Vance Boulter, a man from Minnesota, received a sentence of two life terms plus an additional 40 years after pleading guilty to the murders of Melissa Hortman, the Minnesota House Speaker, and her husband, Mark Hortman. This sentencing came just over a year after the tragic events unfolded.
On Thursday, he was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences, part of a last-minute plea deal that shifted his plea from not guilty to guilty in June.
The court documents reveal that on June 14, 2025, around 3:30 a.m., Boulter, posing as a police officer conducting a welfare check, rang the doorbell at Mark Hortman’s home in Brooklyn Park. When Mark opened the door, Boulter shot him multiple times. He then forced his way inside and fatally shot Melissa, who was attempting to flee upstairs.
Earlier that night, Boulter had also attacked the home of state Senator John Hoffman, seriously injuring both the senator and his wife, Yvette. Following those assaults, the gunman moved to two other congressmen’s residences. At one house, no one answered, but at another, officers mistakenly thought they were colleagues and fled when they approached Boulter’s vehicle.
The manhunt for Boulter was noted as the largest police search in Minnesota’s history.
During the court proceedings on Thursday, Senator Hoffman shared a heartfelt statement about the ongoing trauma that he and his family endure. He mentioned that their home has stopped receiving mail, and they’ve installed a steel door, highlighting how greatly their lives have been impacted by the shooting.
Mark Hortman’s family expressed frustration over the decision not to pursue the death penalty for Boulter. Hoffman remarked, “The defendant looked me in the eye and pulled the trigger. He looked at my wife and chose to do the same thing. My wife and I are living with our injuries right now, living with the sound of gunshots.”
Yvette Hoffman described her deep emotional scars, stating she has been unable to return to work and sees a therapist weekly.
She recounted a particularly harrowing moment, saying, “I fought him with everything I had, and I finally got him out of the house. I’ll never forget sinking to the floor, watching my blood slowly drain into the white washing machine. We now have an escape plan all the time. This is not the way people should live.”
In addition to federal charges, Boulter faces state charges in Minnesota, which include:
- Two counts of first-degree premeditated murder.
- Four counts of attempted first-degree murder.
- One count of felony animal cruelty for shooting and euthanizing the Hortman family’s golden retriever, Gilbert.
- One count of impersonating a law enforcement officer.
