Luigi Mangione officially eligible for the death penalty if found guilty for CEO shooting

Luigi Mangione has pleaded not guilty for the murder of the UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson as prosecutors seek the death penalty in the trial.

Thompson was shot and killed in December 4 last year and prosecutors hope to prove that 26-year-old Luigi Mangione was the shooter.

On Friday (April 25) Mangione pleaded not guilty to the federal charges of stalking, firearms offences and murder.

Mangione will now face a trial for the case of Thompson's death and if found guilty, he can be eligible for the death penalty.

According to a BBC report, as Mangione is facing two murder cases, one for state charges and another for federal charges, his lawyers have asked to have the federal case first.

This is due to the fact that the federal case carries the potential of a death sentence.

Luigi Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the charges he faces(Steven Hirsch - Pool/Getty Images)

Mangione’s actual trial will not take place until at least 2026 as prosecutors have said they have 3 terabytes worth of data to go through.

A judge told the court she will hold the next conference in December where an official date for the trial will be set.