Vance Boelter was sentenced to two consecutive life terms plus 40 years Thursday in the murders of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark.
The 58-year-old also attempted to murder Sen. John Hoffman, his wife, Yvette, and their daughter, Hope.
He pleaded guilty last month to two counts of murder through the use of a firearm, two counts of stalking, and two federal firearms offenses.
“Boelter’s crimes are among the most serious ever committed in the District of Minnesota. 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. Justice requires the greatest term of imprisonment permitted by law,” prosecutors wrote ahead of Thursday’s sentencing.
In the early morning hours of June 14, 2025, Hoffman and his wife were shot multiple times in their Champlin home by Boelter, who was posing as a police officer. The Hoffmans survived after their daughter called authorities.
Shortly thereafter, Mark and Melissa Hortman were shot and killed in their Brooklyn Park home by Boelter. A 43-hour manhunt for the gunman ensued which eventually led to the apprehension of Boelter.
Before Boelter was apprehended, authorities found Boelter’s reported “hit list” which included names of abortion clinics and Democratic politicians. After Boelter was apprehended, authorities found a letter Boelter addressed to FBI Director Kash Patel.
In the letter, Boelter confessed to being the “shooter at large in Minnesota” and alleged that he had been “trained by U.S. Military people off the books starting in college.”
Boelter also alleged that he was part of a plot in which Gov. Tim Walz threatened to hurt Boelter’s family unless Boelter killed U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and someone named Tina. The letter’s mention of “Tina” appears to be a reference to U.S. Sen. Tina Smith.
However, in their sentencing memo, prosecutors said law enforcement “learned that Boelter had acted alone and no one had prior knowledge of his plans.”
“Boelter’s statements in his letter to the FBI Director were also false—Boelter did not act on behalf of any government or any public authority,” they wrote.
By changing his plea to guilty, Boelter avoided the death penalty — as well as a trial that could have shed more light on his actions and motives.
Boelter’s attorney wrote in court documents that his guilty plea and agreement to serve maximum sentences showed his “sincere remorse.”
“Today’s sentence ensures that this violent criminal will spend the rest of his life in federal prison for his calculated and heinous acts of violence against Minnesota public servants and their families,” said Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Political violence is an attack not only on its immediate victims, but also on our communities, our democratic institutions, and the rule of law.”
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said after Thursday’s sentencing that she will move forward with her prosecution of Boelter on state murder charges.
Anthony Gockowski
Anthony Gockowski is Editor-in-Chief of Alpha News. He previously worked as an editor for The Minnesota Sun and Campus Reform, and wrote for the Daily Caller.
