The man accused of shooting two Minnesota state lawmakers and their spouses on June 14 was formally indicted by a grand jury Tuesday, July 15. Vance Boelter, 57, is facing six criminal charges at the federal level.
Prosecutors have indicated that they might seek the death penalty as a possible punishment if Boelter is convicted.
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The grand jury indictment includes the following charges:
1. Stalking of Melissa Hortman
2. Stalking of John Hoffman
3. Murder of Melissa Hortman through use of a firearm
4. Murder of Mark Hortman through use of a firearm
5. Shooting of Melissa and Mark Hortman
6. Shooting of John and Yvette Hoffman and the attempted shooting of Hope Hoffman
Boelter is accused of murdering Melissa Hortman, former speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, and her husband, Mark. In addition to the murders, Boelter is also accused of shooting John Hoffman, a current Minnesota state senator, and his wife, Yvette. Hoffman and his wife survived the attack.
If Boelter is convicted of stalking or shooting, he could spend life in prison. If convicted of murder, he could face life in prison or the death penalty.
Legal developments and the death penalty
At a news conference Tuesday afternoon, Joseph H. Thompson, acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota, said Boelter’s indictment contains a “notice of special findings,” which is the first legal step in seeking the death penalty. If Boelter is convicted of the murder charges, the notice would serve as guidance to help argue for an execution rather than a life sentence, CBS News reports.
Alleged claims in letter
While updating the public on Boelter’s indictment, Thompson revealed that Boelter had written a letter, which he hoped would be delivered to FBI Director Kash Patel, claiming he received unofficial military training and participated in missions abroad.
Thompson also said Boelter’s letter allegedly contains a claim that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz asked him to kill Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, both of Minnesota, and that Boelter was threatened with harm to his family if he revealed this claim to the public.
Thompson called Boelter’s letter “a delusion.”
“Vance Boelter committed a terrible act of political violence and extremism — a targeted political assassination that was unprecedented in the state of Minnesota,” Thompson said Tuesday.
