Man pleads guilty to killing Minnesota lawmaker and husband; feds won't seek death penalty

A man has pleaded guilty to the murders of a prominent Minnesota Democratic lawmaker and her husband, a year after the politically motivated attacks that also wounded a state senator and his wife. Vance Boelter, 58, entered his plea on June 11, 2026, for the killings of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, which occurred on June 14, 2025. Boelter had disguised himself as a police officer during the assaults.

As part of the plea agreement, federal prosecutors opted not to pursue the death penalty against Boelter. In exchange, Boelter accepted a sentence of two consecutive life terms in prison, along with an additional 40 years for the six federal charges. This resolution avoids a federal capital punishment trial in a state where the death penalty has been abolished for over a century.