NY - UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot in Midtown. #4

[whitelilac]

From reading news stories about searches…I think the people on the ground sometimes don’t really do the greatest job. It’s not a great job assignment. JMO.

I read that they used drones today in the Central Park search.

 

[CrimeSlog]

I'm so sorry but the posts theorizing that BT set this up himself to have himself murdered is actually preposterous to me and is pretty upsetting to someone who is familiar with the victim. As I read the theories here, I don't know how to expect to feel, but that has been the first and only enraging theory. JMO

 

[snarast]

Now that you mention it, that's one of the theories behind the Tylenol poisonings. Although I'm not convinced James Lewis did the poisonings, he had a daughter who died and had a possible grudge against Johnson and Johnson. Complex portrait of Tylenol suspect emerges - UPI Archives

Yes, except he moves too much like Jagger. But maybe I’m judging the book by the cover.

This was my first thought also, but somehow he looks more like he enjoys himself too much. IMHO

 

[darkstar105]

It has to be the shooter. Can you imagine you are some innocent dude just staying at a hostel and your picture is put out there by the police as the suspect in this murder. Do you just go along with your life and ignore it or do you call police ASAP and tell them you are not the shooter. After meeting with them, they agree and they put out the word that these images are not the shooter.

That's exactly what happened with Bridge Guy! I mean sorta! Richard Allen contacted police and told them he'd been there that day on the bridge, and before you know it, law enforcement comes out with two completely other pics!

For a long time, people were saying Bridge Guy had to be the perp because why hadn't the guy in the dumpy ol' jacket and jeans come forward and identified himself? BUT HE HAD...the police misplaced it and it languished for years.

 

[darkstar105]

‘Swagger’ is right. A stage performer’s confidence. He seems oblivious to the likely effect on his own life. Why and how? What a mystery.

Wouldn't be the first stage performer who allegedly did a seemingly inexplicably bold murder in broad daylight and got caught on video (Zachary Hughes)
Edited to add: AND I COMPLETELY FORGOT JOHN WILKES BOOTH

 

[IDK]

^ The idealogical hero, the ghost who illuminated the corporation's sins which will result in bringing them down by public outcry. Whether he remains a ghost or is outed and arrested doesn't matter to him. He is still the hero. He has a savior complex and is a bit of a megalomaniac. He will do it again, or he will relish in the attention in court and the press.
^ He has money related grievance against this $15 million/year salaried CEO he is familiar with, while he as a brilliant techie is POd that he can't make 1/20 of that per year.

It's late, I've been following too closely, and am starting to see the edge of the deep rabbit hole.

I’ve wondered the same. In this scenario is he a lone wolf or part of a group? Will there be other targets? Perhaps other corporate figures who are considered depraved and amoral? Just random thoughts and one of many possibilities.

 

[MesquiteO21]

I honestly doubt he sprinkled backpacks around the city--it just doesn't seem super in character for this guy, and we don't have any video evidence of him from prior days sporting different packs (the pack he wore was rare-ish, and buying a bunch of them would be detectable to LE...). But I did consider the notion that he could be depositing them around Gotham like some megavillain out of a Batman comic (The Stoodent strikes again!)...

I do think compared to most, he had so much money. A very expensive weapon, perfect teeth, higher end clothing (his jacket alone cost $695), a $400 backpack... I think he chose his transport and lodging not to save money, but pretty carefully to avoid detection--where he could get away with using undetected fake IDs, pay cash, come and go unencumbered.

But moreover, he comes across as a killer "for the people" with his anti-insurance messaging, and the the hostel/bus/e-bike/train. I honestly think it's a very carefully crafted image, right down to the words on the bullets. No sooner did people hear the words "CEO United Healthcare murdered" than began the jokes...

This may be one of our first "celebrity killer", honestly, if not the first. A blend of reality TV and Robin Hoodism, made possible buy the clear video of the crime transpiring, that is terribly scary because yes, as you say, we are all vulnerable--and not all would be criminals of this ilk will be as precise in hitting only his chosen target.

Holy cow I knew the backpack was a couple hundred but missed the jacket cost wow. I’m not sure what to make of that…seems unlikely there would be an anti-insurance or anti-greed/capitalism angle when just your backpack and jacket alone total a grand. But the again people are often strange hypocritical creatures

Jmo

 

[OckhamsRazor22]

Maybe military trained, even if just ROTC. He has a fatal disease and knows his time on earth is limited. Possibly even his battalion / platoon is sickened. The blatant verbiage of attacking on the bullets. It wasn't personal, as much as disgust and universal hate, that was misplaced on a victim. Blaming another for his troubles, killers seem to do that, in a misdirected manner. Awful crime.

Yes. They pursue a person, place, or thing (ie:entity) to bear the brunt of their vengeful hatred. Like Timothy McVey and so many others.

It’s a somewhat haphazard and sloppy hit by all accounts from watching the video footage. Could be those things were “intentionally” done, to toss irretrievable tips and crumbs for those coming after him. May even be a “her” wearing a full mask/makeup. Anything is possible, until we know differently.

 

[MassGuy]

I’ve wondered the same. In this scenario is he a lone wolf or part of a group? Will there be other targets? Perhaps other corporate figures who are considered depraved and amoral? Just random thoughts and one of many possibilities.

Because of the intensive planning here, I think he's a lone wolf who was focused on a lone target. He spent days preparing for this on the ground, and likely a much longer period of time concocting this whole scheme.

This guy isn't some spree killer, impulsively moving from target to target. I think his priority now is remaining a free man.

 

[Anance]

There are very few killers who fascinate me, but this one is right up there

Maybe because this crime does not feel American? Maybe the shooter is not American, that's why it feels off.

 

[MassGuy]

Holy cow I knew the backpack was a couple hundred but missed the jacket cost wow. I’m not sure what to make of that…seems unlikely there would be an anti-insurance or anti-greed/capitalism angle when just your backpack and jacket alone total a grand. But the again people are often strange hypocritical creatures

Jmo

I think that makes the anti-capitalism angle far less likely. I kind of liked that one before we got more information (it was broad), but I think it's all come into a bit more focus. I think it's also more specific than some hatred for the health insurance industry a whole, and more focused on this particular company.

I don't think it goes as far as a specific hatred of this guy though. Likely more symbolic in my mind.

 

[MesquiteO21]

Suicide by another.

That would be insane…

 

[MassGuy]

Maybe because this crime does not feel American? Maybe the shooter is not American, that's why it feels off.

If it was committed by some outsider, really nothing fits.

He should have used a basic, easy to obtain gun. He should have used rounds that did not have words on them (I believe both were psychologically important to the killer).

There should have been no need for a lengthy bus trip. A hostel shouldn't have been necessary either.

He took insane, unnecessary ricks to commit some sort of a hit. He could have done this with a real chance of getting away with it, by simply hitting BT in his home state, where there aren't cameras on every building and in every corner.

Law enforcement clearly believes he's from here, and there's just no indication something that unprecedented occurred.

I just think he's an outlier, much like Bryan Kohberger was an outlier in his crime. Both tremendous planners, who carried out very different types of crimes, with very different motives.

 

[Anance]

Had an amazing debate about this tonight on a trading floor not far away, a few blocks. Envision a group of incisive people all sitting together unafraid to posit complex theories. Paring them down by belief system:

There is what I call the JFK group. This is the major league conspiracy theorists (“the CIA did it!”) - the ones who think this is political machination. Not my tribe.

There is the Jason Bourne group. They think this is all conspiracy, shooter was swapping out the Starbucks-purchased water for an identical bottle in his backpack that had the DNA of a dying patient on the mouth. The ones who believe events to date reveal significant training in evasion. Again, not my tribe, but I get how they got there.

There is the impassioned free-radical group. They theorize this is the kid or boyfriend of someone who died of a terrible disease surrounded by coverage denials, and they are avenging the pain, Joan of Arc style. That’s actually the theory I go with.

There’s also the disillusioned fired employee theory. I think we’d know the name by now if it were that. Discounting it for now.

Very open to hearing and learning from other theories!

How about someone who had no relation to the victim or company? Someone paid to do this exact thing. No memories of dying granny to cloud his thinking.

 

[ChrisM]

I hope so, if he’s that slow on the uptake he’ll be caught in no time at all.

i don't think he's doing too much to indicate he's slow on the uptake. respectfully, i also think the clock has run out on his being caught "in no time at all". so far i think he's winning the game. i may be wrong but as i read various news websites, rather than seeing substatively new information, i'm sensing a rehash of previously understood/ acknowledged info written (seemingly) to convey progress, where maybe little has been made. for instance 3 hrs ago dailymail - "possibility that the assassin used a veterinary gun" - as "breaking" news yet this has been known for almost three days. nytimes, of finding a knapsack (of which nothing is yet confirmed) - "They’re not even opening it — it’s going straight to the lab” for forensic analysis"... which conveys both an urgency and an implication of unusually quick action, yet it's somewhat meaningless to find a knapsack in a park without addition correlating information; shouldn't they have opened it to see if the "heavy object" was the gun? or battery? or to even confirm it was related, or the "everyday" type he wore. (maybe they did confirm, though not in anything i've resd yet?) and if he'd made it this far through his plan does it seem logical that he'd leave give-away clues or evidence in a knapsack that he clearly had time to inspect/ clear before giving away clues? no one expected that the knapsack wouldn't quickly be found after it was abandoned but he seems to have had some time to chose where and when to do so. so whatever is found in it i'm suspecting has already been at least vetted for connection to his identity.
it seems nypd has made initially a great deal of progress from surveillance devices to track his movements and i don't think they can be criticized; but other than additional sightings - the more video you scan the more sightings you'll expect to find. from what i'm reading, they don't have a name nor a location nor a clear motive. so the tracking seems the be the sum total of their progress. on the other hand the perp has managed 10 days in the city with only a single partial face image being exposed, obtained himself an ebike, set up an ambush, killed his target, left the scene, left the city, aroused enormous interest, media coverage and investigative resources, yet unless it's being withheld, we haven't a clue who he is, where he is or why he's done this. in my opinion (obviously i'm not alone) this is a fascinating incident though one which, unless he's caught and provides details, i don't feel we'll get many more answers... i hope i'm wrong.

 

[IDK]

Because of the intensive planning here, I think he's a lone wolf who was focused on a lone target. He spent days preparing for this on the ground, and likely a much longer period of time concocting this whole scheme.

This guy isn't some spree killer, impulsively moving from target to target. I think his priority now is remaining a free man.

I appreciate your thoughts. I hope this is true and that he will be caught soon and surrender peacefully.

 

[clearskies1]

How about someone who had no relation to the victim or company? Someone paid to do this exact thing. No memories of dying granny to cloud his thinking.

I've never heard of a hit man staying at a hostel for 2 weeks and escaping on a bike. But there's always a first.

 

[BackInNewMexico]

Fox5 NY just showed photos of a brown paper bag that was said to have clothes in it with a police officer guarding it. Might not be related but they appear to be looking into it.

ETA: Added pics from my TV as realised I can rewind!

 

[OckhamsRazor22]

I think that makes the anti-capitalism angle far less likely. I kind of liked that one before we got more information (it was broad), but I think it's all come into a bit more focus. I think it's also more specific than some hatred for the health insurance industry a whole, and more focused on this particular company.

I don't think it goes as far as a specific hatred of this guy though. Likely more symbolic in my mind.

…and here I was - leaning much more toward “personal/unknown” as a motive. Something either happened to him/close loved one, which adversely impacted him/close loved ones - to the point of no return. Very sad. If It wasn’t a robbery and it wasn’t a general hatred for the industry and firm, than it was a personal vendetta carefully targeted, focused, planned and executed by the killer. Live…and learn.

 

[darkstar105]

(DBM)
Very open to hearing and learning from other theories!

Love your post!

Here are a couple but they might run afoul of the rules as they point suspicion to possibly innocent people/scenarios.

1) Remember Andrew Cunanan? I don't think anyone to this day knows whether he was connected to Lee Miglin or Versace. However, this would account for his youth, his looks, and his expensive clothing/equipment. And his grudge. And his knowledge of where and when to find BT. And perhaps his worldly-wisdom.

2) College-age buddy of a person who stands to inherit. This would account for his youth, his expensive clothing/equipment, and his knowledge of where to find BT. But not his confidence/swagger.

3) Spurned mistress' son. This actually happened in KC to a rich real-estate guy. It was maybe 15 to 18 years back and I can't find a link. But a rich real-estate guy dumped his mistress and her teenage son kept coming back to his rich house to steal. He had a grudge because the dumping of his mother meant his standard of living went kaput. Eventually he broke in and killed the rich guy.

I just think the words written on the bullet casings seem a little too on the nose, and could be red herrings.