US man pleads guilty to assassinating Minnesota lawmaker and husband
Vance Boelter was charged with murdering Melissa and Mark Hortman, and with the non-fatal shootings of John and Yvette Hoffman
The man charged in the political assassinations of the top Democrat in the Minnesota House and her husband, as well as the non-fatal shootings of a state senator and his wife, pleaded guilty in federal court on Thursday after prosecutors said they would not seek the death penalty.
Vance Boelter was charged with murdering Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, and with shooting state Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman.
Boelter came to their doors in the early hours of June 14, 2025, disguised as a police officer and driving a fake squad car. The Hortmans’ golden retriever was so gravely injured that it had to be euthanised.
John and Yvette Hoffman sat in the courtroom’s gallery Thursday along with members of the Hortman family as the events of that night were described in great detail.
Boelter repeatedly said a simple “yes” as his federal defence lawyer questioned him about his actions, including whether he pressed a gun to Melissa Hortman’s head and fired.
At times, there were brief sobs coming from the gallery.