Minnesota lawmaker shootings: Vance Boelter pleads guilty to all federal charges

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Vance Boelter pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to charges stemming from the fatal shootings of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, and the shootings that injured Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman.

Boelter pleads guilty to Minnesota lawmaker shootings

Plea hearing:

A federal grand jury indicted Boelter on six counts related to the attacks on the Hortmans and Hoffmans, including stalking, murder and firearms charges.

Boelter appeared for a 10 a.m. plea hearing at the federal courthouse in Minneapolis on Thursday, where he changed his plea from not guilty to guilty on all six counts. The plea deal calls for Boelter to serve two life sentences plus 40 years, in exchange for the government not seeking the death penalty.

The backstory:

Boelter is accused of shooting House Speaker Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman in their Brooklyn Park home, as well as shooting Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette Hoffman in their Champlin home on June 14, 2025. 

Prosecutors also allege he visited the Maple Grove home of Rep. Kristin Bahner while she and her family were out of town, then later went to the New Hope home of Sen. Ann Rest, and left the scene after encountering an officer who was conducting a welfare check.   

What's next:

DOJ is holding an 11:30 a.m. press conference regarding the change of plea. That press conference can be watched live in the player above. 

Boelter facing state charges

Dig deeper:

Boelter was indicted by a grand jury in August 2025 on multiple state charges, including first-degree premeditated murder in the deaths of Melissa and Mark Hortman and attempted first-degree murder in the shootings of John Hoffman, Yvette Hoffman and Hope Hoffman. 

The indictment also includes attempted first-degree murder of Rep. Kristin Bahner, felony animal cruelty related to the death of the Hortmans' dog, Gilbert, and impersonating a police officer.

Sources at the Hennepin County Attorney's Office told FOX 9 that the federal plea deal is not a global agreement, and he'll have to address the state murder charges as well. 

The Source: This story uses previous FOX 9 reporting.