MINNEAPOLIS — A 59-year-old Minnesota man who admitted to killing a prominent Democratic state lawmaker and her husband is scheduled to face sentencing in federal court Thursday.
Vance Boelter entered a guilty plea in June, nearly a year after a series of attacks in the Minneapolis area in which he stalked and fatally shot House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark. He also critically wounded state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette in the same overnight rampage.
To avoid the death penalty, Boelter pleaded guilty to six federal counts. In exchange, he agreed to a sentence of two consecutive life terms plus 40 additional years — which prosecutors and defense attorneys described as the harshest possible punishment outside of execution.
During court proceedings, Boelter acknowledged spending months identifying and tracking his intended targets before driving to their homes in the early morning hours, dressed as a law enforcement officer, with the goal of killing them.
The attacks set off the largest police manhunt in Minnesota’s history and sent shockwaves through the state’s political community, triggering widespread fear, heightened security measures, and concerns about escalating threats against elected officials.
A presentencing report filed with the federal court in late June remains under seal, as do objections to that document. However, both prosecutors and Boelter’s defense team submitted separate letters outlining their positions ahead of Thursday’s sentencing.
In their filing, prosecutors painted a stark picture of the crimes: “Vance Boelter committed an assault on democracy. He shattered the lives of his victims. He terrified Minnesota’s public servants. He threatened police and pointed a gun at an officer. He viciously attacked the organs of Minnesota’s representative government.”
According to court records, Boelter arrived at Melissa Hortman’s home around 3:30 a.m. on June 14, 2025, wearing a tactical uniform and mask. He rang the doorbell while announcing himself as a police officer conducting a welfare check. When Mark Hortman came to the door, Boelter provided a false name and badge number, then asked him to bring his wife to the entrance. Boelter shot Mark Hortman multiple times, then forced his way inside and shot the lawmaker as she attempted to flee upstairs. Both Melissa and Mark Hortman died from their wounds.
Earlier that same night, Boelter had already gone to the Hoffmans’ home, where he shot and critically injured the senator and his wife. Court documents also indicate he visited two other lawmakers’ residences that evening — at one home nobody came to the door, and at another he fled after a police officer approached his vehicle, apparently mistaking him for a fellow officer.
Boelter also faces separate state-level charges, including two counts of murder, four counts of attempted murder, impersonating a law enforcement officer, and animal cruelty. The Hortman family’s golden retriever was severely injured during the shootings and later had to be euthanized. The Hoffman family filed a personal injury lawsuit against Boelter in April.
In a letter submitted regarding sentencing, Boelter’s attorney asked that he be placed in a federal correctional facility in Florida, be permitted to work in order to pay restitution, and be allowed to take part in therapy and other in-person programs. The letter noted that Boelter had spent decades working in food service and had experience in several other areas.
Federal defender Manny Atwal wrote on his client’s behalf: “Mr. Boelter understands that his impending sentence means he will spend the rest of his life in prison. But the skill set he maintains from his diverse employment history makes him a strong candidate for programming, employment, and other opportunities at the Bureau of Prisons.”
