Vance Boelter pleaded guilty Thursday to the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, admitting responsibility for a June 2025 attack that killed former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband while wounding state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife.
The 58-year-old Boelter entered the plea during a federal hearing in St. Paul, pleading guilty to six counts as part of an agreement with prosecutors that will spare him from the death penalty. Under the deal, Boelter faces a recommended sentence of two consecutive terms of life imprisonment followed by 40 years.
Background
The June 14, 2025, shootings sent shockwaves through Minnesota's political establishment and drew national attention to political violence against elected officials. Boelter previously pleaded not guilty to two counts of stalking, two counts of murder and two counts of firearms violations in the case that claimed two lives and left two others wounded.
Boelter targeted the legislators over what authorities described as longstanding grievances related to his opposition to COVID-19 policies. The attack occurred at the homes of both couples in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park.
Melissa Hortman, who served as former House Speaker, was killed alongside her husband Mark during the shooting. State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were wounded in a separate attack that day.
The Charges
Boelter pleaded guilty to six federal counts stemming from the dual attacks. U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen called Boelter "brutally murderous" at a news conference following Thursday's hearing, describing the crimes as "among the worst political violence crimes that we have seen."
"The Attorney General has authorized and directed the government not to seek the death penalty against Defendant Vance Luther Boelter in accordance with the terms delineated in a proposed plea agreement," Rosen said in a letter announcing the decision earlier this week.
Rosen emphasized that the death penalty was removed from consideration only because Boelter accepted the plea deal. "That was the only circumstance under which the death penalty was off the table," he said, adding that his office was confident it could have secured a death sentence had Boelter gone to trial.
U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina Wright approved the plea agreement and ordered expedited sentencing, with plans to conclude the process before the end of July. While the final sentence remains at the court's discretion, the judge indicated she is likely to accept the prosecution's recommendation.
Boelter also faces separate state charges in Hennepin County, including two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, four counts of attempted first-degree murder, felony cruelty to an animal and impersonating a police officer. A conviction on one of the first-degree murder charges carries a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole.
The Hoffman family has filed a civil lawsuit against Boelter alleging assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and negligence per se.
Key Takeaways
- Boelter pleaded guilty to six federal counts in connection with the June 14, 2025 shootings that killed Melissa and Mark Hortman
- The plea agreement includes a recommended sentence of two consecutive life terms plus 40 years
- Federal prosecutors will not seek the death penalty as part of the deal
- Boelter still faces state charges including first-degree premeditated murder in Hennepin County
- Judge ordered expedited sentencing with a target date before the end of July
What's Next
Federal sentencing is scheduled to take place before the end of July, though the exact date has not been set. The state case against Boelter will continue separately in Hennepin County District Court, where he faces more serious charges that cannot be pardoned by the president.
"Mr. Boelter will sit in a Hennepin County courtroom and be held accountable for his actions," said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty. "This was a devastating wave of targeted political violence that shocked our state and the nation."
Victims' families, including John and Yvette Hoffman along with Melissa and Mark Hortman's children Sophie and Colin, attended Thursday's hearing as Boelter entered his guilty plea.