NEW YORK – Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last year in New York City, reportedly received a “heart-shaped” note from a supporter. This note was allegedly smuggled in a pair of socks within a change of clothes that his defense team provided for his court hearing, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office.

The 26-year-old former Ivy League student appeared shackled, dressed in khaki pants, Rockport penny loafers, and a green sweater under a bulletproof vest. This was in a nod to his supporters, who were encouraged to wear green in honor of the character Luigi from Nintendo’s “Super Mario” franchise.

To avoid appearing in a jail jumpsuit, Mangione’s defense team allegedly supplied a bag of clothes to Major Mike McKee, a New York State Court officer in charge of inmate transport, as mentioned by prosecutors. Investigator Sgt. Louis Capolupo performed a search before passing the items to the defendant.

Despite the allegations of cold-blooded murder, Mangione has received vocal support online, including hundreds of thousands of dollars donated to his defense.

Early in the investigation, police said that they recovered bullet casings at the scene with handwritten messages on them: “defend,” “depose” and “deny” – an apparent reference to a book critical of the health insurance industry’s tendency to deny claims.

Supporters of Luigi Mangione gather outside court following a hearing on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Mangione is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel last year. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)

After the slaying, Mangione allegedly skipped town. However, police found him at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after people inside recognized him from a smiling suspect photo in an NYPD wanted poster.

Altoona police allegedly captured him with the suspected murder weapon, a fake ID and a manifesto slamming health insurers.