Jason Arday Found Dead, Mangione Pleads Guilty in Federal Case, USS Lincoln Relief: AM Update 8/17

August 17, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Former Cambridge Professor Found Dead, Mangione Pleads Guilty in Federal Case, USS Lincoln Relief: AM Update

Good morning, everyone. I'm Megyn Kelly. It's Monday, August 17th, 2026, and this is your AM update.

Former Cambridge University professor Jason Arday was found dead at his London home Friday, little more than a week after resigning amid mounting allegations of plagiarism and lying about his biography. Central Police described his death as unexpected but not suspicious, with no cause of death publicly announced; it is believed to have been a suicide.

Arday became an international academic celebrity in 2023 when, at 37, he was named Cambridge University's youngest ever Black professor. His rise was powered by an extraordinary origin story: the son of Ghanaian immigrants, Arday said he was diagnosed with autism as a child, did not speak until he was almost 12, could not read or write until 18, and nevertheless went on to earn a doctorate before becoming a professor at one of the world's most prestigious universities. Over the years, he claimed he survived epilepsy, cancer, a brain tumor, a stroke, and more, while simultaneously becoming an elite endurance athlete and distance runner, not to mention a prolific author.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:33) **Episode Opening & Headlines** - Megyn Kelly introduces the Monday, August 17th, 2026 AM update with a quick rundown of the top stories.
2 (03:15) **Jason Arday Found Dead** - Former Cambridge University professor Jason Arday was found dead at his London home on Friday, just over a week after resigning amid a scandal.
3 (07:09) **Luigi Mangione Pleads Guilty in Federal Case** - Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty on Friday to federal stalking charges for the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and is now trying to use that plea to dismiss his state murder case.
4 (10:16) **Legal Analysis on Mangione's Strategy** - MK True Crime Show co-host Phil Holloway analyzes Mangione's legal move, calling it the strongest play available given the public nature of the crime.
5 (12:54) **Mangione's Pending Pennsylvania Charges** - Even after the federal and New York cases are resolved, Luigi Mangione still faces a separate prosecution in Pennsylvania.
6 (13:57) **USS Abraham Lincoln Relief** - The USS Abraham Lincoln is finally heading home after an extended Middle East deployment, as sailors and their families speak out about harsh conditions aboard the carrier.
7 (17:19) **Families and Sailors Respond to Criticism** - Family members and sailors push back against the administration's dismissal of the reports, sharing their own accounts of the strain.

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Guests on this episode

Megyn Kelly Phil Holloway

Show Notes

Former Cambridge professor Jason Arday is found dead days after resigning amid plagiarism allegations and growing scrutiny of his personal history. Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to federal stalking charges in Brian Thompson’s killing and moves to have his separate New York murder case dismissed - The MK True Crime Show co-host Phil Holloway weighs in. The USS George Washington heads to the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln as sailors and families raise concerns about conditions during its extended deployment. CBS News correspondent Matt Gutman faces workplace harassment allegations from a former ABC News producer in a wrongful-termination lawsuit.

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