Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has drawn widespread attention on social media after a letter he wrote to the mother of a sick child went viral.
Former investigative journalist and author Ashley Shelby revealed on Substack that a 66-year-old woman, identifying herself as Karen, had written to Luigi Mangione about her struggles with UnitedHealthcare.
According to Newsweek, earlier on Wednesday, Shelby published images of the letter in a Substack article titled “Warrior Jesus and a Letter From Luigi,” sharing what she claimed was Mangione’s response to Karen’s message.
The mother’s letter describes her daughter’s condition, which involves a rare and potentially fatal illness requiring ongoing medical attention and supervision. In her letter, Karen shared about her and her daughter’s medical struggles, enclosing an image of the Christ in Majesty mosaic.
In his reply, Mangione wrote: “Dear Karen, your letter is the first to make me tear up. I am so, so sorry for what you and your daughter so senselessly had to endure.”
He noted that the images he received were reproduced in “blurry black and white” and suggested using an application for colour transmission, the outlet reported.
He wrote: “If you are able to send a photo of you/your daughter or the mosaic, it would mean a great deal to me. I will put it up on my prison cell wall next to your letter.”
“Your daughter is blessed to have a mother who loves her so much and fights for her so relentlessly,” he added.
Earlier in February, through his defence team, Mangione issued a public response regarding the correspondence he had received at the Metropolitan Detention Center.
His statement read: “I read every one that I receive. Thank you again to everyone who took the time to write. I look forward to hearing more in the future.”
The 26-year-old accused of shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel in December, faces 11 charges in New York, including first-degree murder “in furtherance of an act of terrorism” and two counts of second-degree murder.
He has pleaded not guilty to the state charges but has yet to enter a plea for federal charges. Mangione is set to appear in federal court on March 19, while his next hearing in the New York state case is scheduled for June 26.
