The next steps in Luigi Mangione’s case and why his most serious charge is only second-degree murder

The most serious charge against healthcare CEO killing suspect Luigi Mangione is murder in the second-degree in New York, but the murder charge could be upgraded if prosecutors find evidence to prove he had an intent to commit terrorism by targeting other executives.

The most serious charge against the suspect accused of killing the UnitedHealthcare CEO in broad daylight last week on a Manhattan sidewalk is murder in the second-degree, but that charge could be upgraded if prosecutors find evidence to prove he had an intent to commit terrorism by targeting other executives, according to legal analysts. Investigators say they have mounting evidence against Luigi Mangione, 26, connecting him to the assassination of Brian Thompson on December 4. The 3D-printed gun and fake ID found on him when he was arrested in Pennsylvania on Monday matches three shell casings found at the crime scene, and his fingerprints match those investigators found on items near the scene, according to New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Mangione was also carrying a document, which has been described as a “manifesto” that did not include specific threats but indicated “ill will towards corporate America,” said NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny. Mangione was denied bail on Tuesday and is fighting his extradition to New York, where he faces five charges, including second-degree murder, in Thompson’s killing. He also faces gun charges in Pennsylvania related to the firearm police say they found on him when he was arrested. Under New York state law, a first-degree murder charge only applies to a narrow list of aggravating circumstances — for example, when the victim is a judge, police officer, first responder, or when the killing involves a murder-for-hire or intent to commit terrorism, several legal experts told CNN. In Mangione’s case, he could be charged with first-degree murder if the investigation uncovers evidence showing he had a plan to commit terrorism, such as plotting the killing of other health insurance executives, said David Shapiro, a lecturer at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. If convicted of second-degree murder, Mangione faces at least 15 years to life in prison, while a first-degree murder charge carries a minimum of 20 years to life in prison.