Photo credits: REUTERS
Author’s note:
The glamorization of celebrities has increased in prevalence with the rising popularity and use of social media platforms such as Instagram, X, and Tiktok. Though this may be understandable, a stranger phenomenon has grown commonplace, as well: the glamorization of alleged murderers. This is likely due to the romanticism of violent, dark, and illegal things due to the genre “dark romance” rising in popularity on #BookTok, the trending book hashtag on Tiktok. When Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old University of Pennsylvania graduate was arrested for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, many adolescents on social media began to glamorize Mangione, praising his good looks and arguing that he did what was just. It is vital to prevent fictional scenarios and pretty privilege from warping our view of reality.
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After stalking, tracking down, and finding UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, he held up his gun, pointed it straight at Thompson’s head, and fired.
He had planned out the shooting for months. He believed it was the just thing to do, though perhaps not with the most moral means. Still, someone had to do it, right?
He asked himself the question over and over again to justify his own actions as, wearing a thick hood over his head and hiding his gun in his clothing, he confidently left the building. However, when CCTV footage of him surfaced, he grew weary. He expected the worst, such as name-calling, stalking, and excessive online hate.
Yet instead, he saw praise, and countless questions began to run through his mind.
This strange phenomenon occurred all throughout social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and X after Luigi Mangione was spotted on CCTV footage after allegedly murdering the CEO of UnitedHealthcare.
Valedictorian of his high school class and an Ivy League graduate, Mangione was believed to have a bright future ahead of him. Yet when he was named as the prime suspect in the murder of the CEO, this bright future seemed to wane.
Investigators suspect that Mangione held a grudge against UnitedHealthcare. When being arrested, he yelled out, “It is completely out of touch and an insult to the intelligence of the American people,” before he was ushered into the courtroom.
On the day of the murder, a masked and hooded gunman was spotted on surveillance cameras taking out a gun with a shockingly calm demeanor. The police stated that he opened fire from behind.
According to Acting US Attorney Edward Y. Kim, “Thompson was allegedly killed just because he held the position of chief executive officer of a health insurance company. As alleged, Luigi Mangione traveled to New York to stalk and shoot Thompson in broad daylight in front of a Manhattan hotel, all in a grossly misguided attempt to broadcast Mangione’s views across the country.”
After an intense five-day manhunt, which took place across numerous states, the police arrested Mangione in Pennsylvania after he was recognized at McDonald’s.
Mangione is currently facing charges of murder. The case against him was strengthened by a notebook found in Mangione’s possession. Phrases such as “the details are finally coming together,” “I’m glad that I’ve procrastinated,” and “the target is insurance because it ‘checks every box’” helped prosecutors use the notebook against the suspect.
Despite facing murder charges with a seemingly clear-cut case, Mangione is supported by a plethora of social media users, many of whom argue that he should be freed.
This has led to concern from law enforcement officials, such as US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who stated that he was “alarmed by the heroism that is being attributed to an alleged murderer of a father of two children on the streets in New York.”
This romanticization of murderers and criminals has sparked from the popularization of media, such as books, movies, and TV shows, that portray such dark figures as romantic interests, leading audiences to swoon at illegal actions carried out in the name of love. Evidently, this has escalated quickly, leaving social media users to even romanticize a real-world murder simply due to what they deem a “noble cause” and the alleged criminal’s “good looks.”
Hence, though it is easy to get swept up in media that glamorizes such figures, social media users must effectively separate fiction and real life to avoid romanticizing and normalizing such violent, unjustifiable acts.
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Jurisview Journal is a student-led blog that publishes biweekly articles about interesting criminal cases. Our aim is to shed light on cases that require justice or further exploration and provide input on controversial legal events. We also publish infographics to help victims or those who wish to educate themselves on legal issues.
Works Cited
Evans, Gareth. “Heroism attributed to CEO murder suspect is alarming - Mayorkas.” BBC, 23 December 2024, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gp9ejk40no. Accessed 27 December 2024.
Katersky, Aaron. “What we know about Luigi Mangione, Ivy League grad charged in CEO's murder.” ABC News, 13 December 2024, https://abcnews.go.com/US/unitedhealthcare-ceo-shooting-suspect/story?id=116460289. Accessed 27 December 2024.
Office of Public Affairs. “Luigi Mangione Charged with the Stalking and Murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and Use of a Silencer in a Crime of Violence.” Department of Justice, 19 December 2024, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/luigi-mangione-charged-stalking-and-murder-unitedhealthcare-ceo-brian-thompson-and-use. Accessed 27 December 2024.
Tucker, Emma. “How Luigi Mangione's notebook helped federal prosecutors build their case against accused CEO killer.” 6 ABC, 21 December 2024, https://6abc.com/post/how-luigi-mangiones-notebook-helped-federal-prosecutors-build-case-whats-accused-ceo-killer/15680938/. Accessed 27 December 2024.
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