Murder is heinous. Righteous murder, however, might not be. The influx of support behind Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, still accosts the explore pages of social media months after the December 4th killing, leaving many either stuck in the rapid current of obsession or wondering when murder became so in vogue. How has an alleged killer garnered so much positive attention? From news anchors to common folk alike, speculation into what attracts this behavior has been broadcast as plentifully as the obsessive content itself. More popular suggestions link public outcry to Mangione’s appearance and physique, implying that supporters fail to capture the gravity of his alleged actions, but perhaps the true root of their obsession goes deeper, and suggests more about the human psyche than meets the eye.
Across the likes of Instagram and Tiktok, Mangione has become a celebrity. One of the many pro-Mangione accounts created following his arrest posts daily reels that do little if anything to disprove the notion that Mangione’s appearance is not a main consideration of his backing. In one reel depicting a photo of Mangione alongside a muppet obsessively typing on its computer, a GIF saying “I love” glides repeatedly across the screen around the main text that reads, “POV: me pretending to concentrate on work when I’m actually researching how to contact Luigi Mangione” (@luigi.Mangione.Freeluigi). While this post does not try to hide the author’s infatuation, it is not hard to find a myriad of even more blatant romanticized depictions of Mangione surrounded by hearts or in “edits” that flash his candids to the beat of sultry songs. Kimberly Przeszlowski, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at Quinnipiac University, asserts that attractive criminals like Mangione garner more support simply by challenging the assumption of “what a criminal should look like” (24). As many social media users have concluded, Mangione’s appearance does little to discourage romanticization of him and his alleged crime. MSNBC journalist Brad Polumbo reflects on this seemingly ubiquitous romanticization of Mangione in an article dated two months following the December murder, asserting that this mainstream sentiment is “not just morally abhorrent but threatens the fabric of American society” (8). Sure, the infatuated creators have pushed the limit of acceptability over the past few months, however, does this trend represent pure sick obsession or is it a symptom of larger protest and rebellion among the masses? While Polumbo’s editorial is of course heavily opinionated, he is correct about one thing: the mainstream sentiment surrounding this murder is unprecedentedly positive, but maybe not just because Mangione is considered “cute.”
Polls have demonstrated overwhelming support for Mangione, especially among the younger populations, and this data may give more insight into the catalyst of such a phenomenon. A Generation Lab survey returned surprising data indicating over 80% of students view Brian Thompson negatively. Further, 48% found the killing somewhat if not completely justified, thus siding with the perpetrator by dismissing the victim, even if they do not consider themselves in support of the killer (“Generation Lab College Student Poll Luigi”). In her reductionary summary of Generation Lab’s findings Erica Pandey of Axios suggests another survey may explain these findings. Citing recent data from Emerson College that concluded 41% of voters under 30 find killing “acceptable,” Pandey extrapolates that shifting generational mores are to blame for mass support when it comes to Mangione (5). Yet the two studies draw from different populations and thus cannot be correlated – and further, support for Mangione is not only seen across younger generations. A Cloud Research poll found that 27% of U.S. adults support Luigi Mangione to some extent (Staahl). While an AZ News analysis explains that disparity in support is still visible between younger and older generations, there remains another demographic disparity that may be better explained as a catalyst.
The very same Cloud Research poll found that 28% of Mangione-supporters identified as liberals as opposed to a mere 5% who identified as conservatives (Staahl). When considering these groups’ general leanings as it pertains to healthcare, the divide in support may indicate structural grievances. Liberals intrinsically demonstrate lower approval of the current U.S. healthcare system that relies on oft-corrupt companies like UnitedHealth. The late CEO’s company has been criticized for denying coverage for vital medical procedures and using controversial AI algorithms to determine validity of care (Napolitano). The murder has drawn attention and understandable outrage to the company’s abuse of power, with anti-corporate sentiments becoming nearly indistinguishable from Mangione support. Since December, posts critical of UnitedHealth and detailing horrific experiences at the hand of the company have flooded social media, drawing the attention of those familiar and unfamiliar with the company alike. Hence the masses appear to be drawing heroism not from murder, but from the act’s dramatic upset to the existing system – and recent stock trends and events further support this conclusion. Once one of America’s largest corporations, UnitedHealth has seen its stock plummet following a DOJ investigation for medicare fraud and increased public scrutiny that has the current CEO stepping down as reported by CNN on May 15th (Egan 1-5). The cause most people seem to rally against is quite simply, “the system.”
Deep-dives into Mangione’s digital footprint have revealed he aligns heavily with anti-establishment thinking. Following the likes of Joe Rogan in stride with Ezra Klein, Mangione’s social media accounts portray the opinions of an average American fed up with the way things are, argues Peter Rothpletz in his Guardian editorial (1-3). While some might prefer him as a political extremist, Mangione’s accounts portray a mundanity average Americans can get behind. Assistant Professor Przeszlowski further explores this idea in her entry for The Conversation, opining that the support behind Mangione has been garnered before. Erik and Lyle Menendez received similar sympathies following the murder of their parents owing to their claims of abuse which creates a foggy sense of justification also present for Mangione’s alleged crime (12). Przeszlowski further explains the phenomena of perisocial connections many tend to form with criminals, suggesting Mangione’s case appeals to widespread frustrations surrounding healthcare, establishment, and corporate America (18).
Americans are fed up with the complexities, abuse, and hypocrisy of the healthcare industry, and Luigi Mangione has become a prophetic manifestation of that anger. In representing not merely the knight in shining armor caricature of a revolutionary but an average attractive man whose convictions hold strong, he emboldens the average American to have hope for change. There will always be the extremists whose moral views stray far from the status quo, but the immense support Mangione has acquired says more about the restlessness of Americans than a unique phenomenon never seen before. Rallying behind an alleged perpetrator rather than his victim should seem abhorrent; so how then should we view the circumstances which sway so many to his side?
Works Cited
“@luigi.Mangione.Freeluigi on Instagram: ‘#luigi #luigimangione.’” Instagram, instagram.com/p/DE3hEzLJA6U/. Accessed 21 May 2025.
Egan, Matt. “One of America’s Biggest Companies Is Imploding | CNN Business.” CNN, Cable News Network, 15 May 2025, cnn.com/2025/05/15/business/unitedhealth-stock-ceo-investigation.
“Generation Lab College Student Poll Luigi.” The Generation Lab, generationlab.org/mangione-thompson. Accessed 21 May 2025.
Napolitano, Elizabeth. “UnitedHealth Uses Faulty AI to Deny Elderly Patients Medically Necessary Coverage, Lawsuit Claims.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 21 Nov. 2023, cbsnews.com/news/unitedhealth-lawsuit-ai-deny-claims-medicare-advantage-health-insurance-denials/.
Pandey, Erica. Young People Sympathize with Luigi Mangione, Not CEO Victim: Poll, www.axios.com/2025/01/09/luigi-mangione-approval-poll-gen-z. Accessed 21 May 2025.
Polumbo, Brad. “Luigi Mangione Isn’t a Heartthrob – or a Hero.” MSNBC, NBCUniversal News Group, 27 Feb. 2025, msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/luigi-mangione-fans-united-healthcare-ceo-murder-rcna193691.
Przeszlowski, Kimberly, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice. “Luigi Mangione Isn’t the First Alleged Criminal to Capture Many People’s Imaginations – and Hearts.” The Conversation, 18 Dec. 2024, theconversation.com/luigi-mangione-isnt-the-first-alleged-criminal-to-capture-many-peoples-imaginations-and-hearts-245918.
Rothpletz, Peter. “Luigi Mangione Is the Median American Voter | Peter Rothpletz.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 13 Dec. 2024, theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/dec/13/luigi-mangione-american-voter.
Staahl, Derek, et al. “1 in 4 Americans Sympathize with Luigi Mangione; AI Poll Reveals Why.” AZ Family, 20 Dec. 2024, azfamily.com/2024/12/20/1-4-americans-sympathize-with-luigi-mangione-ai-poll-reveals-why/.