Luigi Mangione was allegedly carrying a handwritten escape plan while on the run from authorities — a note that prosecutors say laid out how he hoped to evade capture after the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The note included what appeared to be a rough map of Pittsburgh, along with a bus ticket purchased under an alias for travel to the city, according to testimony. It also referenced checking for “red eyes” out of Pittsburgh to either Columbus or Cincinnati in Ohio, and contained a reminder to break “CAM continuity,” seemingly a plan to disrupt any surveillance trail.
Mangione, 27, appeared in court on Monday, Dec. 8, for the fourth day of evidence suppression hearings ahead of his trial in Thompson’s killing. Thompson was shot on a Midtown Manhattan street last year. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to murder charges in both state and federal cases.
The existence of the escape note was revealed during testimony from Altoona Police Officer Christy Wasser, who conducted the initial search of Mangione’s large black backpack.
On direct examination, Wasser testified that she began searching the bag inside the McDonald’s where Mangione was found because she feared it might contain an explosive device, even though no search warrant had yet been obtained. Altoona police and Manhattan prosecutors argue that the warrantless search was lawful because it was conducted “incident” to his arrest.
Body camera footage played in court showed Wasser locating a fully loaded magazine wrapped in a pair of underwear inside the backpack. At that moment, another officer can be heard saying, “it’s f—ing him, 100%.” Prosecutors say a red notebook found in the bag contained Mangione’s “manifesto” criticizing the health insurance industry.
Later, at the police station, Wasser discovered a loaded handgun and a suppressor in the bag.
Mangione’s defense team argues that the search of the backpack was unconstitutional and is pushing to have the evidence thrown out. Lead defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo sought to undermine Wasser’s credibility on the stand, suggesting that the officer conducted the search on the assumption that Mangione was the suspected shooter, even though, at that moment, he was formally under arrest only for alleged forgery related to a fake name and ID.
Bodycam recordings showed Altoona officers debating whether a warrant was required to go through the bag. Agnifilo highlighted one officer’s comment that they could leave the backpack for the FBI to “do their thing,” implying that officers anticipated federal authorities would eventually take control of the evidence.
Agnifilo also challenged Wasser’s testimony that she feared there was a bomb in the backpack, pointing out that officers never evacuated the restaurant or called in a bomb squad.
Tension in the courtroom rose further over an 11-minute gap in bodycam footage covering the transfer of evidence from McDonald’s to the police station — a period when Wasser’s camera was off. During that time, Wasser and another officer, identified as Fox, exchanged custody of a separate bag of evidence, but the handoff was not recorded.
When the bodycam footage resumes, Wasser — still wearing the same gloves she used to search the backpack at McDonald’s — is seen arriving at the station. The video shows her place the backpack on a table and, after briefly starting to open the main pouch she had previously searched, quickly move to the front compartment, where she then finds the handgun.
“You and Officer Fox were … slicing things open [at McDonald’s], but somehow didn’t see the gun right on top,” Agnifilo pressed, implying that the weapon could have been planted. Wasser firmly denied any misconduct.
Earlier Monday, an assistant district attorney from Blair County, Pa., testified about the process used to obtain a search warrant hours after the initial search. Other witnesses during the lengthy hearings have included officers involved in Mangione’s arrest and prison guards who spoke with him while he was in solitary confinement.
Prosecutors have also introduced additional bodycam footage from multiple officers, the 911 call from the McDonald’s, and uncensored video of the Dec. 4, 2024, shooting.
