Minnesota native Vance Boelter has admitted guilt in federal court for his involvement in the targeted shootings of two Democratic state politicians and their spouses last year. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minneapolis confirmed that the Justice Department has decided not to pursue the death penalty against Boelter as part of a plea agreement to avoid a trial.
The shootings occurred on June 14, 2025, when Boelter, disguised as a police officer and driving a fake squad car, shot Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, at their home. Shortly after, Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, were fatally shot at their suburban residence. Tragically, the Hortmans’ golden retriever had to be euthanized due to injuries sustained during the incident.
Boelter, aged 58, was apprehended two days later close to his rural home after what authorities described as the largest manhunt for a suspect in Minnesota’s history. He pleaded guilty to six charges, including two counts of murder, two firearm violations related to the Hoffmans’ shooting, and two counts of stalking.
During the court proceedings, Boelter acknowledged his actions, including pressing a gun to Melissa Hortman’s head and firing. The plea deal is expected to result in Boelter serving two life sentences in prison, as stated by the federal defense lawyer and U.S. District Judge John Tunheim, who did not set a sentencing date.
Minnesota abolished the death penalty in 1911, and the federal plea deal does not impact Boelter’s state charges, according to Daniel Borgertpoepping, a spokesperson for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors have labeled the shootings as politically motivated, citing a handwritten letter written by Boelter to FBI director Kash Patel confessing to the attacks.
Boelter, described by friends as an evangelical Christian with conservative political views, had been struggling to find employment. The shootings resulted in severe injuries to the surviving politician, John Hoffman, who filed a lawsuit against Boelter citing permanent physical impairments, while Yvette Hoffman and their daughter, Hope Hoffman, also suffered lasting effects from the incident.
The incidents involving politicians being targeted at their residences are part of a broader trend seen in recent years, with notable cases including attacks on prominent figures like Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, and a planned assault on U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Other instances, such as the breach of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence, have led to significant prison sentences for the perpetrators involved.