Vance Boelter

Vance Luther Boelter (born July 23, 1967) is an American murderer who assassinated state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband at their home in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, on June 14, 2025. He also shot state senator John Hoffman and his wife at their home in nearby Champlin, leaving them seriously injured and hospitalized. He then escaped, sparking the most extensive manhunt in Minnesota history. The following day, Boelter was found hiding in a field near his Green Isle home roughly 50 mi (80 km) southwest of Minneapolis. He was arrested and charged with a total of 13 federal and state charges, including murder, stalking, and firearms offenses. On June 11, 2026, Boelter pleaded guilty to all the federal charges. On July 23, 2026, Boelter was sentenced to two concurrent life sentences without the possibility of parole. Boelter said he planned the attacks alone, over a period of several months.