'Free Luigi!' Inmates Howling Sick Chants From Cells In Support of 'CEO Executioner' — As They Moan About His Prison Conditions
Mangione is being held in a maximum security prison.
Dec. 13 2024, Published 7:00 p.m. ET
The man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has been lauded as a pseudo-celebrity with his own fanbase.
That even seems to include some of his fellow inmates in prison, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The 26-year-old has been charged with first-degree murder.
Mangione is currently being held in the State Correctional Institution in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania while fighting extradition to New York, and reporters from around the country have flocked to the prison for the story.
But Alex Caprariello of NewsNation got a story he never expected, when Mangione's fellow inmates interrupted his live report with vocal chants of "Free Luigi" from their cells.
Others were heard yelling critical comments of the facility, including one who was heard yelling: "Luigi’s conditions suck."
Caprariello leaned into the unusual interview, and had prisoners flicker their lights on and off to answer his questions.
Media networks have camped out in front of the prison where Mangione is being held.
The 26-year-old has a growing legion of fans crushing on him.
The inside show of support matched the backing Mangione has enjoyed on the outside as well.
Before Mangione was arrested, many users on social media praised the murderer as a "hero" — which only escalated once his shirtless photos, as well as snaps during his college years, started circulating on the internet.
After a more photos were released online, including his mugshots, he sparked a #FreeLuigi movement on social media.
Additionally, a crowdfunding campaign on GiveSendGo has raised more than $40,000 for Mangione's legal defense, aiming for a $200,000 goal, after a similar GoFundMe campaign was taken down.
His lawyer, Tom Dickey, said he would "probably" pass on accepting the money: "Obviously my client appreciates the support that he has, but I don’t know. It just doesn’t sit right with me."
Some are cashing in on the suspect, releasing merchandise with Mangione's face.
People on social media have applauded Mangione for representing those who have suffered at the hands of the healthcare industry – in a "take one for the team" sort of way.
One person posted: "In this house, Luigi Mangione is a hero, end of story."
Another reacted: "Luigi Mangione basically killing the CEO of the insurance that f----d over his grandparents. That man is a hero and avenged their deaths. FREE HIM."
Someone else said: "Luigi Mangione is a hero of a people. What he has done, being who he was, should terrify the system."
Support for Mangione has also surged on platforms like Etsy and Amazon, where items like mugs, hats, and tote bags featuring slogans such as "Mommy's Little CEO Killer" and "Defend, Deny, Depose" are being sold.
The Ivy league grad was caught after being seen at a McDonald's.
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Mangione was apprehended in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a five-day manhunt following the fatal shooting of Thompson, 50, outside a Manhattan hotel on December 4.
At the time, he had fake IDs, a "ghost gun" similar to the one involved in the shooting, and a "manifesto" lambasting the healthcare industry.
On Wednesday, one week after the horrifying murder, investigators revealed that fingerprints on a discarded water bottle found near the scene of the assassination matched those of Mangione, according to ABC News.
Police are currently investigating several leads following Mangione's capture, with one theory being he went "absolutely crazy" after a painful back surgery – which could have plunged him into a sad, celibate existence.
Friends of the privileged student said he went radio silent after the injury, and a failed operation may have pushed Mangione to his breaking point and contributed to his violent actions.
