Luigi Mangione, the accused murderer facing serious charges in both Pennsylvania and New York, is crying foul over how police obtained his DNA.
His legal team is now fighting to have the evidence tossed, arguing that law enforcement used deceptive tactics to collect it, as reported by TMZ.
Luigi Mangione claims cops illegally collected his DNA by giving him snacks after McDonald’s arrest https://t.co/7tGbj5NEBp pic.twitter.com/TzggMwK6Go
— New York Post (@nypost) March 17, 2025
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According to newly filed court documents, Mangione claims that police in Altoona, Pennsylvania, pulled a sneaky move after arresting him at a local McDonald’s.
Officers allegedly offered him a snack and a soda at the police station—not out of kindness, but as a way to secure a DNA sample. His attorney is calling foul, arguing that this was an illegal search and labeling the DNA evidence as “poisonous fruits.”
But that’s not all. Mangione insists that police had no legal justification to detain him in the first place when they approached him at the fast-food joint.

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On top of that, he argues that officers unlawfully seized his belongings, including a notebook allegedly containing a manifesto—a move he claims was designed to sway public opinion against him.
His legal team is now demanding that the court block the use of any evidence obtained during what they argue was an unlawful search.
The legal fight is taking place in Pennsylvania, where Mangione is charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery, and providing false identification to law enforcement.
Meanwhile, his legal troubles are far more serious in New York. There, he faces a slew of charges, including first-degree murder, second-degree murder as a crime of terrorism, and multiple weapons offenses.

Federal prosecutors have also slapped him with charges of murder through use of a firearm, stalking, and additional firearms violations.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all charges, but his legal strategy appears to hinge on challenging how the evidence was collected. The court will now have to decide whether police played fair or crossed a constitutional line.
One thing’s for sure—cops these days aren’t just relying on fingerprints and witness statements. A little creativity and a well-timed snack may have just sealed this case.