A Minnesota man has been sentenced to two consecutive life terms plus 40 years in prison for the killings of a top Democratic lawmaker and her husband, and the shootings of a state senator and his wife. Vance Boelter, 59, received the sentence on Thursday, just over a year after the attacks.
Boelter pleaded guilty in June to six counts related to the incidents, including murder and attempted murder. He agreed to the maximum sentence short of the death penalty to avoid capital punishment. The father and siblings of Mark Hortman, the slain husband of House Speaker Melissa Hortman, expressed anger that Boelter would not face the death penalty.
During the sentencing hearing, fellow lawmakers and survivors recounted the lasting fear and physical harm inflicted by Boelter. State Sen. John Hoffman described how he and his wife Yvette, who were critically injured, live with constant reminders of the violence. He stated that they no longer receive mail at home, have installed steel doors, and have altered daily routines due to their 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. "My wife and I now live with injuries. We live with our bodies remembering the gunfire."
Yvette Hoffman reported being too traumatized to work since the attack and attends weekly therapy. "I fought him, your Honor, with everything I had. And I finally got him out of our home. I will never forget looking down and watching my blood slowly stream down that white washing machine as I felt myself sinking to the floor," she said. "We always have an escape plan now. This isn’t how people should live."
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 intent to kill. The killings prompted the largest police search in Minnesota history.
Democratic State Rep. Kristin Bahner, whose home Boelter also visited that night while she and her family were on vacation, spoke of being shaken by the events and questioning why she was spared while Hortman was not.
Boelter approached Hortman's home around 3:30 a.m. on June 14, 2025, wearing a tactical uniform and mask. He identified himself as a police officer conducting a welfare check. After Mark Hortman answered the door, Boelter presented a fake name and badge number, then requested Mark summon Melissa Hortman. Boelter shot Mark Hortman multiple times before entering the house and shooting Melissa Hortman as she fled upstairs. Both were killed.
Boelter also faces state charges including animal cruelty for gravely injuring the Hortmans' golden retriever, which had to be euthanized. The Hoffmans filed a personal injury lawsuit against Boelter in April.