UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s assassin leaves cryptic message on bullets: Sources

Investigators probe possible message left by assassin after CEO’s cold-blooded murder outside Midtown hotel.

In a chilling turn of events, the mysterious assassin who fatally shot UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Midtown hotel may have left behind a cryptic message on the bullets used in the murder. 

Sources close to the investigation revealed that police are examining what appear to be engravings on the rounds and shell casings found at the scene, which include the words "deny," "depose," and "defend."

Thompson, 50, was shot multiple times at approximately 6:46 a.m. on Wednesday, just outside the Hilton Hotel on Sixth Avenue, where he was scheduled to host an investors' conference. Surveillance footage captured a masked gunman calmly waiting for his target before executing the attack with chilling precision.

"He was witnessed lying in wait outside the luxury hotel before firing several shots at close range," a source said. 

"Thompson collapsed, but the shooter methodically cleared a jammed gun and continued to fire as Thompson attempted to crawl away."

The gunman, who used a silencer and displayed what appeared to be professional shooting skills, then fled the scene, hopping on an e-bike and disappearing into Central Park. However, the assassin may have made critical errors that could lead to his identification. 

Authorities discovered a phone believed to belong to the killer, as well as items discarded at a nearby Starbucks—a coffee cup, a water bottle, and two PowerBars—which could provide vital forensic evidence.

"Based on the evidence we have so far, it does appear that the victim was specifically targeted," said NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny. 

"But at this point, we do not know why. This does not appear to be a random act of violence."

Thompson, a well-respected executive earning nearly $9.9 million a year, led UnitedHealthcare, the country’s largest private health insurer. He was also facing a Department of Justice investigation into insider trading when he was killed. 

Police have not ruled out the possibility that the assassination is connected to his professional life, as Thompson’s wife, Paulette “Pauley” Thompson, 51, confirmed that her husband had received threats leading up to the murder.

“There had been some threats,” Paulette Thompson told NBC News. “Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him.”

Despite the chilling nature of the crime, the investigation is gaining momentum. 

The NYPD has issued a $10,000 reward for information leading to the suspect’s capture, and detectives are working around the clock to unravel the mystery surrounding this targeted attack.