Bag of bullets found in Central Park not tied to CEO killing: sources

NEW YORK - A person walking their dog in Central Park found a Ziploc bag of bullets in the bushes on Tuesday, but now police no longer believe they're tied to the UnitedHealthcare CEO's murder, according to sources.

Police investigated to see if the bullets were tied to Luigi Mangione, the suspect accused of murdering Brian Thompson.

 

They say the person was walking near East 81st and 85th Street when they saw the bag, noticing similar markings found on shell casings.

Police sources now tell FOX 5 NY, however, that they no longer believe the bullets are tied to Thompson's murder.

"Police find ammunition in Central Park all of the time," FOX 5 NY's Linda Schmidt explained.

What we know about the Luigi Mangione investigation

The NYPD is continuing to build its case against Mangione as he wages a courtroom battle to avoid facing justice in New York.

Before his arrest, investigators found "bizarre" engravings on the bullet casings left on the scene that read –  "deny," "depose" and "defend."

Luigi Mangione's mugshot

The words are believed to be in reference to strategies insurance companies use to try to avoid paying claims. 

Mangione has been charged with second-degree murder in the killing of Brian Thompson and faces a potential life sentence if convicted.

On Wednesday, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed that the gun found on Mangione matched shell casings found at the site of the shooting.

Police also said Mangione’s fingerprints matched a water bottle and a protein bar wrapper found near the scene. They believe he bought them at a nearby coffee shop while waiting for his target.