A Minnesota man has been sentenced to two consecutive life terms plus 40 years in prison for the murders of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. Vance Boelter, 59, also received sentences for the shootings of state Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, who survived the attack.
Boelter pleaded guilty last month to avoid the death penalty, agreeing to the maximum sentence available short of capital punishment. The killings, which occurred on June 14, 2025, prompted the largest police search in state history.
During his sentencing, Boelter attempted to apologize, but supporters of the victims left the courtroom as he began to speak. "To every person I have caused loss, pain, heartache, confusion, sadness, shame, or loneliness, I am truly sorry," Boelter stated.
Boelter admitted to stalking his targets for months and disguising himself as a police officer to carry out the attacks. He arrived at the Hortmans' Brooklyn Park home around 3:30 a.m., wearing a tactical uniform and mask, and falsely claimed to be conducting a welfare check. When Mark Hortman answered the door, Boelter shot him multiple times. He then entered the home and shot Melissa Hortman as she attempted to flee upstairs.
Boelter had previously gone to the Hoffmans' residence, where he shot and critically injured the senator and his wife. Court documents indicate that Boelter also visited the homes of two other lawmakers that night, but no one answered at one, and he was approached by a police officer at another.
The surviving victims and family members delivered emotional statements in court. Senator Hoffman described the acts as "calculated violence" and detailed the lasting impact on his and his wife's lives, including implementing new security measures and living with physical injuries. "The defendant looked me in the eyes and pulled the trigger. The defendant looked at my wife and chose to do the same," Hoffman said.
Yvette Hoffman testified about her trauma and ongoing therapy, recalling the struggle to expel Boelter from their home. "I fought him, your Honor, with everything I had. And I finally got him out of our home," she stated, adding, "We always have an escape plan now. This isn't how people should live."
Mark Hortman's family expressed anger over the sentence, with his sister, Lisa Hortman Bean, noting the injustice of Boelter receiving room and board paid by taxpayers for the rest of his life. However, Melissa Hortman's parents and children remembered her and Mark as devoted parents and influential figures.
"It is impossible to realize the damage that has been done not only to our family, but to our society," said Harold Haluptzok, Melissa Hortman's father. He added, "I wish the perpetrator would have sat down and talked to Melissa about his political positions. If only he did that before he decided to kill them."
The Hortmans' golden retriever was also gravely injured during the shootings and had to be euthanized. Boelter faces additional state charges, including murder, attempted murder, impersonating a police officer, and animal cruelty. The Hoffmans have also filed a personal injury lawsuit against Boelter.
