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MINNEAPOLIS (BFMG) — A Minnesota man accused of assassinating the top Democrat in the state House and her husband — and attempting to kill a state senator and his wife — is set to return to federal court Thursday to change his not‑guilty plea, after prosecutors confirmed they will not pursue the death penalty under a proposed agreement with the defense.
Federal prosecutors in Minneapolis notified the court Wednesday that the Justice Department will not seek capital punishment for 58‑year‑old Vance Boelter, in line with the tentative plea deal. Defense attorneys have not publicly commented, and the filing did not spell out the specific terms of the agreement according to AP.
Boelter is charged in the June 14, 2025 shootings of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, along with state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. Prosecutors say a man dressed as a police officer and driving a fake squad car went to the lawmakers’ homes in the early‑morning hours, opening fire at their doors. The Hortmans’ golden retriever was so badly wounded it had to be euthanized.
Authorities arrested Boelter the next day near his rural Green Isle home, after what officials described as the largest manhunt in Minnesota history. He faces both federal and state counts including murder, attempted murder, and related charges. The state prosecution has been paused while the federal case plays out, and local officials say any federal plea will not derail the state charges.
Minnesota abolished the death penalty in 1911 and has never prosecuted a federal capital case, even as the Trump administration has advocated broader use of capital punishment. Legal observers had questioned whether Boelter’s case would meet federal criteria for a death sentence.
Prosecutors have characterized the shootings as politically motivated. When they announced the federal indictment in July, they released a rambling handwritten letter that they say Boelter addressed to FBI Director Kash Patel, allegedly confessing to the attacks but offering no clear explanation for why the Hortmans and Hoffmans were targeted. In other messages to media, Boelter alluded to a murky “investigation” he claimed to be conducting, at times tying it to the COVID‑19 vaccine.
Friends have described Boelter as an evangelical Christian who occasionally preached and did missionary work, held staunchly conservative political views, and had recently struggled to find steady employment.
In an April civil lawsuit, Sen. Hoffman said he is left with permanent damage to his left arm and hand, along with lasting injuries to his digestive and urinary systems. The suit says Yvette Hoffman continues to suffer chronic physical weakness, while their adult daughter, Hope — who witnessed the attack, called 911, and was not shot — has endured severe psychological trauma.
