A man charged with the politically motivated assassination of a Minnesota senator and her husband has asserted that his actions were unrelated to President Trump or the issue of abortion. However, he declined to clarify what actually motivated him to commit the crime.
“You’re fishing and you can’t talk about my case… I say that neither Trump’s nor life was involved,” Vance Belter stated from his cell at Sherburn County Jail, located about 30 miles northwest of Minneapolis.
“I’m a personal person, but that wasn’t it,” he continued, using the prison’s messaging system. “The government should do it ever. That’s coming out,” he added, vaguely alluding to future revelations.
Belter, 57, made these statements during communications that included messages and a 20-minute video visit last Friday. This was his first public comment outside of a brief court appearance following the deaths of Senator Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, who were killed around 3:30 AM on June 14.
He reportedly left a handwritten letter addressed to FBI director Kash Patel in an abandoned SUV at the crime scene.
“Suspicious person—I say I am suspicious—can I hear what I heard as an outsider about the note that was left in that car?” he asked in a thick Minnesotan accent while wearing a prison-issued jumpsuit.
Although the letter hasn’t been made public, Belter allegedly claimed to have received covert training from the U.S. military and asserted that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz instructed him to carry out the murder, aiming to pave the way for a Senate run by Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota.
Belter is accused of donning a disturbing latex mask and a police uniform during the shooting that also injured State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.
In a strange twist, he indicated support for Trump but seemed hesitant to elaborate on his thoughts about Governor Walz, who appointed him to the Minnesota Workforce Development Council in 2019.
Authorities say he shot Senator Hoffman and his wife at their home early on the morning of the incident.
When questioned about his feelings towards the victims and their family, Belter made an odd reference to his Christian faith. He recalled a biblical teaching about loving one’s neighbor but faltered when trying to remember the specific passage, stating, “Maybe you can ask… if someone believes it and says they love God and they love their neighbors… how can they be involved in a situation where no one who was here before is here anymore?”
Belter acknowledged chaos in his family life, saying, “I spoke to my wife for two minutes shortly after arrest, and the phone got disconnected. Nothing has since happened. My wife and family had nothing to do with this. They were all shocked like everyone else.” His family later stated they were “completely blind” to his alleged actions.
His wife, Jenny Belter, expressed sympathy for the victims, stating, “This violence is not in line with our beliefs as a family,” but she did not comment further.
Since his arrest, Belter has only communicated with attorneys and correctional staff. He complained about harsh conditions in jail, saying, “My immune system is failing because I am kept in a reservation cell that is not made to live in. I am not allowed to talk to anyone other than security.” He described his living situation as grim, emphasizing the poor sleeping arrangements and incessant light.
Officials at Sherburn County Jail have not provided comments, and the FBI has not responded to inquiries about the case.
