Vance Boelter, a Minnesota man who shot and killed former state House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband in a politically motivated attack, was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday.
The 59-year-old man pleaded guilty in June to six federal charges, including the killings of Hortman and her husband, Mark, and the shootings of state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, who were wounded but survived. His sentencing came more than a year after he stalked the Democratic lawmakers’ homes while pretending to be a law enforcement officer.
The judge from the bench said the sentence was “well-deserved.”
At Thursday’s hearing, relatives of the victims spoke about the attack’s enduring consequences, while federal prosecutors characterized Boelter’s actions as politically motivated violence aimed at elected officials. Boelter offered an apology in court before being sentenced to two consecutive life terms and an additional 40 years behind bars under the terms of his plea agreement.
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The federal sentence does not resolve all the charges against Boelter. He continues to face a separate state prosecution in Minnesota, where he is charged with two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, four counts of attempted first-degree murder, impersonating a police officer and animal cruelty. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has indicated it intends to move forward with that case.
Federal prosecutors announced in June they will not seek the death penalty following Boelter’s plea that month.
“Bringing justice to the families and loved ones of victims of violence is the number one priority of the Department of Justice,” a DOJ spokesperson said in a statement last month. “Prosecutors worked hard on this case to make sure he was held accountable to the fullest extent possible.”
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