The alleged assassin of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson appeared to have left three words on the bullets used Wednesday to murder the insurance company’s top boss in Midtown Manhattan: deny, depose and defend, sources told the New York Post.

The New York City Police Department (NYPD) launched a probe into the words engraved on the live rounds and shell castings abandoned by the alleged shooter, who fled after striking Thompson, 50, several times at 6:46 a.m., according to the New York Post.

The three words closely resemble the title of the 2010 book “Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It.”

The book criticizes the insurance business, of which Thompson was one of the most powerful company executives while helming UnitedHealthcare.

Excerpts from the book’s website describe insurance companies’ “delay, deny, defend strategy,” citing anecdotes of individuals who say their claims were painfully slow-walked to outright rejected.

“The company delays payment of a claim, denies all or part of a valid claim, or aggressively defends litigation the policyholder is forced to bring to get what he is rightfully owed. When insurance doesn’t work, the consequences are more severe than when any other kind of company fails to keep its promise,” the excerpt from author Jay M. Feinman’s book reads.

“If a homeowner hires someone to paint his house and the painter never shows up, the homeowner can take his money and hire someone else. If the insurance company refuses to pay a claim, it is too late to go elsewhere for another policy; no company will write a policy that will pay for fire damage that has already occurred,” the excerpt continues.

Police found three live 9-millimeter rounds and three discharged castings in front of the Hilton hotel, where Thompson exited alone before the alleged targeted shooting occurred, NYPD officials said Wednesday in a press conference. (RELATED: REPORT: Police Say UnitedHealthcare CEO Assassinated In Targeted Shooting)

🚨 NYPD press conference on the targeted shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan early Wednesday pic.twitter.com/7dphMygoDW

— Julianna Frieman (@JuliannaFrieman) December 4, 2024

There was one word on each individual piece of evidence, sources told the New York Post, suggesting that the alleged murderer may have been trying to leave a message.

“Based on the evidence we have so far, it does appear that the victim was specifically targeted,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said at an earlier conference. “But at this point, we do not know why. This does not appear to be a random act of violence.”

Surveillance footage appears to show the suspect, who is still at large, aim and fire his gun at Thompson’s back using a silencer. He appeared to be an experienced shooter, NYPD officials said at the press conference.

The suspect ran into an alley before jumping onto an e-bike, which he rode north along Sixth Avenue into Central Park, police told the Post.

He left coffee, a water bottle and two PowerBars in a nearby trashcan before allegedly murdering the insurance CEO, sources told the New York Post. Police said they have since retrieved his garbage as evidence, also locating an abandoned cellphone at the scene.