Judge in Luigi Mangione case married to former healthcare exec and allegedly owns 'thousands in healthcare stock'

The judge in the Luigi Mangione murder case is married to a former healthcare exec and allegedly owns 'thousands in healthcare stock', according to a recent report.

UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Johnson was shot and killed in what is alleged to have been a targeted attack by 26-year-old Mangione.

Johnson was shot twice in the back and in the leg as he left the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan earlier this month.

Officials later announced that a person of interest had been detained after being spotted in a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, following a tip-off from an employee at the fast-food joint.

Mangione now faces multiple charges from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, including first- and second-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and possessing a forged driver’s license.

Luigi Mangione has been charged with murder (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The suspect pleaded not guilty on Monday (December 23).

The judge who is presiding over the pre-trial hearings for Mangione has faced criticism from some over recent days due to her apparent ties to the healthcare industry.

Journalist Ken Klippenstein states Magistrate Judge Katharine H. owns 'thousands in healthcare stock', including Pfizer.

The judge's husband, Bret Parker, previously held the positions of vice president and assistant general counsel at Pfizer.

Judge park also has investments in other health companies, including the likes of Abbott Laboratories, Viatris, and Intellia Therapeutics.

On top of that, Klippenstein reports that Judge Parker owns between $50,000 and $100,000 in Pfizer stock.

"The judge's ties to the healthcare business are a stark reminder of how pervasive the for-profit industry is in American life — a point made by Mangione himself," Ken Klippenstein wrote in his report.

Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker is handing the pre-trial hearings (Southern District of New York)

Mangione now faces two trials for the crimes he has been accused of; one state case and one federal prosecution.

The two cases are set to run parallel to one another, with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office confirming to CNN that it is coordinating with federal authorities for Mangione’s arraignment on the state charges.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement: “Today, the Justice Department has brought federal murder charges against Luigi Mangione. As alleged, Mangione planned his attack for months and stalked his victim for days before murdering him — methodically planning when, where, and how to carry out his crime. I am grateful to our state and local law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts to locate and apprehend the defendant and to ensure that he answers for his alleged crime.”