Below is a comprehensive overview of the case involving Vance Luther Boelter, the man charged with killing Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman, and wounding State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette Hoffman. The biography includes details on the possibility of the federal death penalty, which is rare in Minnesota, as well as a summary table, SEO meta description, hashtags, and tags, as per your request format.

Vance Luther Boelter, a 57-year-old resident of Green Isle, Minnesota, faces federal and state charges for the June 14, 2025, targeted shootings of two Minnesota Democratic lawmakers and their spouses. Described as a “politically motivated assassination” by Governor Tim Walz, the attacks killed State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and wounded State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette. Boelter’s actions, which involved impersonating a police officer and targeting multiple lawmakers, have raised the possibility of the federal death penalty, a rarity in Minnesota, where capital punishment was abolished in 1911. Boelter’s case has sparked national attention due to its implications for political violence and federal-state legal dynamics under the Trump administration.

Background and Early Life

Little is known about Vance Luther Boelter’s early life, as public records focus primarily on his recent activities and professional history. Born around 1968, Boelter lived in Green Isle, Minnesota, a rural area southwest of Minneapolis. His professional background is varied, reflecting a mix of blue-collar and public service roles:

• Mortuary Science: Boelter took online classes in 2023–2024 at Des Moines Area Community College’s mortuary science program. He worked for two funeral service companies in Minneapolis, sometimes assisting at crime scenes with police and death investigators.
• Security Contractor: His online CV indicates experience as a security contractor and religious missionary in Africa and the Middle East. He reportedly preached as a pastor in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Retail Management: He served as general manager of a 7-Eleven and a gas station in Minneapolis.
• Public Service: Boelter was a member of the Governor’s Workforce Development Board from 2016–2018 and 2019–2023, overlapping with State Senator John Hoffman, though their relationship is unclear.

Boelter was not registered with any political party, per state records, but his actions suggest a targeted agenda against Democratic lawmakers. A LinkedIn post from six years ago shows him encouraging civic engagement, urging others to vote as part of the “adventure” of living in the U.S.

The Crime: Targeted Shootings of Minnesota Lawmakers

On June 14, 2025, Boelter allegedly executed a meticulously planned attack, described by Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson as a “political assassination” and “chilling attack on democracy.” The timeline and details are as follows:

• Champlin Shooting (2:00 a.m.): Boelter, disguised as a police officer with a realistic latex mask, blue shirt, black tactical vest, and blue pants, approached the home of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette in Champlin, Minnesota. After the Hoffmans realized he was not a police officer, Boelter shot them, hitting John nine times and Yvette eight times. Their daughter, Hope Hoffman, called 911. Both survived but required multiple surgeries.
• Maple Grove Attempt (2:24 a.m.): Boelter drove to the home of an unnamed state lawmaker in Maple Grove, ringing the doorbell. The official was not home, and no shooting occurred.
• New Hope Attempt: Boelter parked near the home of State Senator Ann Rest in New Hope. A police officer, dispatched for a wellness check after the Hoffman shooting, saw Boelter’s vehicle and assumed he was another officer. When Boelter ignored the officer’s greeting and stared straight ahead, the officer waited for backup, prompting Boelter to leave. Rest later credited the New Hope Police Department for saving her life.
• Brooklyn Park Shooting (3:35 a.m.): Boelter arrived at the home of State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark in Brooklyn Park, driving a vehicle resembling a police SUV with emergency lights and a “police” license plate. Police, proactively checking on Hortman due to her status as a lawmaker, encountered Boelter exiting the home. He opened fire on officers, who witnessed him shoot Mark Hortman through the open front door. Boelter exchanged gunfire with police and fled on foot, abandoning his vehicle. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner confirmed both Hortmans died of multiple gunshot wounds, with Melissa pronounced dead at the scene and Mark at North Memorial Health in Robbinsdale.

Boelter’s vehicle contained critical evidence:

• A notebook with 45–70 names, including Minnesota Democrats like Governor Tim Walz, U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar, U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Attorney General Keith Ellison, and lawmakers from Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Nebraska, and Iowa. The list also targeted abortion rights advocates, community leaders, and Planned Parenthood facilities.
• Five firearms, including assault-style rifles, and large quantities of ammunition.
• “No Kings” flyers, linked to anti-Trump protests planned for June 14, though no direct connection to the protests was confirmed.
• Notes detailing surveillance of victims’ homes, such as a description of Hortman’s house: “Big house off golf course 2 ways in to watch from one spot.”

At 6:00 a.m., Boelter texted friends and family, apologizing for his actions and stating, “Dad went to war this morning,” and “I’m going to be gone for a while. May be dead shortly.”

Manhunt and Arrest

The shootings triggered the largest manhunt in Minnesota history, involving state and local police, SWAT teams, K-9 units, and a helicopter across multiple counties. On June 15, 2025, authorities located Boelter’s abandoned vehicle in Sibley County, about 50 miles from Brooklyn Park. A police officer reported seeing Boelter run into the woods, leading to a large perimeter search.

On Sunday night, June 15, after a 43-hour manhunt, Boelter was found in a wooded area near Green Isle. He surrendered peacefully, crawling toward officers at SWAT teams’ command, and was taken into custody without injury to police. His wife and three relatives were briefly detained during a traffic stop in Onamia, 100 miles away, but were released after cooperating with investigators.

Charges and Death Penalty Possibility

Boelter faces both federal and state charges, with the federal case likely proceeding first. The charges reflect the severity of the crimes and the potential for the death penalty, which is rare in Minnesota due to the state’s abolition of capital punishment in 1911.

Federal Charges (Filed June 16, 2025)

Boelter faces six federal counts in the U.S. District Court in St. Paul, announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson:

1. Stalking Melissa Hortman using interstate commerce (Title 18, U.S.C. 2261): Life in prison.
2. Stalking John Hoffman using interstate commerce: 20 years in prison.
3. Murder of Melissa Hortman using a firearm (18 U.S.C. 924j): Life in prison or death penalty.
4. Murder of Mark Hortman using a firearm: Life in prison or death penalty.
   5–6. Firearms offenses: Penalties vary, up to life in prison.

The murder with a firearm counts (3 and 4) are eligible for the federal death penalty due to their premeditated nature and the use of a firearm in a violent crime. Thompson noted it is “too early to tell” if prosecutors will seek the death penalty, but it remains an option. The case requires a grand jury indictment to proceed to trial, and Boelter’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 27, 2025.

State Charges

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, led by Mary Moriarty, initially filed second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder charges on June 14 to secure a nationwide warrant. Moriarty announced on June 16 that her office intends to seek first-degree murder charges, which carry a mandatory life sentence without parole in Minnesota, where the death penalty is not available.

Death Penalty Context

Minnesota abolished the death penalty in 1911 following a botched hanging in 1906, and the state has not executed anyone since. Federal prosecutors have not sought the death penalty in a Minnesota-based case since the Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment in 1976. However, the Trump administration’s approach to federal executions—carrying out 13 during Trump’s first term, more than any modern presidency—suggests a willingness to pursue capital punishment in high-profile cases. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who lifted a Biden-era moratorium on federal executions in February 2025, has authorized the death penalty in at least three cases, including the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson by Luigi Mangione.

The federal intervention in Boelter’s case has caused tension with Hennepin County Attorney Moriarty, a reform-minded prosecutor elected in 2022. Moriarty’s vague responses at a June 16 press conference and refusal to clarify hearing logistics suggest frustration with federal authorities taking the lead. A bench warrant was issued as a formality when Boelter, in federal custody, missed a state court appearance on June 16.

To secure a death penalty conviction, federal prosecutors must prove premeditation and “malice aforethought.” Evidence of Boelter’s planning—surveillance notes, a target list, impersonation tactics, and multiple firearms—supports this requirement. However, Thompson declined to pursue domestic terrorism charges at this stage, citing the ongoing investigation.

Court Proceedings

Boelter made his first federal court appearance in St. Paul on June 16, 2025, wearing an orange jumpsuit. He stated he could not afford a lawyer and was assigned a federal defender. He reported owning seven cars, $20,000–$30,000 in savings, and earning $540 weekly. He has not entered a plea, and his federal defenders have declined to comment. His next hearing is June 27, 2025, to determine bail, though he remains in U.S. Marshals custody.

Motive and Political Context

Authorities have not pinpointed Boelter’s exact motive, but the attacks are widely described as politically motivated. The target list, focusing on Democrats and abortion rights advocates, suggests an ideological agenda. The presence of “No Kings” flyers in his vehicle, linked to anti-Trump protests on June 14, raised initial speculation, but Thompson clarified there was no “Unabomber-style manifesto” or confirmed protest connection. Boelter’s texts to friends, apologizing and suggesting he expected to die, indicate a deliberate, fatalistic intent.

The shootings occurred amid heightened political violence in the U.S., including:

• A 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally.
• A 2024 firebombing of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s home.
• A 2020 plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
• Trump’s 2025 pardon of January 6, 2021, Capitol rioters, criticized for normalizing political violence.

Governor Walz condemned the attacks as an “unspeakable act” and urged civility, noting Minnesota’s tradition of bipartisan compromise. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, whose name appeared on Boelter’s list, called it an “attack on democracy.” President Trump condemned the violence, stating Attorney General Bondi and the FBI would prosecute to the “fullest extent of the law.”

Net Worth

Boelter’s net worth is modest, based on his court statements. He reported:

• Savings: $20,000–$30,000.
• Income: $540 per week (approximately $28,000 annually).
• Assets: Seven cars, no real estate details disclosed.

His financial status is unlikely to impact the case but underscores his reliance on a federal defender.

Summary Table

Recent Developments

As of June 18, 2025, Boelter remains in federal custody. The investigation continues, with authorities exploring whether additional charges, such as domestic terrorism, may be filed. The Hoffmans are recovering, with Yvette stating they are “incredibly lucky to be alive” after being hit by 17 bullets combined. A small memorial for the Hortmans was established outside the Minnesota State Capitol on June 14.

For detailed updates, visit CNN.com, NYTimes.com, or Startribune.com.

Hashtags

VanceBoelter #MinnesotaShooting #MelissaHortman #PoliticalViolence #DeathPenalty #FederalCharges #TimWalz #Democracy #AbortionRights #NoKings

Sources

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