Glamorous Best Friend of UnitedHealthcare CEO Assassination Suspect Luigi Mangione Breaks Silence on How She Was 'Blindsided' by Arrest — As He's Charged with Murder and 'Ghost Gun' is Discovered
UnitedHealthcare CEO aassassination suspect Luigi Mangione was praised by best friend Tracy Le in lengthy Instagram post.
Dec. 10 2024, Published 6:41 a.m. ET
The best friend of UnitedHealthcare CEO aassassination suspect Luigi Mangione says she was left "blindsided" by his arrest.
RadarOnline.com can reveal Tracy Le, a New York-based data analyst, has been left "shaken" by the scandal and defended his character.
Mangione, 26, was arrested at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on Monday after being tracked down by cops.
Mangione was arrested at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania while carrying a ghost gun, silencer, and handwritten manifesto on Monday.
His friend Le posted a lengthy tribute on Instagram Stories just hours after he was named as Brian Thompson's murder suspect.
Le described Mangione was "one of my best, closest and most trusted friends" in emotional Instagram post.
She wrote: "Luigi Mangione is probably the most googled keyword today.
"When I first saw the news, I was hoping it was just either a common name or a mistake."
She added: "Because it was, for a while, the only name whose FaceTime calls I would pick up. Luigi was one of my best, closest and most trusted friends.
"He was absolutely #1 in my group chat named 'Tracy's favorites.'
"He was whom I always came to for identity crisis rants, relationship problems, career complaints. And always left feeling better."
Her tribute revealed the heartbreak and confusion she faced at the actions Mangione has been alleged to have taken.
Mangione was court smirking on CCTV at a hostel he was staying in before carrying out alleged assassination.
She continued: "He was caring, and smart, and mature, and sweet, and so considerate.
"I would visit him and always 100 per cent depended on him to plan the trips and always 100 per cent believed we would have the best time."
Le ended the heartfelt post: "I am shaken, I am blindsided, but most of all I, am sad.
"I am heartbroken. I am overwhelmed."
Le is featured in several photographs with Mangione, which remain on her Instagram account, taken in Honolulu, Hawaii, back in April 2022 with a group of friends.
It is believed they were staying at Surfbreak, a co-living space near Ala Moana Beach Park.
According to R.J. Martin, Surfbreak's founder, Mangione allegedly suffered chronic back pain from an apparent pinched nerve and friends stopped hearing from him this summer.
Mangione gratuated from University of Pennsylvania in 2020 with a master's and bachelor's degree in computer science and a minor in mathematics.
Martin told how they were shocked by the arrest, saying: I loved this guy. In some ways I feel like my members are my kids."
Mangione is from a prominent family in Maryland and studied at the University of Pennsylvania.
He graduated in 2020 with a maste''s and bachelor's degree in computer science and a minor in mathematics.
The scholar was also valedictorian at The Gilman School, an expensive prep school in Maryland, where he graduated in 2016.
A former classmate, who did not want to be named, said he was popular amongst his peers and they have been left stunned by his arrest.
They said: "We went to the same school but didn't really have the same friends. I'm really shocked by this whole thing
"I think he played soccer, it was an all-boys school, so being a good athlete got you social currency for sure."
The murder suspect was popular with classmates according to former student who attended same school.
Nino Mangione, a Maryland state delegate and a cousin of Luigi Mangione, said in a statement on behalf of the Mangione family they "only know what we have read in the media" and that they were "shocked and devastated by Luigi's arrest."
The statement continued: “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.”
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Mangione's loved ones said they 'offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson' who was killed in New York attack.
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