Minnesota assassin Vance Boelter who killed top state Dem Melissa Hortman, her husband to be sentenced
The Minnesota man who pleaded guilty to killing a top Democratic lawmaker and her husband is set to be sentenced in federal court Thursday.Vance Boelter, 59, agreed to plead guilty in June, almost a year after the Minneapolis-area attacks when he stalked and killed House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and critically wounded state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette.Boelter pleaded guilty to six counts so federal prosecutors would not seek the death penalty; instead, he agreed to serve two consecutive life sentences, plus 40 years.Prosecutors and federal defenders said it was the maximum sentence he could be issued short of the death penalty.Boelter admitted in court that he spent months identifying and stalking his targets, before driving to their homes in the middle of the night, disguised as a police officer, with the intention of killing them.The killings sparked the largest police search in state history, causing panic, fear, and increased security and precautions.
Elected officials faced escalating threats and political polarization that many worried would lead to more violence and attacks.A presentencing memorandum submitted to the federal court in late June was sealed as of early Thursday, along with objections to that report.But prosecutors and Boelter’s defense team also submitted letters detailing their positions on the potential sentence.“Vance Boelter committed an assault on democracy,” prosecutors wrote in their filing.“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.”Boelter went to Hortman’s home, wearing a tactical uniform and mask, about 3:30 a.m.on June 14, 2025. He rang the doorbell while shouting he was a police officer doing a welfare check, according to court documents.Mark Hortman answered the door.
Boelter gave him a fake name and badge n...