Minnesota man who killed Democratic lawmaker sentenced to life in US prison

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing its staff and The Associated Press, reported that Vance Boelter has been sentenced in federal court to two life terms plus 40 years for the 2025 killings of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. The sentencing took place Thursday, July 23, 2026, in Minneapolis, after Boelter pleaded guilty in June.

The case centered on attacks in the Minneapolis area that targeted several Democratic state officials. Boelter, 59, also seriously wounded state Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. According to the report, he acknowledged spending months identifying and stalking intended targets before going to their homes while disguised as a police officer. Authorities described the aftermath as prompting the largest police search in Minnesota’s history.

US District Judge John R Tunheim said the sentence was the longest he had imposed across thousands of cases and that it was warranted. Victims, relatives and colleagues addressed the court, describing lasting physical and emotional harm. Hoffman told the court that he and his wife continue to live with the effects of the gunfire, while Democratic Representative Kristin Bahner, who was away when Boelter went to her home, said Hortman’s memory continues to guide her.

The report said Boelter showed little visible reaction during the hearing. His federal defender, Manny Atwal, argued that the guilty plea reflected remorse. Prosecutors had agreed not to seek the death penalty as part of the plea deal, a decision some family members of Mark Hortman criticized. The case has drawn attention amid broader concern about political violence in the United States.