Washington, United States

Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has agreed to return to New York to face charges. Mangione consented to extradition during a court hearing in Pennsylvania on Thursday (December 19), where he was arrested last week after running from authorities for five days.

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Also read: Who is Luigi Mangione? Key suspect charged for murder, terrorism in killing of UnitedHealth CEO

Mangione, aged 26, waived his preliminary hearing on charges in Pennsylvania in exchange for receiving a 20-page investigative report from Altoona police. Blair County Judge David Consiglio then ordered that Mangione be handed over to New York authorities. As per local media reports, there were at least a dozen uniformed NYPD officers present in the courtroom, ready to take Mangione to New York.

Luigi Mangione charged with act of terrorism

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Earlier this week, US prosecutors formally charged Mangione with the murder of Brian Thompson. The charges include one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, one of which is classified as an act of terrorism, and several weapons-related offences related to the alleged use of a 3D-printed firearm.

“This was not an ordinary killing,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said, explaining the terrorism charge. “In its most basic terms, this was a killing intended to evoke terror, and we’ve seen that reaction.”

If convicted, Mangione could face life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

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Watch | Luigi Mangione: Who Is The Man Accused Of Killing UnitedHealthcare’s CEO?

Mangione, a University of Pennsylvania graduate, is accused of shooting Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel on 4 December. At the time of the incident, Thompson, who was the CEO of the largest health insurer in the United States, was reportedly on his way to an investor conference.

Authorities claim Mangione travelled to New York on 24 November with the specific intent to kill Thompson. On the day of the murder, he allegedly waited outside the hotel for nearly an hour before carrying out the attack.

Investigators believe a "life-altering" back injury may have motivated Mangione, although there is no evidence to suggest he was ever a client of UnitedHealthcare. When arrested, Mangione was found in possession of a handwritten, three-page manifesto criticising the US healthcare system.

(With inputs from agencies)