NY - UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot in Midtown. #6

[Marantz4250b]

I do wonder whether BT assassin was hired by a politician or other shadowy groups who are lobbying for a cashless society. Take out one of America’s most senior business executives, pay cash for everything, more people keen for a cashless society.

The killer showed that someone can be killed with no trace left, huge numbers of people, even very high up want a cashless society where everything is paid for and leaves a digital trail, might explain the Monopoly money too

That's not true at all; he left cases, live rounds, his backpack and there are numerous pictures of him.

 

[krikken]

That's not true at all; he left cases, live rounds, his backpack and there are numerous pictures of him.

Still might be used as a pretext for tightening social control. Never put it past government.

 

[Friday Fan]

If you compare the backpack in the two photos, the one on the bike looks much more boxy with the contents, top and bottom. Yet he may have even be carrying an ebike battery with him during the shooting, so if that is the case, it should be fuller before not after.

I'm wondering if he bought two identical backpacks, one clean one (no DNA) to leave in the park to be found, and the other dumped in a dumpster or trash cart which police wouldn't be looking for.

Did he change coats too in the bike photo? Is it a longer coat? His arm looks well padded to me. The taxi photo coat looks like a different coat to the one in the shooting.

View attachment 550283
New photos show masked suspect gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO and fleeing on bike

Do you think it looks boxier because he's sitting and leaning forward?

 

[JDG]

Do you think it looks boxier because he's sitting and leaning forward?

If you check out Everyday backpack, it folds out to hold camera equipment/ anything really.

The backpack is meant to be a camera bag or backpack IIRC.

 

[Friday Fan]

You know what would be funny? If he was from Canada....


People would be like, "You got great healthcare, why did you come here to kill one of our insurance CEOs?"

Shooter: "Well I don't like your healthcare"

Everyone would be insulted....
I think the hero worship would be over....

 

[Tortoise]

Do you think it looks boxier because he's sitting and leaning forward?

No, I don't think that would make it more square edged, I think it would flatten the top of the bag more, if the bag was not full.

If you look at the shooting photo, there appears to be a strap at the top next to the bag flap which is hanging quite slack. In the bike photo it's not slack, it's extended fully. IMO

 

[JDG]

DBM

 

[GRT]

I do wonder whether BT assassin was hired by a politician or other shadowy groups who are lobbying for a cashless society. Take out one of America’s most senior business executives, pay cash for everything, more people keen for a cashless society.

The killer showed that someone can be killed with no trace left, huge numbers of people, even very high up want a cashless society where everything is paid for and leaves a digital trail, might explain the Monopoly money too

Good points.

As I see it--there are three potential motives for killing BT.

1. The killer has a loved one who was denied coverage.
2. The killer is part of a shadowy group, as you say.
3. The killer was hired by someone to kill BT.

Number 1 is Occam's Razor, but the most likely scenario is looking more unlikely in this case. Why? Because the killer is going out of his way to send messages. It's likely those messages are intended to send LE on a goose chase. But still, Number 1 can't be ruled out.

Number 2 is in the running because there are strong indicators that the killer had at least one accomplice. The bike showed up out of the blue when the killer needed it, and it disappeared when he was done with it. The killer seemed to know BT would arrive at the Hilton early and he was in place. That could have been just good planning, but it could also have been someone reporting because the photo of the killer on his cellphone was prior to the killing. Who was he talking to?

Number 3 is also a possibility because BT was involved in a civil suit along with other high-rollers concerning insider trading. If BT had information that could incriminate someone else, he might have been a target. And if that were the case, all those little messages would be a handy distraction from the real reason.

Right now, I'm leaning toward Number 2, but that could change.

 

[GRT]

If you compare the backpack in the two photos, the one on the bike looks much more boxy with the contents, top and bottom. Yet he may have even be carrying an ebike battery with him during the shooting, so if that is the case, it should be fuller before not after.

I'm wondering if he bought two identical backpacks, one clean one (no DNA) to leave in the park to be found, and the other dumped in a dumpster or trash cart which police wouldn't be looking for.

Did he change coats too in the bike photo? Is it a longer coat? His arm looks well padded to me. The taxi photo coat looks like a different coat to the one in the shooting.

View attachment 550283
New photos show masked suspect gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO and fleeing on bike

It does look quite a bit boxier, and he's in virtually the same upright position he was in when shooting, so that's a very good catch.

 

[Friday Fan]

No, I don't think that would make it more square edged, I think it would flatten the top of the bag more, if the bag was not full.

If you look at the shooting photo, there appears to be a strap at the top next to the bag flap which is hanging quite slack. In the bike photo it's not slack, it's extended fully. IMO

His butt would be pushing it up. When you ride a bike, your butt sticks out.

 

[armchairthinker]

So is the theory that he sat and waited in upper manhattan bus terminal for an hour and half or so before departing on greyhound? This seems a huge risk and maybe a quick transit to NJ followed by escape in a vehicle would be more likely.

Either way it seems that he could have been tracked on CCTV in the 30mins it took him to get to the terminal despite the dead zones in CP and taxi ride. Surely authorities could have started tracking him from scene within minutes of getting the 911. This would have put him in CP and fairly easy to pick up the exit west on bicycle followed by journey north.

There was also at least 30min to alert authorities at the transit points, which I'd have thought would have been teaming with police officers by 7:30.

Also isn't there any CCTV on buses in the US? Even if he did make an interstate coach there would then be hours available to intercept it.

I don't even watch CSI but with AI recognition tech and mass surveillance it seems he was very lucky to have made it out of the city.

 

[Janitor101]

Yes, and the shooter was well aware of this IMO.

What he was careful about during his stay was not to talk much with roommates and guests, and to hide his face, other than the moment he had to lower the mask. I don't know why he didn't just say, I'm sick or have an injury or rash I'm embarrassed about, but then maybe he wouldn't have been allowed to stay. He could also have turned away from the camera saying something like my stalker ex girlfriend is searching me so I'll show you away from the camera. But again, that would draw too much attention I suppose.

I would think so. I'm not sure what to make of UHC not offering anything.

No and what’s odd is it doesn’t seem LE is actively looking for it? They’ve been searching high and low for the weapon and backpack (understandably) but I find it odd they haven’t put out a BOLO for a black, model ___, brand ___ eBike found somewhere in the city.

I understand it was likely stolen by now but still there doesn’t seem to be much focus (if at all) on the bike.

I agree with you. There is very little discussion about this ebike particularly the early reports of him on CCTV carrying a battery. What does this mean? He discovered the ebike had a dead battery? If so, where would he have purchased a new battery? I assume if he purchased one it would have been traced back to a store and to the clerk who sold him the battery.

 

[krikken]

Number 2 is in the running because there are strong indicators that the killer had at least one accomplice. The bike showed up out of the blue when the killer needed it, and it disappeared when he was done with it. The killer seemed to know BT would arrive at the Hilton early and he was in place. That could have been just good planning, but it could also have been someone reporting because the photo of the killer on his cellphone was prior to the killing. Who was he talking to?

So you think it is impossible that he acted alone for an ideological motive. I'm not so sure. That's certainly the one I would bet on, with elements of hacker activity.

"Who was he talking to" - he might have called BT. Could have been some sort of social engineering - deepfake or imitation of Andrew Witty's (the one higher-up we know) voice saying something like "Brian, we have an issue, I need you to come to the Hilton lobby, can't talk right now, I'm on someone else's phone, I'll fill you in there." Most other scenarios would cause BT to check or call back to confirm.

 

[VAres67]

I agree with you. There is very little discussion about this ebike particularly the early reports of him on CCTV carrying a battery. What does this mean? He discovered the ebike had a dead battery? If so, where would he have purchased a new battery? I assume if he purchased one it would have been traced back to a store and to the clerk who sold him the battery.

He probably charged the battery elsewhere (hostel?), and then was taking the battery to be put on his bike. We don’t have much details AFAIK on when he was carrying the battery and where.

 

[GRT]

So you think it is impossible that he acted alone for an ideological motive. I'm not so sure. That's certainly the one I would bet on, with elements of hacker activity.

"Who was he talking to" - he might have called BT. Could have been some sort of social engineering - deepfake or imitation of Andrew Witty's (the one higher-up we know) voice saying something like "Brian, we have an issue, I need you to come to the Hilton lobby, can't talk right now, I'm on someone else's phone, I'll fill you in there." Most other scenarios would cause BT to check or call back to confirm.

I don't think it's "impossible" for him to have acted alone for an ideological motive, but I don't think he acted alone.

 

[Marantz4250b]

I wonder what his reasoning for staying at a hostel was? A regular hotel means you need to interact with people far less than in a hostel.

I doubt it was a financial reason as this was a pretty well thought out plan and it doesn't seem as though he was short on funds.

 

[GRT]

I wonder what his reasoning for staying at a hostel was? A regular hotel means you need to interact with people far less than in a hostel.

I doubt it was a financial reason as this was a pretty well thought out plan and it doesn't seem as though he was short on funds.

I'm guessing he chose the hostel because he'd be less subject to scrutiny over wearing his mask, and he could pay with cash. A lot of hotels require a credit card on file now.

 

[krikken]

I don't think it's "impossible" for him to have acted alone for an ideological motive, but I don't think he acted alone.

OK.

It does explain things more easily, if, say, there's a lookout in a known camera blind spot for the prepositioned ebike (though losing the ebike would probably not doom the getaway completely, and if there's a lookout, that should do away with the need to remove the battery and schlep it from Central Park north to midtown). Or someone to monitor the lobby of one hotel and make sure the situation out in the street in front is still conducive to carrying the deed out with a chance of melting back into the city.

It just seems that it increases risk of getting caught by a huge factor to have even n+1 involved.

 

[Baby baby Jane]

I agree with you. There is very little discussion about this ebike particularly the early reports of him on CCTV carrying a battery. What does this mean? He discovered the ebike had a dead battery? If so, where would he have purchased a new battery? I assume if he purchased one it would have been traced back to a store and to the clerk who sold him the battery.

Buy an e-bike on Craig’s list ?

Ride it to West 85th, park it at the Citi Bikes at 85th & CPWest fully powered & “on”
Right near busy area with subway station where people rent a Citibike and bingo - a free one. … Walk away. (Maybe this is why they initially thought it was a Citibike )

 

[DizzyB]

I agree with you. There is very little discussion about this ebike particularly the early reports of him on CCTV carrying a battery. What does this mean? He discovered the ebike had a dead battery? If so, where would he have purchased a new battery? I assume if he purchased one it would have been traced back to a store and to the clerk who sold him the battery.

It was reported early on that he was seen near the Frederick Douglass Houses at approx 5 am with the bike battery. That’s 2.9 miles away from the HI Hostel. The newer timelines I’ve seen say he left the hostel around 5:30 am. He was spotted near the Hilton at 5:41, so it is assumed he used the bike to get there. Either he left the hostel much earlier that day, or the Frederick Douglass siting was on a different day.