In a chilling turn of events following the high-profile murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, federal authorities have arrested a Saratoga County man for allegedly terrorizing Thompson’s grieving family with a barrage of threatening voicemails. Shane Daley, 40, of Galway, New York, now faces federal cyberstalking charges after an eight-month FBI investigation traced the harassing calls to his home.
According to the criminal complaint, Daley began his campaign of harassment just hours after Thompson, 50, was gunned down outside Manhattan’s Hilton Midtown on December 4, 2024. Thompson was in New York to attend an investor conference—a gathering that would never take place for him. The murder, described by prosecutors as a targeted act of terror, shocked both the business world and the public, sparking renewed debate over the healthcare industry and its critics. Luigi Mangione, 27, remains in custody facing murder and terrorism charges for the killing, which authorities allege was meant to draw attention to what Mangione called a predatory healthcare system.
But as Thompson’s family reeled from the loss, their suffering was compounded by a series of vile, threatening voicemails left by Daley on a work phone line belonging to a family member in Minnesota. Federal prosecutors allege that between December 4 and December 7, 2024, Daley left multiple messages laced with expletives, threats, and taunts. In one particularly disturbing voicemail, Daley allegedly declared, “Your [family member] got lit the f— up cause he’s a f—— asshole.” Another message chillingly stated, “You all deserve to f—— die and burn in hell. F— you. F— your f—— kids.”
According to ABC News and the U.S. Department of Justice, Daley’s messages didn’t stop at mere threats. He also mocked a public statement from Paulette “Pauley” Thompson, the widow of Brian Thompson, in which she described her husband as “an incredibly loving, generous, talented man who truly lived life to the fullest and touched so many lives.” The criminal complaint notes that Daley’s voicemails ridiculed this sentiment, further deepening the family’s anguish.
The FBI’s investigation relied heavily on digital forensics. Agents traced the location data from the calls directly to Daley’s Saratoga County residence, a fact confirmed by multiple news outlets including NBC News and NewsNation. This digital breadcrumb trail led to a search warrant executed on Daley’s phone on July 30, 2025. When confronted by investigators, Daley initially denied making the calls. However, as documented in the criminal complaint, he eventually conceded it was possible he made them, especially since he admitted to having been drinking during that period. He also told the FBI he was the sole user of the phone from which the calls originated.
Christopher Raia, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York office, didn’t mince words about the impact of Daley’s actions. “The recurrent calls and messages in the days following Brian Thompson’s murder were more than callous and cold-hearted harassment – they were threatening and terrified a family already suffering following the violent death of their loved one,” Raia said in a statement reported by NBC News. “The FBI will continue to bring to justice any individual attempting to stalk and harass innocent Americans.”
Acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III, who is leading the prosecution in the Northern District of New York, echoed these sentiments. “Daley, as alleged, gleefully welcomed this tragedy and did all that he could to increase the Thompson family’s pain and suffering,” Sarcone said. “My office and its partners will now do all that we can to hold him accountable for this vicious and outrageous conduct.”
The voicemails, which targeted Paulette Thompson and referenced the couple’s two children, left the family in fear for their safety during an already traumatic time. While the criminal complaint refers to Paulette as “Victim-1,” all evidence points to her as the recipient of the calls. In one message, Daley is alleged to have said, “This s--- is gonna keep happening to you f------ p-----,” and in another, he reportedly threatened that Thompson’s children “deserved to meet the same violent end.”
Daley’s arrest on August 13, 2025, culminated in his first appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart in Albany. He was released from custody under strict conditions: he must wear a GPS monitoring device, is prohibited from consuming alcohol, and cannot possess firearms. His case is set to return to court for further proceedings, where additional release conditions will be discussed. The maximum penalty for the cyberstalking charge is five years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
Legal experts note that while the statutory maximum is severe, actual sentences often depend on federal guidelines and the judge’s discretion. Still, the charge sends a clear message about the seriousness with which authorities are treating cyberstalking, especially when it targets victims already reeling from tragedy.
The wider context of the case is equally unsettling. Brian Thompson’s assassination outside a Manhattan hotel was not a random act of violence. Prosecutors allege that Mangione, the accused shooter, intended the killing as a “targeted act of terror” to provoke public outrage over the practices of large health insurers like UnitedHealthcare. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to both murder and terrorism charges. The killing drew widespread media attention, with some critics of the healthcare industry expressing anger, but the overwhelming public response was one of shock and sympathy for the Thompson family.
Daley’s actions, as described in the criminal complaint and echoed by federal prosecutors, appear to have been motivated by animosity toward the healthcare industry as well. In his voicemails, he referred to Thompson as a “f------ capitalist pig” and accused him of “profiting off the backs of poor Americans.” The case thus highlights the dangerous intersection of personal grief, public outrage, and the misuse of technology to amplify harm.
As the legal process unfolds, the Thompson family continues to grapple with the aftermath of both a public tragedy and a deeply personal violation. Authorities hope that the swift arrest and prosecution of Daley will offer some measure of justice, and perhaps deter others from exploiting moments of vulnerability to inflict further pain.
For now, the case stands as a stark reminder: in an age where technology can be wielded for both connection and cruelty, law enforcement is watching—and ready to act when the line is crossed.