Minnesota lawmaker killing suspect pleads guilty in federal court

Vance Boelter pleaded guilty in federal court on Thursday to the June 2025 attacks that killed former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, and wounded state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.

The plea in Minneapolis resolves the federal case against Boelter, who had been charged in one of the most closely watched political-violence prosecutions in Minnesota in years. Prosecutors had already said they would not seek the death penalty.

According to reporting from the Associated Press, the plea agreement calls for two consecutive life sentences plus 40 years. State murder and attempted-murder charges remain pending or on hold.

The attacks

The shootings took place on June 14, 2025, at the victims' homes in Minnesota. AP reported that Boelter came to the homes disguised as a police officer and drove a fake police SUV or squad car.

Melissa Hortman and Mark Hortman were killed in the attack. John and Yvette Hoffman survived.

The Hortmans' dog was also badly injured and later had to be euthanized, according to AP.

Boelter was captured near his home in rural Green Isle the day after the shootings, after a large manhunt.

Federal case resolved

The guilty plea closes one major federal chapter in a case that drew national attention because it targeted prominent Democratic lawmakers and unfolded amid heightened concern about threats against elected officials.

John and Yvette Hoffman were in the courtroom gallery during the plea hearing, according to AP.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota had already notified the court that it would not seek capital punishment under the proposed resolution. AP reported that Minnesota abolished capital punishment in 1911.

That decision meant the plea could avoid a federal death penalty trial and move the case directly to sentencing under the agreement described in AP's reporting.

What remains

The federal plea does not end the broader legal process. AP reported that the separate state case has been on hold while the federal prosecution moved forward.

State charges still include murder, attempted murder, impersonating a police officer and animal cruelty, according to the reporting.

That leaves open the timing of any future state-court action and the practical question of how quickly prosecutors will move now that the federal case has been resolved.

Why it mattered

The case shook Minnesota politics because it involved a direct attack on a top legislative leader and another state senator in their homes. It also became part of a wider public debate about escalating political violence and the security risks facing elected officials.

The core facts of the case are now largely established in federal court, but sentencing still needs to be scheduled and the state case has not been finished.

For the families involved, Thursday's plea delivered a major legal turning point without ending the full process. The next major milestone will be sentencing, followed by whatever steps remain in state court.