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 would not pursue the death penalty as part of a plea agreement to avoid a trial.
Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, were shot at their home by an individual disguised as a police officer driving a fake squad car on June 14, 2025. Shortly after, Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, were fatally shot at their suburban residence, resulting in the euthanasia of their golden retriever due to injuries sustained.
Boelter, aged 58, was apprehended near his rural residence two days after the shootings, following what officials described as the most extensive manhunt for a suspect in Minnesota’s history. He pleaded guilty to six charges, including two counts of murder, two firearms violations related to the Hoffmans’ shooting, and two counts of stalking.
During the court proceedings, Boelter responded affirmatively to questions from his federal defense attorney, admitting to actions such as pointing a gun at Melissa Hortman and firing. U.S. District Judge John Tunheim outlined the six charges and potential sentences without setting a sentencing date. Reports suggest that Boelter’s plea deal entails serving two life sentences in prison.
Minnesota abolished the death penalty in 1911, and no federal death penalty cases have been conducted in the state. The federal plea deal is separate from any state charges Boelter may face, 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 allegedly written by Boelter to FBI director Kash Patel confessing to the attacks. Boelter had made references to an unspecified “investigation” in communications with the media, occasionally mentioning connections to the COVID-19 vaccine.
Described as an evangelical Christian, occasional preacher, and missionary with conservative political beliefs, Boelter had been experiencing job difficulties. The surviving victims, John and Yvette Hoffman, were present in court, with John Hoffman filing a lawsuit against Boelter citing permanent injuries affecting his arm, hand, digestive, and urinary systems. Yvette Hoffman and their daughter, Hope Hoffman, also suffered lasting physical and psychological impacts.
The shootings of Hortman and Hoffman are part of a series of incidents where politicians and public figures have been targeted at their residences in recent years. Notable cases include an attack on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband in 2022 and a planned assault on U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in the same year. Additionally, a Pennsylvania man received a lengthy prison sentence for setting fire to the governor’s residence in 2025.
