, audio was played of the moment a McDonald's manager in Altoona, Pennsylvania, contacted police on December 6, 2025. She reported that a customer, sitting at the back of the lobby near the bathrooms, was causing alarm among other patrons who believed he was the suspect in the high-profile shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
"I have a customer here that some other customers were suspicious of, that he looked like the CEO shooter from New York," the manager told the operator. The restaurant was located roughly 230 miles west of Manhattan, where the murder had taken place. Explaining her caution, she added, "They're really upset and coming to me, and I was like, 'well I can't approach him', you know?"
She described the individual, later identified as 27-year-old Luigi Mangione, as wearing a black jacket, a blue face mask, and a khaki-coloured beanie. "His hat was pulled down so the only thing you can see is his eyebrows," she noted. To try to calm the concerned customers, the manager said she had turned to Google to find photos of the suspect.
The Arrest and Crucial Evidence
The operator dispatched officers to the location, urging the manager to call back if the man left. The call was played as part of a pre-trial evidence hearing concerning the killing of Thompson on December 4, 2024.
Following his arrest, Mangione was held in a special housing unit at a Pennsylvania state prison under constant watch. A correctional officer testified this was to keep him away from other inmates and staff who might leak information to the media before he was flown to New York City to face charges.
Key items found in a backpack Mangione had with him during his arrest are now central to the case. Prosecutors allege these include a 9mm handgun and a notebook in which Mangione described his intent to "wack" a health insurance executive. Mangione's defence team is seeking to have this evidence excluded, arguing police did not have a valid search warrant, constituting unconstitutional conduct.
A Not Guilty Plea and Severe Penalties
Luigi Mangione, described as an Ivy League-educated scion of a wealthy Maryland family, has pleaded not guilty to both state and federal murder charges. The state charges could result in a life sentence, while federal prosecutors are pursuing the death penalty.
After successfully having state terrorism charges dismissed in September 2025, Mangione's legal team is now focusing on challenging the admissibility of the physical evidence, claiming it threatens his right to a fair trial. The hearing continues as the court decides what will be presented to the jury.
