Cops shut in on Brian Thompson’s murderer who ‘fled on bus’ as $50,000 reward provided up
The manhunt for the killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson enters its fourth day but police are reported closing in.
Cops are confident that they are close to discovering the identity of the suspected hitman, two sources close to the case have told CNN.
Brian Thompson was gunned down on the sidewalk outside of the New York Hilton on Wednesday morning in what has been called a “brazen and targeted attack.”
READ MORE: Top healthcare boss fatally shot outside Hilton Hotel in 7am ‘targeted attack’
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A new clue in the case came about when police found the suspected assassins backpack and a burner phone and sent them both off to forensics.
(Image: UnitedHealth Group/AFP via Getty)
The phone revealed new information about his Greyhound bus journey from Atlanta, Georgia to New York City. It is believed the man fled back to Atlanta an hour after killing the 50-year-old chief exec.
The bag was found in Central Park near the merry-go-round, near where the suspect was last seen riding an e-bike.
Security camera images of a smiling man wearing a hooded jacket have been released, while a fake ID, mobile phone, and DNA sample have reportedly been found. His identity remains unknown.
The words “deny,” “depose,” and “defend,” were found on shell casings at the scene and cops believe the assassin used a rare “World War Two spy gun” fitted with a silencer to kill Thompson.
(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
They believe the words are in reference to the book Delay, Deny, Defend, which covered insurance companies and why they refuse to pay claims.
No motive has been released yet for the killing, but police believe Thompson was “specifically targeted”.
The FBI offered an award of up to $50,000 for information leading to the suspect’s arrest and this comes after NYPD Crime Stoppers offered up to $10,000 for information.
The hitman is still at large.
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