Man gets life for killing Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman

newsJul 23, 202618683

Vance Boelter, 59, was sentenced to two consecutive life terms plus 40 years after pleading guilty in June to the politically motivated killings of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and to the shootings of state senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. Boelter admitted he spent months stalking targets, then on 14 June 2025 went to Hortman’s home about 3:30 a.m. disguised as a police officer, rang the doorbell, shot Mark multiple times and shot Melissa as she fled upstairs; he had already shot the Hoffmans that night and visited two other lawmakers’ houses. Prosecutors said the killings triggered the largest police search in state history. Boelter pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty and accepted the maximum punishment short of death; Mark Hortman’s relatives, including his sister Lisa Hortman Bean, expressed anger that he will not face execution. Survivors described lasting physical and psychological harm: Sen. John Hoffman recounted that Boelter looked him in the eye before pulling the trigger, and Yvette Hoffman said she remains too traumatized to work and sees a therapist weekly. In court Boelter sat shackled, wearing orange, and did not look at victims or family members as they delivered impact statements. The sentence ensures Boelter will spend the rest of his life in federal prison.

Caroleeena

@caroleeena.bsky.social

The next time Tom Homan tells people to "just comply" with people dressed as police, remember that House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were murdered, and state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were shot, by a man dressed as a cop who was not a cop.

2465h ago

rabagast2

15 years ago yesterday we had a massacre in my country where 77 people were murdered by a man dressed up as police.

Colonel Ripper2

Plus, the FOP endorsed a felon for the president of the United States. So, there's that.

Don't Wash Your Pits in the River of Sacred Tears1

and lots of psychos dressing up as ICE, both who work for it and don't. It's true.

Quoting this

MC_Lovecraft3

Also, and I think this is important to remember, the real cops will kill you too.

PBS News

@pbsnews.org

The man who killed Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman was sentenced to life in prison Thursday. Vance Boelter pleaded guilty last month to killing the Democratic lawmaker and her husband, as well as critically wounding another state senator, John Hoffman, and his wife.

944h ago

PBS News36

That plea allowed him to avoid the death penalty. Instead, he was given two life terms, plus an additional 40 years — the longest sentence the judge on the case says he has ever handed down. Boelter also faces state charges of murder and attempted murder, as well as a personal injury lawsuit.

coupon for poupon1

Has he also been charged for murdering Gilbert, the Hortman's Golden Retriever?

jim-selover.bsky.social1

Please tell me they are state charges so Trump can't pardon the guy and add him to his cabinet. 😟

Guintiger1

And their dog - don't forget that this piece of crap masquerading as a human being also shot and killed the family pet.

Quoting this

Lisa Lin Doh4

And not eligible for a Presidential pardon. So there's that.

Ken Martin

@kenmartin.bsky.social

Today, the murderer of Melissa and Mark Hortman was sentenced to life in prison. Nothing can undo the pain we've felt in Minnesota over the last year. Like many, I miss my dear friends every day. But the legacy they left and their mission to build a kinder world will live on.

846h ago

Quoting this

Grandma Janet5

Minnesota's hearth was stabbed hard and sooo many times in a year it will be hard to believe in 10 years that it was true. 😭😭😭

Amee Vanderpool

@girlsreallyrule.bsky.social

A federal judge sentenced Vance Boelter to two life sentences plus 40 years w/no parole for murdering former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and the attacks on State Sen. John Hoffman, his wife Yvette and their daughter Hope. www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...

712h ago

Bob

@psychobob4q2.bsky.social

Now how about the murderers of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota??? www.ms.now/news/killer-...

365h ago

Dovewoman 💙 🇺🇦 💙

@dovewoman.bsky.social

The Maga killer got 2 life sentences plus 40 years… Melissa Hortman, her husband & their dog are still dead.

273h ago

Newtown Action Alliance

@newtownaction.org

Today, the man who assassinated Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, her husband Mark, and their dog Gilbert was sentenced. In June of 2025, House Speaker Melissa Hortman, her husband Mark, and their dog Gilbert were assassinated.

235h ago

M Meerkat

@kackbro.bsky.social

Vance Boelter,59 Was Sentenced To Two Life Sentences For The Murders Of House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Her Husband Mark, And The Shootings Of State Senator John Hoffman And His Wife,Yvette,And The Killing of the Hortman's Dog,Gilbert.......

186h ago

🦋🕊️🦋GinLy47

@ginly47.bsky.social

Vance Boelter, the man who assassinated Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband and shot Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, just got sentenced to two life terms plus 40 years. He will die in prison. meidasnews.com/news/man-who...

17Just now

Pam Spaulding

@pamspaulding.bsky.social

"The defendant looked me in the eyes & pulled the trigger. The defendant looked at my wife & chose to do the same." —Sen. John Hoffman, critically injured victim of Vance Boelter. Boelter rec'd 2 life terms plus 40 years. He executed Melissa Hortman, her husband Mark & their dog. 🧾 t2m.co/AE0Vp4z6

111h ago

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Mhairi Forrest🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🤟🤟🤟

@mhairiforrest.bsky.social

The murderer of Melissa Hortman & her husband was a follower of the New Apostolic Reformation, the Christian sect that played a critical part in the lead up to Jan 6 & the spread of the Big Lie about the 2020 election. THAT info shd always be part of the discussion about how this man was radicalized

123h ago

The Trace

@thetrace.org

The man who killed Minnesota Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband and injured State Senator John Hoffman and his wife has been sentenced to two consecutive life sentences, plus 40 years. The sentence is part of the shooter's plea deal to avoid the death penalty.

106h ago

Lauren Ashley Davis

@laurenmeidasa.bsky.social

Vance Boelter, the man who dressed up like a police officer and killed former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark last summer, was given two life sentences followed by 40 years in prison by a federal judge Thursday. www.axios.com/local/twin-c...

115h ago

The Captain

@thoreau.bsky.social

Today: DOJ withdrew subpoenas of NYT reporters & fam DOJ withdrew request for Jews employed by UPenn DOJ lost its 17th case in a row demanding voter rolls Melissa Hortman & husband’s assassin got double life sentences + 40yrs We’re winning more and more each week. Trump has failed.

9Just now

Denis1

Heard about the NYT subpoenas tossed! Department of F'ing Justice. BTW: Love that the BBC Defamation case has got to where Discovery must include financial records from all of the Trump Companies. Claim financial harm, ok prove it. Comrade Oranginov's lawyers are back-pedaling fast.

Meg1

This is good news. Don’t get complacent. It isn’t over until that fat fuck and his sycophants are made null and void, either by Dems taking over Congress and/or impeachment. KEEP UP THE PRESSURE 🔥

Flying None1

This is great news. The Save Act is still out there though..

Royal Blue Angel

@rba11.bsky.social

⚖️ 🗞️ Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband's Killer Sentenced 🗽🇺🇸

46h ago

3 sources

axios.comMelissa and Mark Hortman's killer gets consecutive life sentences theguardian.comMinnesota man sentenced to life for killing Democratic lawmaker Melissa Hortman lightnews.appLawmaker's killer sentenced to life

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Man gets life for killing Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman

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