Vance Boelter, 59, will serve two consecutive life sentences plus 40 years after pleading guilty to federal charges in the June 2025 attacks that killed Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. The sentence, handed down in federal court, is the maximum possible short of the death penalty.
Boelter admitted to stalking his targets for months before disguising himself as a police officer and fatally shooting the Hortmans at their home. He also critically wounded state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in separate attacks the same night. The violence prompted the largest police search in Minnesota's history and heightened security concerns for elected officials.
Prosecutors described Boelter's actions as an "assault on democracy" that shattered lives and terrified public servants. Court documents reveal Boelter approached the Hortman residence around 3:30 a.m. on June 14, 2025, identifying himself as a police officer and requesting a welfare check. When Mark Hortman answered the door, Boelter provided a fake name and badge number before asking for Melissa Hortman. After shooting Mark Hortman, Boelter entered the home and shot the lawmaker as she retreated upstairs. Both victims died from their injuries.
Earlier that night, Boelter had also targeted the Hoffmans, inflicting critical injuries on both. He had also visited the homes of two other lawmakers, with one encounter resulting in him being spooked by an approaching police officer. The Hortmans' golden retriever was also gravely injured and subsequently euthanized.
In addition to the federal sentence, Boelter faces state charges, including murder, attempted murder, impersonating a police officer, and animal cruelty. The Hoffman family has filed a personal injury lawsuit against Boelter.
Boelter's defense team requested he be placed in a federal prison in Florida, allowed to work to pay restitution, and participate in therapy programs. His attorney noted Boelter's decades of experience in food service and other fields as making him a suitable candidate for Bureau of Prisons programs.