Green Isle, Minnesota — A six-count grand jury indictment was unsealed on Tuesday against Vance Boelter, the man charged with shooting two state lawmakers in Minnesota along with their spouses. The 57-year-old faces serious federal charges, including two counts of capital murder in connection with the deaths of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. Additionally, he is charged with four counts related to stalking and gun offenses involving the Hortmans and State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. The indictment now also includes an attempted shooting involving the Hoffmans’ daughter, Hope.
The case against Boelter originated from initial complaints that were transformed into a grand jury indictment after he waived a preliminary hearing on July 3. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson stated that if convicted of the murder charges, Boelter could potentially receive a life sentence or face the death penalty.
Investigators claim that on June 14, Boelter approached the homes of four Democratic lawmakers with the intent to kill them. He was disguised as a police officer, operating an SUV modified to resemble a police vehicle. A “hit list” was allegedly discovered in his car, featuring the names of numerous Democratic officials.
Boelter’s violent spree reportedly began at the Hoffman residence in Champlin, where he shot both John and Yvette. Hope Hoffman made a 911 call during the assault, and while both parents survived, they were hospitalized—Yvette has since been released, while John is recovering from intensive care.
Boelter then moved on to the home of Representative Kristin Bahner in Maple Grove, only to find her family on vacation. He attempted to target State Senator Ann Rest in New Hope but was deterred by the presence of police responding to the prior shootings.
In a particularly chilling incident, Boelter arrived at the Hortman residence around 3:30 a.m., wearing a silicone mask and a brown wig. He fraudulently claimed to be conducting a welfare check and, as Mark Hortman opened the door, he shot both Mark and Melissa as they attempted to escape.
A search warrant unsealed alongside the indictment detailed Boelter’s alarming actions leading up to the shootings. It also revealed a letter addressed to FBI Director Kash Patel, which was recovered from a Buick Boelter had purchased. In this letter, Boelter alleged that Governor Tim Walz had ordered him to kill U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith as part of a political scheme to seize power.
Law enforcement apprehended Boelter in Sibley County on the evening of June 15, just miles from his Green Isle home. Experts, including Mark Osler, a law professor and former federal prosecutor, noted the rarity of pursuing a death penalty case in Minnesota, a state that has largely moved away from capital punishment.
Osler anticipates that Boelter’s defense will likely attempt to suppress evidence and may encounter difficulty due to public opinion surrounding the death penalty in Minnesota. He suggested that while the prosecution may have ample evidence to secure a conviction, the question of obtaining the death penalty remains more complicated.
Currently, Boelter is in federal custody, and no further court dates have been established at this time.
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