By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-12-19 16:36:41 | Updated at 2024-12-29 06:25:20
1 week ago
Residents of the Pennsylvania town where alleged killer Luigi Mangione was arrested are tired of talking about him as he returns to court for an extradition hearing today.
The 26-year-old was taken into custody after being recognized by one of the employees at a McDonald's in Altoona on December 9.
He has since been held at the State Correctional Institution Huntingdon and has been charged in New York City for the murder of UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson in midtown Manhattan.
As hundreds of protesters flood the streets of Hollidaysburg in support of the 'folk hero', locals around Altoona are praying for him to return back to New York.
Brian Detwiler, owner of Mansion Donut Company in downtown Altoona, said he is 'ready to move on' and does not believe the Ivy League graduate should be hailed as a hero.
'It was a big deal that he was here. Looking online, people are split whether they think he is a hero or a killer.
'I get it, but there is a right way to express your frustration, and take another human's life is not it,' he exasperatingly told The State.
Bill Herr, who works at Triangle Barbershop on 12th Avenue further added that he is now suffering from 'Mangione fatigue' and simply said: 'I'm just tired of talking about it.'
Residents of the Pennsylvania town where alleged killer Luigi Mangione was arrested are tired of talking about him as he returns to court for an extradition hearing today
Mangione was escorted out of court by NYPD officers, who are expected to fly him to NYC
Some residents have also professed their dislike for the suspect's rising cult status.
'There are these people online that say there should be more people like him. C'mon, that's crazy,' Stephen Powell told the outlet.
Mangione was indicted on charges of murder as an act of terrorism, under a NY state law that allows for stiffer sentences when a killing is aimed at terrifying civilians or influencing government, earlier this week.
He went through two back-to-back hearings on Thursday - the first for forgery and firearms charges in Pennsylvania.
During the second hearing, Mangione waived extradition to New York to face murder charges. Mangione's lawyer previously said the alleged killer would fight extradition.
As he arrived in court, protesters held signs with messages such as 'Health insurance practices terrorize people!' and 'Death by denial is murder!'
At least two of them were dressed as Luigi from the Super Mario Bros video game.
Several TikTok users shared on the platform that they had driven as far as six hours to attend the court appearance.
Brian Detwiler, owner of Mansion Donut Company in downtown Altoona, said he is 'ready to move on' from the crime and does not believe the Ivy League graduate should be hailed as a hero
Bill Herr, who works at Triangle Barbershop on 12th Avenue, added that he is now suffering from 'Mangione fatigue' and simply said: 'I'm just tired of talking about it'
Protesters showed up outside court to support Mangione on Thursday
He has been held at the State Correctional Institution Huntingdon since his December 9 arrest
Some said they had flown in from as far as California to support the alleged assassin.
If a judge authorizes his extradition, Mangione would then be brought to New York, where he could appear in state court for arraignment Thursday afternoon or Friday.
In a court filing last week, Mangione defense attorney Tom Dickey argued prosecutors had not shown there was sufficient evidence to hold Mangione, that he was in New York when Thompson was killed or that he is a fugitive from justice.
Mangione, of Towson, Maryland, was arrested after he was reported as matching the description of Thompson’s killer.
Thompson was gunned down on the street as he walked to the hotel where his Minnesota-based company was holding an investor conference.
The shooting was captured on security video, but the suspect eluded police before Mangione was captured about 277 miles (446 kilometers) west of New York.
Authorities say Mangione was carrying the gun used to kill Thompson, a passport, a fake ID and about $10,000 in U.S. and foreign currency.
The 26-year-old was taken into custody after being recognized by one of the employees at a McDonald's in Altoona on December 9
Mangione returned to the Blair County Courthouse in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, court on Thursday morning
Supporters line-up outside the Blair County Courthouse complex in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania
Mangione, a computer science graduate from a prominent family, was carrying a handwritten letter that called health insurance companies 'parasitic' and complained about corporate greed, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press last week
His lawyer, Dickey, has questioned the evidence for the forgery charge and the legal basis for a gun charge. He had previously indicated Mangione would fight extradition to New York while being held in a Pennsylvania state prison.
Mangione, a computer science graduate from a prominent family, was carrying a handwritten letter that called health insurance companies 'parasitic' and complained about corporate greed, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press last week.
Mangione had an outburst last week as he entered court, yelling at reporters for being 'completely out of touch and an insult to the intelligence of the American people and their lived experience!'
The outburst occurred after someone asked the Ivy League graduate if he 'did it,' referencing Brian Thompson's murder, per the Wall Street Journal.
He also shouted out 'this is completely unjust and an insult to the American people' as he wrestled with police officers.
