16-07-2025
Minnesota lawmakers shooting suspect indicted by grand jury, could face death penalty
The man accused of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses – killing state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman – was indicted by a federal grand jury on six charges, including murder.
Vance Boelter, 57, already was facing federal charges in the deaths that shocked the nation last month. But the move on July 15 supersedes those accusations, updating his charges and allowing the case to move forward. He's now accused of two murder counts, as well as stalking and firearm charges.
"Today, a grand jury indicted Boelter with the most serious of federal charges for these heinous political assassinations. Let me be clear: Boelter will see justice,' acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson said in a statement.
If convicted on all counts, prosecutors said he could face up to life in prison or the death penalty.
Early June 14, Boelter allegedly went to the home of Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman, shooting him and his wife, Yvette Hoffman. He was disguised as a law enforcement officer and wearing a silicone mask covering his head and face, prosecutors said.
He then traveled to two other lawmakers' homes before entering the Hortmans' house, killing the Minnesota House of Representatives speaker emerita and her husband, a federal affidavit said.
The alleged shooter was arrested on June 15 near Green Isle, Minnesota, after an intense manhunt.
Boelter is held at the Sherburne County Jail in Elk River, Minnesota, where he previously expressed concerns about his living conditions. Sherburne County Sheriff Joel Brott called Boelter's allegations "offensive and disgusting."
Judge Douglas Micko on July 3 set bail at $5 million, which Boelter said he couldn't afford.
Boelter's wife, Jenny, condemned her husband's alleged actions, calling it a "betrayal" in a June 26 statement.
"We are absolutely shocked, heartbroken and completely blindsided," Jenny Boelter wrote in the statement released by her attorney. "This violence does not at all align with our beliefs as a family. It is a betrayal of everything we hold true as tenets of our Christian faith."
The Hoffmans have both been released from the hospital and are recovering from their wounds.
Hope Hoffman, the couple's daughter, said in a statement to USA TODAY "I feel relief today in knowing that the perpetrator of these heinous acts will be charged to the fullest extent of the law."
"Though I was not shot physically, I will now forever coexist with the PTSD of watching my parents be nearly shot dead in front of me and seeing my life flash before my eyes with a gun in my face," she said.
USA TODAY reached out to the Office of the Federal Defender, which had been representing Boelter, for comment.
Contributing: Thao Nguyen and Jeanine Santucci
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Minnesota lawmaker shooting suspect indicted, could face death penalty
