Luigi Mangione Allegedly Insisted He Was Homeless Before Getting Arrested at McDonald’s, Officer Claims

Luigi Mangione allegedly lied to a police officer about his living situation before being taken into custody.

On Tuesday, December 2, Altoona, Pennsylvania, Police Officer Joseph Detwiler — who arrested Magione, 27, in a McDonald’s on Monday, December 9, 2024 — took the witness stand in a Manhattan court as part of a pretrial hearing.

According to NBC News, Detwiler noted that he was the first officer to arrive at the fast food chain, and told the court he asked Mangione if he was visiting family, to which Mangione responded that he was “homeless.”

Detwiler explained that after Mangione removed his mask, “I knew it was him immediately.” He told prosecutors residents there “don’t wear masks” because “we have antibodies.”

Describing Mangione’s demeanor, Detwiler recalled, “He’s real nervous and not talking too much,” and “I saw his fingers shaking a little bit.”

“I was trying to keep things normal and calm, to make him think there is nothing different about this call than any other call,” he added.

Additionally, per NBC News, Detwiler claimed that Mangione gave him a fake New Jersey identification card with the name “Mark Rosario,” but after the officer threatened to arrest him, Mangione shared his true identity.

Mangione has been accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was shot and killed in New York City on December 4, 2024.

He has pleaded not guilty to both the state and federal charges leveled against him.