Grand jury indicts Vance Boelter for the murder of state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband
The local District Attorney's Office explained that the suspect will face eight state charges, which will be added to six at the federal level. He could spend the rest of his life behind bars, and it is not known at this time if prosecutors will seek the death penalty.
Vance Luther Boelter
Vance Luther Boelter, 58, will sit in the dock in Minnesota for the attack on two state lawmakers and their partners in mid-June. These charges come in addition to federal charges to which he pleaded not guilty earlier this month.
The suspect will face eight charges for the murder of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and the shooting of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette. The latter two were injured.
This was reported by the Hennepin County District Attorney's Office, which said it had secured a grand jury indictment. The full list of charges:
- First-degree premeditated murder (Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman)
- First-degree premeditated murder (Mark Hortman)
- Attempted first-degree murder (Sen. John Hoffman)
- Attempted first-degree murder (Yvette Hoffman)
- Attempted first-degree murder (Hope Hoffman)
- Attempted first-degree murder (Rep. Kristin Bahner)
- Felony cruelty to an animal (Gilbert Hortman)
- Impersonating a police officer
The list of charges includes one for attempted murder against Rep. Kristin Bahner. Boelter allegedly drove up to her front door during the attacks, but allegedly left after discovering it was empty. There is also an animal cruelty charge for the killing of the Hortman family dog.
The District Attorney’s Office explained that if a guilty verdict was obtained for premeditated murder, the prosecution would secure a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
"The damage done to the victims – those with us, those who were taken from us, and to our entire community – has opened wounds that will never heal," said District Attorney Mary Moriarty.
"These charges reflect the weight of Mr. Boelter’s crimes, and our thoughts are with Melissa and Mark Hortman’s family, the Hoffman family, Rep. Bahner, and Sen. Rest."
Six Federal Charges
"His crimes are the stuff of nightmares," U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson maintained when he first announced the charges, a month after the attack. The suspect "stalked his victims like prey," he maintained, Boelter "shot them in cold blood."
Thompson then detailed the charges: a total of six, two for murder, two for stalking and two for firearm offenses, the latter for shooting state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife.
Boelter pleaded not guilty earlier this month.
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