Internet sleuths hunt for clues on murder of UnitedHealth's Brian Thompson

Sleuths and true-crime fans across social media have been looking for clues about the killer's motivation and how he managed to flee from the scene and seemingly disappear

The man wanted for questioning in connection to the investigation of the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Picture: New York City Police Department via AP

Zooming in on surveillance footage of a gun that could have had a silencer fitted to it. Scouring the web to identify the brand of a backpack. Triangulating data of a rental bike to uncover an escape route.

Wednesday's shocking murder in Manhattan of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson — what police called a targeted killing — brought out a bevy of sleuths and true-crime fans across social media looking for clues about the killer's motivation and how he managed to flee from the scene and seemingly disappear into the city of more than 8 million people.