U.S. prosecutors announced on June 11, 2026, that they will not seek the death penalty for Vance Luther Boelter, who is charged with the assassination of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, as well as the attempted murders of state Senator John Hoffman and his wife. This decision is part of a plea agreement ahead of a change-of-plea hearing scheduled for June 12, 2026, in Minneapolis federal court.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley M. Endicott and Matthew D. Forbes stated in a letter to the court that the Attorney General has authorized the decision not to pursue the death penalty against Boelter. He was indicted last year on six federal charges, including stalking and murder through the use of a firearm.
The shootings occurred on June 14, 2025, when Boelter allegedly shot and killed the Hortmans and attempted to kill the Hoffmans, who survived the attack. Boelter reportedly approached the victims' homes disguised as a police officer. He was apprehended the following day near his residence in Green Isle, Minnesota.
Minnesota has not had capital punishment since 1911, and no federal death penalty case has been prosecuted in the state. For the federal death penalty to be pursued, prosecutors would have needed to demonstrate that the killings were connected to another qualifying violent offense. Authorities have characterized the shootings as politically motivated, and Boelter allegedly sent a handwritten confession to FBI Director Kash Patel, acknowledging responsibility but not detailing his motives.
Following the attack, Senator Hoffman returned to the Minnesota state House, where he was welcomed by colleagues. A lawsuit filed against Boelter in April claims that both Hoffman and his wife sustained long-term injuries, while their daughter experienced significant emotional trauma.