CEO ‘assassin’ Luigi Mangione could face DEATH penalty for ‘gunning down health insurance boss in throes of back pain’

SUSPECTED assassin Luigi Mangione could face the death penalty if he is found guilty of shooting dead a health insurance tycoon.

He faces four federal charges over the death of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson which could potentially allow prosecutors to push for a capital sentence.

The death penalty has been illegal in New York state for decades, but federal charges mean Mangione could be tried according to national laws, the New York Times reports.

The alleged killer has been charged with murder through the use of a firearm, two stalking charges, and a firearms offence.

In the state case against him, Mangione has been charged on 11 counts, including first-degree murder and murder as a terrorist crime.

If convicted on all counts, he could be looking at a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.

Mangione is expected to face federal charges within days, on top of his existing murder charge, law enforcement sources also told the New York Post.

They claim part of the reason federal prosecutors are looking to take on the case is so they can ask for the death penalty.

Mangione, 26, suffered from chronic back pain that affected his daily life at the time of the shooting, according to friends and social media posts.

He was reportedly struggling with spondylolisthesis - an issue with the vertebra - and was given four screws placed deep into his spine to help with the pain.

They claim his surgery went wrong - possibly pushing him to the brink.

One source, quoting former classmates of his, said they felt the wealthy former valedictorian turned "absolutely crazy" after the operation.

Ivy League-educated Mangione was charged with murder on December 9 for the killing of Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel before a company conference.

The data engineer was caught after a five-day manhunt by a rookie cop inside a McDonald's in Pennsylvania.

Several chilling notes also justified these calculated plans, the source added.

His capture followed a five-day manhunt and garnered worldwide attention - with ghoulish fans sharing their support for Mangione online.

Meanwhile, Thompson's death sparked an outpouring of anger from Americans struggling to receive and pay for medical care.

Alongside murder charges, Mangione also faces two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, one count of second-degree possession of a forged document, and one count of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon in New York.

His attorney, Thomas Dickey, has repeatedly preached his client's innocence.