Inside Luigi Mangione’s time as a beach bum in Hawaiian paradise — with accused UnitedHealthcare CEO assassin tickling girls, Tinder matching a yoga guru
Life in Hawaii was a beach for Luigi Mangione, before the privileged 26-year-old computer engineer flipped a switch, went off the grid and allegedly gunned UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in cold-blood outside a Hilton hotel in Midtown.
Exclusive photos, obtained by The Post, show the murder suspect having fun in the sun, dining with tanned pals and even frolicking with a pair of beauties during his time at the penthouse in Surfbreak, a “co-living” space in Honolulu near Waikiki, where he stayed from January to June in 2022 paying $2,000-a-month.
In one photo, the murder suspect cuddled up next to a grinning woman, Tracy Le, with his arm draped behind her on a couch. Aanother snap shows Mangione tickling the gal pal and another woman in a hallway.
“There was no simmering anger that was visible,” Josiah Ryan, a Surfbreak spokesperson, told The Post.
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Luigi Mangione tickles two of his female friends during happier times in Hawaii, in a picture posted by Tracy Le. Instagram @tracy.meomeoMangione, 26, is seen in the far back, second from the right, with a wide grin while surrounded by more than a dozen of his friends out at a restaurants in Hawaii. Instagram @tracy.meomeoMangione cuddled up next to a grinning woman, Tracy Le (second from right), with his arm draped behind her on a couch. Le posted a series of photos on her Instagram account in April 2022, with the caption, “So many people I love in one picture.” Instagram @tracy.meomeo
Le, a data engineer in New York City, posted the pictures on her Instagram account in April 2022, with the caption, “So many people I love in one picture.”
Mangione was “the only name whose FaceTime calls I would pick up. He was one of my absolute best, closest, most trusted friends,” she wrote in the caption of a TikTok video, which showed Mangione — who now stands accused of killing Brian Thompson, 50, on the streets of Midtown — holding mochi ice cream at a grocery store with a giggling alongside Le.
The Post reached out to a number of the individuals depicted in the pictures, including Le, none of whom responded to a request for comment or an interview.
The NYPD is exploring whether a July 2023 back injury fueled Mangione’s apparent hatred toward to the medical industry.
Mangione, who was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pa., following a five-day manhunt, was found with a three-page manifesto accusing “parasitic” health insurance companies of corporate greed.
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Mangione (back right) moved to Honolulu near Waikiki in 2022 where he lived in a “co-living” space, SurfBreak. Here, he’s pictured on the beach with friends. Instagram @tracy.meomeoThe accused killer was locked up without bail at State Correctional Institution in Pennsylvania. Instagram @tracy.meomeo
The accused killer was locked up without bail at State Correctional Institution in Huntington, Pa., and is fighting extradition orders to ship him back to New York. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the slew of charges against him, including murder and illegal gun possession.
His jail cell is a far cry from the alleged killer’s beginnings. Mangione’s grandfather, the family patriarch Nick Mangione Sr., built a network of businesses that ranged from developing and owning local resorts and country clubs to nursing homes and a radio station in Baltimore.
There, he attended the $35,000-per-year Gilman School where he became valedictorian, but appeared shy socially.
The yoga teacher Mangione allegedly matched with on Tinder while he was doing yoga in Honolulu living at Surfbreak. Summer / Facebook
“I don’t remember him ever having a serious girlfriend. He was very shy with girls,” a classmate who asked to be anonymous told The Post.
Painful Paradise
Mangione, who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, was working remotely as a data engineer at California-based auto website TrueCar Inc. in 2022 when he moved to Surfbreak as a respite from his chronic pain.
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“He communicated that being in Hawaii might be good for his health concerns. I heard that he had some brain fog,” Ryan recalled, noting Mangione underwent a background check and paid his own way at Surfbreak, where he had his own room and shared a kitchen and living space with housemates in the high rise building.
Dorian Wright, a yoga instructor based in Honolulu who taught Mangione when he lived on the island told The Post, “One of our teachers matched with him on Tinder. She was taking my class at the same time as he was.”A screenshot from Mangione’s alleged Tinder profile matches the one a yoga instructor said she had seen. One of the instructor’s colleagues told The Post she had wanted to date him.
“He was well liked by people. He wasn’t a big partier or anything like that. He loved hiking and doing things with people. He [helped start] a book club,” Ryan said.
But, the Maryland native’s medical issues took a turn for the worse after he strained his back during a group surfing lesson that worsened his already injured lower back, according to R.J. Martin, who became friends with Mangione in 2022.
“His spine was kind of misaligned,” Martin told The New York Times.
“He said his lower vertebrae were almost like a half-inch off, and I think it pinched a nerve.”
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“He communicated that being in Hawaii might good for his health concerns. I heard that he had some brain fog,” Ryan told The Post of why Mangione moved to Hawaii in 2022, noting that the Ivy League grad underwent a background check and paid his own way at Surfbreak, Luigi Mangione/Facebook
Seeking pain relief, Mangione began practicing yoga with Dorian Wright, a Honolulu-based yoga teacher, between 2022 and 2023. He remembers Mangione’s movement being limited during a back bending pose.
“He was very clear when he told me where his back injury was … He was receptive of me helping him work through his injury,” Wright said.
Another teacher at the studio, named Summer, instantly recognized the University of Pennsylvania grad from his Tinder profile which she had matched with, according to Wright.
“One of our teachers matched with him on Tinder. She was taking my class at the same time as he was. She was like, ‘I wanted to go up to him and ask him out on a date, but I was too nervous,” Wright recalled of Mangione’s dating profile where he appeared smiling in a navy hoodie crouched down with an active volcano in the background of his profile photo.
Mangione listed travel, reading, hiking and working out as his interests.
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Mangione returned to Hawaii after the surgery earlier this year, and moved into a 1,000-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment in February, records show, though it’s unclear if he lived alone. REUTERSMangione pictured with his Surfbreak housemates. Instagram @tracy.meomeo
“He’s a tall good looking guy – that’s the only person I know who he [Mangione] was going to potentially go on a date with,” Wright told The Post.
But life wasn’t all sunshine for the brunette bachelor. In July, 2023, Mangione took to Reddit to post about slipping on a piece of paper, noting it hurt to sit down and that his leg muscles were twitching. He reported numbness in his groin.
Martin told The Times this seemingly sidelined Mangione’s sex life, because “he knew that dating and being physically intimate with his back condition wasn’t possible.”
The NYPD is exploring whether a July, 2023 back injury fueled Mangione’s apparent hatred toward the medical industry. AP
The back pain became so severe, he consulted with doctors and eventually quit his job in 2023 to spend time reading and doing yoga.
It’s unclear if Mangione was covered for healthcare during that time. An NYPD official confirmed Thursday the Ivy League grad was never a client of UnitedHealthcare medical insurance.
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Free Fall
He continued to read about big pharma and the medical industry, including books such as “Crooked: Outwitting the Back Pain Industry and Getting on the Road to Recovery’’ and “Why We Get Sick: The Hidden Epidemic at the Root of Most Chronic Disease ― and How to Fight It.” The titles were added to his virtual bookshelf on Goodreads between May 2022 and February 2023.
The reading list also linked to handwritten notes by Mangione that detailed he was suffering form spondylolisthesis, a condition that causes a vertebra to slip or shift into the vertebra below.
Mangione, who was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pa., following a five-day manhunt, was found with a three-page manifesto document accusing “parasitic” health insurance companies of corporate greed. REUTERSThe tech wiz hails from privileged beginnings. His grandfather, the family patriarch Nick Mangione Sr., built a network of businesses that ranged from developing and owning local resorts and country clubs to nursing homes and a radio station was beloved in Baltimore. Instagram / mscm128Mangione once praised Unabomber Ted Kaczynski’s 35,000-word manifesto in a four-star review on his Goodreads page, calling the domestic terrorist — a “political revolutionary.” via REUTERS
He traveled from Hawaii back to the East Coast for spinal fusion surgery in July, 2023, later texting Martin on Aug. 10 a photo of his spinal X-rays, The Times reported.
Mangione returned to Hawaii after the surgery, and moved into a 1,000-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment in February, records show, though it’s unclear if he lived alone.
He appeared to become more radicalized, praising Unabomber Ted Kaczynski 35,000-word manifesto on in a four-star review on his Goodreads page, calling the domestic terrorist — responsible for a series of bombings over a 17 year time period to call attention society’s dependence on technology — a “political revolutionary.”
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After March this year he stopped responding to messages from friends and then even his own family and his movement and whereabouts between then and the Dec. 4 shooting.
A concerned friend texted in June, “where in the world are you?” to no reply.
Mangione’s family reported him missing on November, 18 in San Francisco. Just days later he arrived in New York City on a Greyhound bus from Atlanta, according to sources, to scope out the scene and allegedly carry out his twisted plan to shoot down Thompson with a ghost gun he had 3-D printed.
“He was in a lot of pain and needed a lot of help,” another high school classmate told The Post.
“Of course I’m shocked but there was a darkness to him that was always there.”
A screenshot of alerts from HNL Alert and HI-EMA received today.
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Honolulu city officials are notifying the public of a false activation of emergency alert systems shortly after 11 a.m. today.
At about 11 a.m., an emergency alert was sent to Hawaii residents’ phones labeled as “Emergency Alert” that said, “TEST. PROFICIENCY DEMO COG TESTING. HAWAII EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY. THIS IS ONLY A TEST.”
In the context of emergency management, COG stands for “Continuity of Government.”
About 20 minutes later, city officials issued a message via HNL Alert saying, “The City and County of Honolulu has been informed by the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency that a live emergency alert message went out during testing of the system. THERE IS NO EMERGENCY.”
HI-EMA has not yet responded to an inquiry on the alert.
Hawaiian Airlines may be preparing nonstop service between Denver and Honolulu, based on a growing wave of speculation across emails, comments, communities, and industry discussions that continue to reach our news desk. At the center of the talk is the newly constructed widebody-capable infrastructure including gates at Denver International Airport, which some believe are being positioned for Hawaiian’s A330 aircraft.
This wouldn’t just mark a Hawaiian Airlines flight expansion—it could also be a pivotal move for Alaska Airlines, offering one of the first clear signals that Hawaii isn’t in any way being sidelined in its post-merger vision. With moves to date involving asset shifts away from Hawaii—including Dreamliners moving to international routes from Seattle—this could suggest precisely what the Hawaii routes upside could be going forward. A launch from Denver could be the statement.
While Hawaiian has never served Denver, such a move would represent a bold push into an underserved but high-demand market. With the new infrastructure coming online and Hawaiian’s A330 fleet in strategic flux amid the Alaska Airlines purchase, conditions may align for a fresh, longer-haul launch into the Rocky Mountain region.
Why Denver’s expansion is drawing attention.
Denver International Airport’s recent terminal expansion includes new gates designed for widebody aircraft, signaling its growing focus on long-haul and high-capacity operations. While Alaska Airlines is set to use two narrowbody gates, the widebody-ready positions remain unassigned. This has fueled speculation that Hawaiian Airlines might seize the opportunity to test its A330 fleet on a new Denver-Honolulu route.
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Industry buzz and direct traveler input.
We’ve recently heard from many readers—by email and in comments—raising questions about whether Hawaiian Airlines could be eyeing Denver for new nonstop service to Honolulu. In fact, we’ve had more than 400 comments mentioning Denver in relation to Hawaii flight potential, underscoring just how much interest this route continues to generate.
One regular visitor commented, “Any chance Denver finally gets nonstop service to Hawaii on Hawaiian? United’s flights are packed, and there’s room for more competition.” Another added, “Any chance Denver finally gets nonstop service to Hawaii on Hawaiian? And a third said, “Wishing that Hawaiian/Alaska will have a nonstop from Denver to anywhere in Hawaii. United needs the competition!!!!” Countless others had mirrored this or mentioned changes taking place at DEN. Clearly United’s flights are expensive, packed, and there’s room for more competition.”
Another added, “Wishing that Hawaiian/Alaska will have a nonstop from Denver to anywhere in Hawaii. United needs the competition!!!!”
That kind of question has become more common as speculation grows alongside broader industry chatter tied to Denver International Airport’s expanded widebody infrastructure and Hawaiian’s still-significant fleet of A330 aircraft.
While no route filings or gate assignments have been made public, the timing of DEN’s terminal upgrades and the ongoing Alaska-Hawaiian merger have many travelers and airline watchers, including us, connecting the dots.
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With Denver’s limited nonstop Hawaii options via United Airlines and strong outbound demand, it stands out as a logical candidate for expanded service, particularly with Hawaiian’s long-haul aircraft ready to be redeployed.
There’s been no official confirmation yet, but based on what we’re hearing, this has become one of the most talked-about possibilities for what might come next in Hawaii travel under Hawaiian’s new owner, Alaska.
Does Denver make strategic sense now?
United Airlines currently operates two daily nonstop flights between Denver and Honolulu. During peak periods, both flights typically use Boeing 777 aircraft, indicating significant demand. One of the two may shift to a 757 in off-peak seasons, but the 777 remains the dominant aircraft on the route.
United seat map Boeing 777.
We recently flew this aircraft on United’s Honolulu–San Francisco segment—it’s the same domestic configuration used on the Denver route. Up front, United’s cabin has lie-flat seats in a 2-4-2 configuration. In economy, the layout is 3-4-3, resulting in a denser, more cramped cabin with more middle seats.
Hawaiian’s A330, by contrast, features a 2-2-2 layout in lie-flat first class and a 2-4-2 arrangement in economy, offering fewer middle seats and a roomier overall experience.
Hawaiian seat map A330.
Most U.S. carriers—including American, Delta, and United—operate widebodies strategically. Despite its distance, Hawaii is increasingly served by narrowbody aircraft from carriers including Alaska, Southwest, and the legacy airlines. That makes Hawaiian’s widebody option another exception, not the norm. If launched, an A330 flight from Denver would be a rare comfort upgrade.
Hawaiian’s A330 fleet needs new direction.
Hawaiian’s Airbus A330 fleet remains the backbone of its long-haul Hawaii service, connecting the islands with high-traffic and distant U.S. mainland cities and international destinations, including Japan, South Korea, and Australia. And that’s not expected to change.
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As Hawaiian transitions under Alaska Airlines ownership, the A330 continues to be its most capable long-range domestic aircraft. Despite the addition of Boeing 787s to the broader merged fleet, those aircraft are expected to be operated primarily by Alaska out of Seattle on long-haul international routes, not on Hawaii flights.
That leaves the A330 as Hawaiian’s best option for expanding new service from further afield mainland hubs like Denver. The aircraft is ideally suited for the DEN-HNL route, offering capacity and passenger comfort while allowing the airline to make inroads into a new high-growth market.
A soft rollout of post-acquisition strategy?
If a DEN–HNL route launches, it could mark one of the first visible signs of how the Alaska–Hawaiian deal is beginning to shape real-world Hawaii flight strategy.
So far, most of the merger’s effects have been behind the scenes—loyalty alignment, operational integration, and leadership restructuring. Travelers haven’t seen significant route changes yet that reflect the new ownership.
That’s what makes Denver particularly noteworthy. A new route like this would show not just a recommitment to Hawaii service, but also a willingness by the combined airline to test long-haul opportunities outside the usual California and Pacific Northwest corridors—even before the integration is fully finalized.
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No formal announcement yet.
No formal announcement yet exists, but Denver has emerged as a high-interest possibility in the evolving Alaska–Hawaiian network. With widebody-capable gates coming online, Hawaiian’s A330s offering new deployment opportunities, and a strong market for Hawaii service in the Mountain West, the pieces seem to be falling into place.
At the same time, Alaska Airlines may look for a big win to reinforce its Hawaii strategy under the new combined brand. With Dreamliners now shifting to international routes from Seattle and little in the way of new major Hawaii wins so far, Denver–Honolulu would be a high-profile move in the other direction—an expansion, not a contraction. For both airlines, this could be the route that signals what’s next.
Kilauea on Hawaii’s Big Island, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, is erupting again this week, spewing fountains of lava more than 330 feet in the air.
It’s the latest event in an eruption which started nearly six months ago and scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory say the fountains could climb even higher as the activity intensifies.
Impressive video from cameras focused on the volcano showed a stream of lava shooting out of the site.
Kilauea on Hawaii’s Big Island is one of the world’s most active volcanoes (United States Geological Survey)
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Lava fountaining during episode 24 of the ongoing summit eruption of Kilauea on June 5 (USGS)
According to the County of Hawaii Civil Defense, the eruption is causing the heavy traffic on the island’s Highway 11, fronting the entrance of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
The latest event was preceded by gas-pistoning, where gas accumulates at a lava column’s top within a vent, on Tuesday.
The observatory said this process causes the lava surface to rise or piston.
“Eventually, gas escapes as splatter/lava is erupted, and lave drains back into the vent,” the observatory wrote on its Facebook page.
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This photo provided by Janice Wei shows Candi Hololio Johnson, left, and Kim Kozuma, both on horseback, as they watch lava shooting out of Kilauea volcano’s summit caldera inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii back in March (Janice Wei 2025)
These were occurring up to 10 times an hour, but increased in intensity until a small, sustained dome fountain began to feed flows to the crater floor a day later.
It is the 25th eruptive episode since the volcano on the southeastern part of the island began erupting on December 23. It has been pausing and resuming since.
Most of the eruptive episodes have spewed lava for about a day or less, with pauses between them generally lasting a few days.
No changes have been detected in the East or Southwest Rift Zones. All current and recent activity has remained within the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, officials said.
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Park visitors are reminded to stay clear of closed areas around Kilauea’s caldera rim, which remain hazardous due to unstable crater walls, rockfalls and ground cracking.
Hazards from the volcano eruption include elevated sulfur dioxide gas emissions and Pele’s hair, or strands of glassy lava that can irritate skin and eyes if handled or inhaled, officials said.
