Vance Boelter, the man responsible for the killings of a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband, has been sentenced to two consecutive life terms plus 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges.
Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were shot dead at their home on 14 June, 2025. That same night, Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were also attacked at their residence and survived, though both were critically wounded.
Prosecutors said Boelter additionally attempted to shoot the Hoffmans’ daughter, Hope Hoffman.
The 59-year-old was ultimately charged over the deaths of the Hortmans, along with the attempted murders of John and Yvette Hoffman.
Federal prosecutors brought six charges against him in total, including two counts of stalking, two counts of murder and two firearm-related shooting offenses.
After pleading guilty, Boelter was sentenced to two consecutive life terms as well as an additional 40 years, also to run consecutively.
Boelter pleaded guilty in June, almost a year after the Minneapolis-area attacks, so federal prosecutors would not seek the death penalty. Court records say he had spent months identifying and stalking his targets before driving to their homes in the middle of the night, disguised as a police officer, with the intention of killing them.
At sentencing, US District Court Judge John R. Tunheim described the punishment as ‘the longest sentence I have imposed after hearing thousands of cases over the years’, according to CNN. He also said the outcome was ‘deserved’.
John and Yvette Hoffman addressed the court during the hearing, describing the trauma they continue to carry from the night they were shot and the Hortmans were killed.
John told the court:
“The defendant looked me in the eyes and pulled the trigger. The defendant looked at my wife and chose to do the same.
“My wife and I now live with injuries. We live with our bodies remembering the gunfire.”
Yvette also spoke about the moment she realized she had been hit, saying through tears:
“I will never forget looking down and watching my blood slowly stream down that white washing machine as I felt myself sinking to the floor.
“We always have an escape plan now. This isn’t how people should live.”
Boelter admitted he had spent months tracking those he targeted. On the night of the attacks, he posed as a police officer before carrying them out, wearing a tactical uniform and mask and going first to the Hoffmans’ home before heading to the Hortmans’ house.
Investigators said he also went to the homes of other politicians that night, including Democratic State Rep. Kristin Bahner. She and her family were away on vacation at the time.
Although Bahner never came face to face with him, she said the knowledge that he had gone to her house deeply unsettled her.
She said:
“I could not fathom why I was spared and [Hortman] was not,” she added. “You failed because I carry her with me. In my mind and in my heart, she guides me.”
The attacks sparked the largest police search in Minnesota history and sent shockwaves through the state’s political community, leading to heightened security and a broader reckoning over threats against elected officials.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].