Luigi Mangione, the man charged with murder in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, appeared to frequently discuss what he claimed were his health troubles online, offering a glimpse of the issues that he described navigating as a young adult.
Mangione, 26, appeared to operate a Reddit profile where he detailed health issues including back pain, brain fog, and sciatica. Several posts were made on a section of the site (known as a subreddit) dedicated to the spinal condition Spondylolisthesis.
Several details appear to link the profile to Mangione, and a 2016 post contained a link to a page on Github, a coding website, with Mangione’s full name on it.
Law enforcement sources tell ABC News, the profile — which has since been taken down — is being reviewed for additional details about the extent of the injuries mentioned.
Luigi Mangione, 26, is being questioned in Altoona, Pa. as a person of interest in connection with the brazen Midtown Manhattan murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
ABC News
A Reddit spokesperson told ABC News regarding the page, “I can confirm that our policy is to suspend accounts that may potentially be related to suspects in high-profile criminal investigations.”
While the posts suggest a spinal surgery was a significant moment in his life, the author of the posts said the procedure left him pain-free, and he frequently encouraged others to undertake similar procedures.
One of Mangione’s apparent posts on the r/Spondylolisthesis subreddit dated to February of 2024 referred to having had a surgery for the condition six months prior.
“Yea I had L5/S1 spinal fusion 6 months ago after 1.5 years of failed conservative treatment. Within 7 days of the fusion I was on zero pain meds. (That’s probably faster than most folks, but my point is just that your body isn’t supposed to be in pain and need meds. Even after getting my back sliced open and my spine drilled into, I wasn’t in much pain),” the post read.
The booking photo for Luigi Mangione, Dec. 10, 2024, at Huntingdon State Correctional Institution in Huntingdon County, Pa.
Huntingdon State Correctional Institution
Several other posts advocated surgery for the condition to other users; one post claimed that as a “nuclear option” readers seeking surgery could convince doctors of its necessity by faking a foot drop or deliberately urinating on themselves.
In another post in August 2023, the user remarked how his spinal injury was once “completely devastating” and worried he was “destined to chronic pain and a desk job for the rest of my life” before considering surgery.
ABC News did not find any posts mentioning UnitedHealthcare, the largest U.S. health insurance company, in an online archive of the page appearing to belong to Mangione, but one post from 2018 referred to coverage by BCBS, an apparent reference to Blue Cross Blue Shield.
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In another post from 2023, apparently made two weeks before a back surgery, the user also referred to suffering from sciatica: “I got caught in this loop for a year, all the while putting my life on hold in my 20’s and damaging my nerves while I waffled on the decision.”
The profile was also active on a community devoted to “Brain Fog,” posting in 2018 about what he described as experiencing cognitive issues as a 20-year-old college student.
“It’s absolutely brutal to have such a life-halting issue,” the user wrote.
The posts referring to spondylolisthesis are consistent with other details emerging on Mangione’s back issues.
In interviews, friends of Mangione have mentioned his spinal condition had a recurring impact on his quality of life.
Luigi Mangione is seen eating at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pa. on Dec. 9, 2024, in a photo released by the Pennsylvania State Police.
Pennsylvania State Police
“It wasn’t like he was always in severe pain, but it seems like certain things would trigger it,” said RJ Martin, the founder of the co-living space where Mangione lived in Hawaii.
In one reddit post, the account appearing to belong to Mangione referenced how the issue became extremely painful after he went surfing in Hawaii in 2022. Another incident was triggered after he slipped on a piece of paper.
According to Martin, Mangione rarely complained about the condition despite its impact on his life.
“It was hurting, but he never complained about it, and never really brought it up, which is, you know, very honorable at least in my esteem,” said Martin.
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On an X profile, believed to be operated by Mangione, the cover image shows an image of an X-ray depicting pins from a spinal fusion surgery.
A Goodreads profile associated with Mangione also suggested he frequently read about how to lessen back pain. Among the list of titles Mangione read or planned to read included “Crooked: Outwitting the Back Pain Industry and Getting on the Road to Recovery” and “Do You Really Need Spine Surgery: Take Control with a Surgeon’s Advice”
