Luigi Mangione has been charged in the high-profile murder case of a US insurance chief.

Brian Thompson, an executive at UnitedHealthcare, was shot in New York City during broad daylight.

In New York, a 26-year-old man was arrested and charged with murder on Monday for the intentional killing of a health insurance executive, among other offenses.

Luigi Mangione was indicted on charges that include one count of murder, two counts of second-degree criminal weapon possession, one count of second-degree possession of a forged instrument, and one count of third-degree weapon possession, according to online court records seen by AFP.

Investigators continue to question Mangione following last week’s brazen murder, which prompted a nationwide manhunt and international media attention.

Broadcasters reported that Mangione, wearing a dark sweatshirt, was led into a Pennsylvania courtroom by Altoona police and NYPD detectives after 6:00 pm (2300 GMT) on Monday for his arraignment.

Mangione is scheduled for another court appearance on December 23.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro indicated that additional murder charges in New York are anticipated, stating at a press conference, “We do not execute individuals in cold blood over policy disagreements or to express an opinion.”

Police have not confirmed reports that bullet casings found at the crime scene were inscribed with the words “delay” and “deny,” phrases often used by insurance companies to reject claims, hinting at a possible political motive for the crime.

A New York Times article, citing friends of Mangione, reported that the suspect suffered from severe back pain and had surgery for the condition last year.

An X-ray of a seemingly injured spine was featured in a photo on what seemed to be one of his social media profiles.

Following a tip from employees at an Altoona McDonald’s, where he was spotted wearing a mask and a beanie and using a laptop, Mangione was detained by police and presented a false ID, as per the charging documents.

Upon searching him, police found what they described as a “ghost gun” capable of firing 9mm rounds, equipped with a suppressor potentially made on a 3D printer.

When questioned about recent travel to New York, Mangione fell silent and began to tremble, the criminal complaint noted.

Among the items found was a fake ID used to check into a Manhattan hostel before the attack, along with a document revealing Mangione’s motives and mindset, according to New York police.

Born and raised in Maryland, Mangione attended the prestigious University of Pennsylvania and resided in Hawaii prior to the incident.

His LinkedIn profile indicated employment as a data engineer at TrueCar, an online auto marketplace based in California, which confirmed his departure in 2023.

A statement from his family expressed their shock and devastation over Mangione’s arrest, released late Monday.

In the shooting last Wednesday, the assailant approached Brian Thompson, a senior executive at UnitedHealthcare, from behind and fatally shot him as onlookers watched.

Captured on surveillance, the footage of the attack circulated globally, intensifying the search and speculation about the assailant’s motives.

Thompson, aged 50, was in attendance at an investor conference in Midtown at the time.

After the shooting, detectives reported the suspect fled on foot, then cycled to Central Park, and subsequently took a bus from a northern city terminal, linking New York with other states.

Surveillance video depicted Thompson outside the New York Hilton Midtown when a hooded individual, face partially obscured, approached from behind and shot the father of two multiple times, causing him to collapse.

The released image of the suspect was acquired from the youth hostel where the shooter was believed to have stayed.