Vance Boelter, 58, has formally admitted his guilt in federal court regarding the assassinations of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman. The plea also covers the non-fatal shootings of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, following an agreement with prosecutors not to pursue capital punishment. The attacks, which prosecutors have labelled as politically motivated, took place in the early hours of June 14, 2025, with Boelter reportedly disguised as a police officer and driving a fake squad car.
During the incident, the Hortmans' golden retriever sustained such severe injuries that it required euthanasia. Boelter was apprehended near his home in rural Green Isle the day after the shootings, following what authorities described as the largest suspect search in Minnesota's history. He faces additional state charges, which have been on hold pending the resolution of the federal case.
The US Attorney’s Office in Minneapolis informed the court of the Department of Justice's decision not to seek the death penalty against Boelter, in accordance with the proposed plea agreement. This decision is significant as Minnesota abolished capital punishment in 1911 and has never had a federal death penalty case. While the previous US administration had advocated for increased use of capital punishment, questions had arisen regarding whether Boelter’s case would meet the criteria for the death penalty under federal law.
Prosecutors released a handwritten letter in July, which they attribute to Boelter and sent to the FBI director, Kash Patel, confessing to the attacks. However, the letter did not clearly state the specific motivations behind targeting the Hortmans or the Hoffmans. Boelter had reportedly referenced a vague and cryptic "investigation" in messages to the media, sometimes hinting at the COVID-19 vaccine.
Friends described Boelter as an evangelical Christian, an occasional preacher and missionary, who held conservative political views and had been struggling to find employment. The attacks left lasting physical and psychological scars, with Senator John Hoffman stating in a lawsuit that he may never fully recover use of his left arm and hand, and also suffered permanent injuries to his digestive and urinary systems. Yvette Hoffman experienced permanent physical weakness, while their adult daughter, Hope Hoffman, who was present and called emergency services but was not shot, endured severe psychological trauma.