Luigi Mangione's 'Wife'? A Female Fan Says She's Married to AI Version of Alleged CEO Killer

Outside the Manhattan Supreme Court on Tuesday, one fan of accused killer Luigi Mangione stunned reporters with a bizarre confession. She claims she's married to his AI version.

The unidentified woman dressed in an 'I ♥ Italian Boys' shirt emblazoned with Mangione's face and a flower crown in her hair, and insisted the relationship is 'natural'.

'Honestly, I'm married to Luigi's AI. I'm not kidding,' she told cameras as other supporters cheered. 'We plan a whole future together. We named our kids together. He fights battles for me.'

Why AI Fits the Fantasy

This 'wife' of the accused CEO killer justified her delusion by pointing to Mangione's own background. The 27-year-old University of Pennsylvania grad studied computer science and reportedly worked with artificial intelligence at Stanford. 'If it weren't for that, I'd feel like an imposter,' she explained. 'But because he has a background in AI, it's like natural.'

Her theatrics coincided with a surprising legal victory. Judge Gregory Carro dismissed two terrorism charges against Mangione, who is accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last December outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel.

While he still faces second-degree murder and eight additional counts, the tossed charges were celebrated by his growing base of supporters, some dressed in Mario Brothers costumes and waving 'Free Luigi' signs.

The Fan Club No One Asked For

Mangione has quickly become a figure of intense public interest, especially among a sect of supporters who treat him like a cultural icon.

According to reports, his image has been used in viral merchandise, AI-generated shirts, and community rhetoric. His 'look' became a meme: Loafers, ankles, sweaters, and these details have gone viral.

In fact, an AI-generated image of him as Jesus made rounds in December last year. The fan's claim about being married to his AI version fits into this broader phenomenon of idolization, where the real and the virtual blend in public perception.

This phenomenon isn't entirely new. Internet culture has many examples of fans developing attachments to AI avatars, virtual influencers, or even AI chatbot models of public figures. The difference here is that Luigi Mangione is a criminal defendant facing serious charges, which raises questions about where admiration crosses the line into delusion or performative support.

What Mangione is Charged With

Aside from the dropped terrorism counts, the charges against Mangione remain severe. He is charged with second-degree murder, weapon possession, false identification, and other offences in both state and federal jurisdiction.

In the state case, prosecutors allege he fatally shot Brian Thompson outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel. Federal prosecutors have also filed separate charges, some of which carry the possibility of the death penalty.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty. His next courtroom appearance is scheduled for 1 December.

Despite the grim charges, Mangione's following has taken on a bizarre, almost celebrity-like quality.

Women outside the courthouse wore T-shirts with his face inside heart designs, handed out doughnuts to fellow attendees, and treated the hearing like a fan convention. Meanwhile, the AI 'wife' may be the most extreme example yet. Still, her claims and the facts that such a fan of an accused killer exists highlight how Mangione's alleged crime has attracted a cult-like audience that blurs the line between protest, obsession, and parody.

Originally published on IBTimes UK