Arson suspected at home of Bayer exec's New Jersey home—3 months after UnitedHealthcare CEO assassinated

Three months to the day after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot from behind in New York City, a fire at an executive of Bayer is being investigated as arson.

The fire was reported at around 7:30 am on March 4 at the Madison, New Jersey residence of the unnamed executive, NBC News reported. The fire at the home, which was occupied at the time, was "quickly extinguished by the Madison Fire Department," said the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. "The structure sustained no significant damage, and there were no reported injuries."

At least eight agencies are investigating the matter as arson, including the FBI, Morris County Sheriff’s Office, New York City police, Madison Police and New Jersey State Police.

Bayer spokesperson Nicole Hayes told the Daily Record that "an incident occurred at the private home of one of Bayer’s U.S. executives" and "the family is safe and unharmed."

She added, "The safety and security of our employees are of utmost importance to Bayer. The incident is under active investigation. The company is cooperating fully with the investigation. We appreciate the quick response of local law enforcement."

On December 4, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot outside of a Manhattan hotel as Thompson was set to attend the company’s annual shareholder meeting. Photos taken of a masked suspect launched a nationwide hunt for the person, which resulted in the arrest of Luigi Mangione in a Pennsylvania McDonald’s restaurant days later.

In the wake of Thompson’s killing, State Accident Insurance Fund CEO Chip Terhune was shot at by a hooded gunman near his Lake Oswego, Oregon, home. Posters appeared in New York City calling for violence against other executives with OptumHealth and UnitedHealthcare.