UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was separated from his wife when he was shot dead by a gunman outside a Manhattan hotel, it has emerged. Thompson, 50, was shot dead early Wednesday morning as he headed to an investor conference at the New York Hilton Midtown.
The unidentified gunman is still at large, though authorities have released a photo of him smiling and have searched a Manhattan hostel believed to be connected to him. According to The Wall Street Journal, Thompson and his wife, Paulette, were living in separate homes less than a mile apart in Maple Grove, Minnesota, at the time of his death, adding new twist to the murder.
Twist in the Tale
Public records reveal that Thompson purchased a $1 million property near his family home in 2018. Neighbors told The Wall Street Journal that he was frequently away due to travel commitments.
His wife, Paulette, a licensed physical therapist, said that Thompson had previously been the target of threats. She alluded to concerns over a "lack of coverage." Despite these threats, Thompson did not hire personal security during his travels.
Former FBI supervisor Robert D'Amico suggested the murder was likely motivated by a personal grudge against UnitedHealthcare. He noted that basic online searches could have provided the shooter with sufficient details to execute the "brazen, targeted attack."
"Even a layman can find there's so much on the internet now and people put so much out there," the security consultant told NBC News.
UnitedHealthcare had announced the investor conference without revealing its specific location.
Authorities are working to uncover leads that could identify the masked shooter who tracked and killed the CEO of one of America's largest health insurers before vanishing into Central Park.
Despite deploying drones, helicopters, and canine units in an extensive search, the gunman's location remains unknown as of Thursday morning.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said that while the motive is still unclear, the attack was not a random act of violence. "Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target," Tisch said at a news conference Wednesday.
"From watching the video, it does seem that he's proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly," NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said.
Dark Spot
Thompson faced allegations of insider trading and fraud before his assassination. The Department of Justice opened an investigation last year into whether the private sector of the nation's largest insurer, under Thompson's leadership, was engaging in anti-competitive practices and monopolizing the industry.
In May, the City of Hollywood Firefighters' Pension Fund filed a lawsuit against Thompson and other executives, alleging them of withholding information about the federal investigation while Thompson sold over 31 percent of his stock, taking in $15.1 million.
Legal filings further alleged that Thompson and other executives offloaded more than $117 million in UnitedHealth shares during a four-month window when they were aware of the federal antitrust probe but had not disclosed it to the public.
Police released several surveillance photos of the masked gunman, who was dressed in a hooded jacket and attire appropriate for a cold winter day, making him inconspicuous. Some images were captured inside a Starbucks shortly before the killing.
On Thursday, the NYPD has released new photographs that reveal the suspect's face for the first time, which had previously been hidden by a mask. In one photo, the gunman is even seen smiling.
The chilling pictures were captured at a youth hostel on the Upper West Side, where authorities suspect the gunman may have stayed before carrying out the shooting.
A reward of up to $10,000 has been announced for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the shooter. Authorities are also investigating whether the suspect escaped on a privately-owned e-bike instead of a Citi Bike, as was initially reported.
The use of a privately-owned bike complicates efforts to track the killer, as CitiBikes are equipped with GPS trackers and require smartphone apps or payment cards for rental, making users easier to trace.
Authorities have not provided additional information about the possible whereabouts of the assassin.
However, NYPD officials have said that, due to the targeted nature of the attack on Thompson, they do not believe the suspect poses a broader threat to public safety. "Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him," the insurer's Minnetonka, Minnesota-based parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., said in a statement.
"We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time."
