Two consecutive life terms awarded for man who killed Minnesota House Speaker Hortman and husband

Vance Boelter, 59, pleaded guilty to six federal counts for stalking and killing former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband and wounding state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife. He was sentenced in federal court to two consecutive life terms plus 40 years after choosing a guilty plea to avoid the death penalty. Boelter admitted to months‑long planning, disguising himself as a police officer, and targeting multiple lawmakers during the June 14, 2025, attacks, which triggered Minnesota’s largest state police manhunt; he also faces state murder charges. Families of victims spoke at sentencing.