Five jaw-dropping criminal cases that proved 2025 was stranger than fiction

There was no shortage of high-profile criminal cases in 2025, many of which illustrated that sometimes reality is wilder than fiction. Here are five that were at the forefront of the conversation and captured attention countrywide.

1. United States vs. Luigi Mangione

A murder charge rocked the country at the end of last year, with a highly publicized case playing out in 2025. Luigi Mangione was taken into federal custody on December 19, 2024, and charged with the stalking and murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.