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Luigi Mangione, Accused of Murder, Reveals Unexpected Musical Tastes: Taylor Swift and Charli XCX
A leaked letter from alleged murderer Luigi Mangione has revealed a surprising detail about his life behind bars: a newfound gratitude for pop music icons taylor Swift and Charli XCX. The revelation adds another layer to the complex public fascination surrounding the case, which has already spawned fan casting for a potential film and spurred the development of multiple documentaries.
Mangione, arrested in December 2024 for allegedly shooting and killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel, has become a cultural phenomenon over the past year. He has garnered a significant online following, with some advocating for his freedom and others captivated by his appearance. currently awaiting trial on second-degree murder charges at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, Mangione turned 27 in May 2025.
The details emerged from a letter penned by Mangione reflecting on his 27th birthday, which was afterward leaked online. In the letter, he recounts downloading music onto his prison tablet, including tracks by Swift and XCX. “Last week, I downloaded a bunch of Taylor Swift and Charli XCX onto my tablet,” he wrote. “I’ve never really listened to either of them,but some phony list of my favorite music circulated on social media… Rather than be a buzzkill and set the record straight,I figured I’d see what all the hype was about.”
He described an encounter while listening to Taylor Swift’s “cardigan.” “So I’m walking laps on the top tier of my unit listening to ‘cardigan’ by TSwift, when one of the other inmates, ‘King,’ calls me over to see what I’m listening to. He scolds me for awhile, then replaces all my music. Now I listen to Lil Durk.”
The story highlights the unusual circumstances surrounding Mangione’s case and the intense public interest it has generated. A post on X (formerly Twitter) from @xcxsource on October 28,2025,shared a snippet of the letter,further amplifying the story:
Luigi Mangione allegedly downloaded “a bunch” of Charli xcx songs onto his tablet in jail:
“Last week,I downloaded a bunch of Taylor Swift and Charli XCX onto my tablet. I’ve never really listened to either of them… I figured l’d see what all the hype was about.So I’m walking… pic.twitter.com/0tUkNBbX4l
The online fervor surrounding Mangione extends beyond his musical tastes. The internet has actively engaged in fan-casting for a potential film adaptation of his story. Actor Dave Franco recently confirmed he has been inundated with suggestions to portray Mangione, with his wife, Alison Brie, jokingly noting that “everyone” has reached out to him about the role. However, Franco clarified that no official offers have been made to date.
Adding to the media attention,two documentaries about Mangione are currently in production. One, spearheaded by Stephen Robert Morse – known for his work on the netflix documentary Amanda Knox – will focus on those directly involved in the murder, including Thompson’s family and Mangione himself, and will also explore the complexities of private healthcare. The second documentary, from Anonymous Content and Jigsaw Prods, will be directed by Alex Gibney, whose previous work includes documentaries on Scientology, WikiLeaks
