Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Accused CEO Killer Screams to Reporters Outside Court | Crime Alert Recap Saturday 12.14.24

Episode Date: December 14, 2024

Breaking crime news as it happens throughout the day! Follow "Crime Alert Hourly Update" now on your favorite podcast app: https://link.chtbl.com/Crime_Alert Here's three of our top stories this week:  The man accused of killing CEO Brian Thompson screams to reporters on his way into court.   Missing Susanne Simpson tells banker,  'look for her in a lake' if she disappeared. A pair of brothers, real estate tycoons charged with sex assault.  Stay informed, stay safe, and stay ahead with "Crime Alert Hourly Update.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're listening to an iHeart Podcast. Crime alert, hourly update, breaking crime news now. I'm Drew Nelson. In Pennsylvania, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare's CEO, Brian Thompson, can't keep his mouth shut, erupting in an outburst, heading into court for an extradition hearing, and then another outburst in court. In the ongoing investigation into 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, a valedictorian from Maryland with an Ivy League degree.

At his extradition hearing, Mangione was shackled and dressed in an orange jumpsuit before going into court shouting, I'm completely out of touch and an insult to the intelligence of the American people and the black experience. That is, this is completely out of touch and an insult to the intelligence of the American people. That is, this is completely out of touch and an insult to the intelligence of the American people. His attorney, Thomas Dickey, said Mangione would contest extradition and plead not guilty. Pennsylvania authorities now have 30 days to secure a governor's warrant to transfer him to New York. Central to the investigation is a handwritten manifesto that has drawn comparisons to the writings of the Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski. Investigators revealed Mangione had referenced Kaczynski's ideology online and had participated

in discussions about his manifesto. Mangione's own document echoed anti-corporate sentiments and disdain for technological overreach, mirroring themes in Kaczynski's work. Online communities are debating his manifesto, with some hailing him as a symbol of resistance. A separate notebook found with Mangione detailed plans for the assassination. It allegedly included reconnaissance notes and a to-do list for the crime. He considered using a bomb, but decided against it, citing concerns about harming bystanders. He writes, quote, shooting is more targeted. One chilling entry said, quote, what better way than to kill the CEO

at his own bean counting conference? Thompson was shot outside a Manhattan hotel where the company's annual investor conference was set to be held. Thompson's murder shocked corporate America. The 50-year-old executive, a father of two, was a rising star in the health insurance industry. Colleagues described him as a practical leader and a quote-unquote Midwestern everyman. Under his leadership, UnitedHealthcare saw record profits, but the company also faced criticism for its denial of claims and alleged prioritization of profits over patient care. Authorities worry that Mangione's case could inspire copycats.

Posters targeting other health insurance executives have appeared in Manhattan, and social media platforms are struggling to contain content glorifying the crime. The NYPD has increased security for corporate leaders in response. The use of 3D-printed technology, a 3D-printed firearm, adds a layer of complexity to the prosecution's case. Ghost guns, which lack serial numbers, are difficult to trace. Mangione's weapon may represent the highest profile use of such technology. I'm Nicole Parton. In the weeks leading up to her disappearance, Suzanne Simpson, a 51-year-old mother of four from Texas,

ominously informed her personal banker that if she went missing, they should search for her in a lake, as stated in a recent released police affidavit. Suzanne was last seen at her home in Olmos Park on October 6. Earlier in August, she confided in her banker about being a victim of physical abuse at the hands of her husband, Brad Simpson, who allegedly also would confiscate her cell phone from time to time. Brad has been charged with Suzanne's murder, and according to the arrest warrant, investigators have found no evidence suggesting she is alive. The warrant details evidence linking Brad to Suzanne's suspected death, including surveillance footage of him driving to a landfill with garbage bags and a

large item covered with a tarp the day of her disappearance. On October 7 at 9 12 a.m., he was captured on video at a Whataburger in Bernie, where he was seen with trash bags, a heavy-duty trash can, an ice chest, and a sizable object wrapped in a blue tarp secured with a firewood rack in his truck. On that same day, he reportedly purchased cement, Clorox disinfectant spray, and Instect repellent with cash at a nearby Home Depot. Investigators noted that he inquired about the nearest landfill while in the Home Depot parking lot, then deliberately shut off his cell phone service and activated the lockdown mode on his device. Police tracking data indicated that Brad traveled to a site near a waste facility in Kendall County. Subsequently,

he was recorded on another surveillance camera cleaning his truck at a car wash in San Antonio. During a search by Texas Rangers on October 10, dried cement splashes and blood stains were discovered in the truck bed, which belonged to Brad Simpson. He reported Suzanne missing on the evening of October 7, but this was only after one of her friends contacted authorities. Initially, Brad claimed he last saw Suzanne on the night of October 6, but later changed his story, saying he had seen her asleep in a different room on the morning of October 7. This all came to light after a neighbor reported hearing screaming outside his window. For more, here's Crime Online's Dave Mack. An hour after Brad and Suzanne Simpson return home from dinner at the Argyle,

a neighbor hears loud arguing from their home. The yelling seems to get louder, and the neighbor peeks out of their window, shocked to see the Simpsons in a physical fight outside their home. It looks like Suzanne, still dressed from dinner, is trying to get away, but Brad Simpson keeps pulling her back. The couple eventually moves out of the neighbor's sight line. Brad was arrested on October 9 for family violence and unlawful restraint. He has since been charged with murder and is currently being held in the Bexar County Jail with a bond set at $3 million, along with a federal hold by the Bureau of Alcohol,

Tobacco and Firearms and explosives that due to a weapons charge. I'm Jennifer Gould. A pair of twin real estate tycoons are accused of using their wealth and social status to prey on vulnerable women. Luxury brokers Orrin and Alon Alexander appeared in a Miami courtroom to face charges of sexual assault and sex trafficking. The duo stood before the judge via video, dressed in protective green vests and with their arms exposed. Here's Oren pleading for his release. Your Honor, my wife is nine months pregnant, due any day now with our first child. Her family's in Brazil. She's counting on me to be with her during labor.

But the judge did not budge, citing the twins' access to private jets and yachts, making them a flight risk. The Alexander brothers co-founded the luxury real estate firm Official in 2022. They listed properties for celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Kanye West and Lindsay Lohan. They also had deep ties to the social elite, frequently appearing at glamorous events and parties around the world. The 37-year-old's officials say used that to lure young women into a sinister web of abuse. Federal prosecutors in New York unsealed an indictment this week detailing a scheme in which the Alexander brothers targeted women and lured them to high-end international parties where they were drugged and assaulted,

the victims, many of whom were aspiring models and actresses. Some were recruited via dating apps and social media, others sourced through party promoters. But all, according to the indictment, were subjected to horrific sexual assaults that often involved multiple perpetrators and drugs so they could not fight back. The incidents reportedly span from 2010 to 2021 and include dozens of victims. The twins were arrested in Miami. They've been charged with multiple felonies, including sexual battery and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. They're also accused of conspiring with their older brother, Tal Alexander, to traffic women for sex. Federal authorities

have charged him with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, as well as trafficking by force. The 38-year-old will face a detention hearing in New York on Friday. Orrin and Alon will remain in custody. Their next bail hearing is also on Friday in Miami. If convicted, each brother faces up to 15 years to life in prison. The investigation is ongoing. For the latest crime and justice news, follow the Crime Alert hourly update on your favorite podcast app. With this Crime Alert, I'm Jennifer Gould. You're listening to an iHeart podcast.