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Accused political assassin Vance Boelter was indicted by a federal grand jury on Tuesday for a pair of twisted double-shootings targeting Minnesota state lawmakers that left two dead last month.

The indictment lists murder, stalking and firearms charges against Boelter who allegedly gunned-down former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark in their Minneapolis home on June 14 while disguised as a police officer.

Boetler, 57, also allegedly shot state Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette in their home earlier that same night, but the couple miraculously survived the encounter. The lawmaker was released from the hospital just last week, nearly one month after his wife, who suffered 8 gunshot wounds while heroically “shielding” their daughter.


  A picture shared on 15 June 2025 via social media by the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office of the arrest of Vance Luther Boelter. HANDOUT/RAMSEY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock A picture shared on 15 June 2025 via social media by the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office of the arrest of Vance Luther Boelter. HANDOUT/RAMSEY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Federal prosecutors have not determined whether they will seek the death penalty for Boelter, which was abolished in Minnesota in 1911. 

The decision to seek capital punishment will be made by Attorney General Pam Bondi and “will not come for several months.” 

Boelter also faces state murder and attempted murder charges in Hennepin County which he will face after the federal case.

“This political assassination, the likes of which have never occurred here in the state of Minnesota, has shook our state at a foundational level,” acting US Attorney Joseph Thompson said Tuesday in court.


  Acting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota, Joe Thompson, speaks to reporters at a news conference on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Minneapolis. AP Acting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota, Joe Thompson, speaks to reporters at a news conference on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Minneapolis. AP

During the proceedings, prosecutors disclosed new details about the bizarre handwritten letter supposedly from Boelter directed to FBI Director Kash Patel.

“In the letter, Vance Boelter claims that he had been trained by the US military off the books and had conducted missions on behalf of the US military in Asia, the Middle East and Africa,” Thompson told the court.

Boelter further claimed Gov. Tim Walz, the failed vice presidential candidate, directed him to kill Minnesota’s US senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith in the deranged writings. 


  This image provided by the FBI on Saturday, June 14, 2025, shows part of a poster with photos of Vance Boelter. FBI This image provided by the FBI on Saturday, June 14, 2025, shows part of a poster with photos of Vance Boelter. FBI

He also listed several other Minnesota lawmakers, politicians in other states, and attorneys at national law firms as potential targets. 

Boelter claimed in a bombshell jailhouse interview with The Post that the shootings of Hortman and Hoffman had nothing to do with his support of President Trump or his opposition to abortion.

“You are fishing and I can’t talk about my case… I’ll say it didn’t involve either the Trump stuff or pro life,” Boelter wrote from a cell in Sherburne County Jail earlier this week.


  Minnesota Rep Melissa Hortman at the White House Christmas party 2024 with husband Mark. Melissa Hortman/Facebook Minnesota Rep Melissa Hortman at the White House Christmas party 2024 with husband Mark. Melissa Hortman/Facebook

“I am pro-life personally [sic] but it wasn’t those,” he said via the jails messaging system. 

The ordained minister and father of four also addressed the letter.

“Certain details of that letter were leaked out that probably painted one kind of a picture, but a lot more important details that were in that letter were not leaked out,” Boetler said during a televisit with The Post.


  In this handout provided by Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Vance Luther Boelter poses for a booking photo on June 16, 2025 in Green Isle, Minnesota. Getty Images In this handout provided by Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Vance Luther Boelter poses for a booking photo on June 16, 2025 in Green Isle, Minnesota. Getty Images

“I will say there is a lot of information that will come out in future that people will look at and judge for themselves that goes back 24 months before the 14th. If the gov ever let’s [sic] it get out.”

Boelter also targeted two other lawmakers in the early morning hours of June 14 during his twisted spree — narrowly avoiding police who were outside the home of state Sen. Ann Rest in New Hope, Minn., prosecutors alleged. 

After shooting Sen. Hoffman and his wife, Boetler supposedly went to the home of another, unidentified state representative who was luckily on vacation at the time, officials said.


  Minnesota Rep Melissa Hortman and husband Mark Hortman pictured in 2024. Mark Hortman/Facebook Minnesota Rep Melissa Hortman and husband Mark Hortman pictured in 2024. Mark Hortman/Facebook

Boetler then encountered police officers outside the home of state Sen. Ann Rest in New Hope, Minn., where cops were dispatched after the shooting of the Hoffmans.

A Minnesota police officer said he attempted to engage a man who is alleged to be Boelter in conversation near Rest’s home but was unsuccessful.

Boetler then allegedly headed to the home of Hortman where he fatally shot the former house speaker, her husband, and their family dog.

After the largest manhunt in state history, Boelter was apprehended by police about one mile from his rural home in Green Isle.

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