Vance Boelter to plead guilty in murders of Minnesota lawmaker and husband

Vance Boelter will change his plea to guilty Thursday morning in federal court in Minnesota after reaching a deal with prosecutors, according to a Justice Department letter sent to U.S. District Judges John Tunheim and Dulce Foster. The letter, dated Wednesday, informed the judges of a proposed plea agreement and requested a hearing for Boelter to withdraw his not-guilty plea. Tunheim scheduled the change-of-plea hearing for 10 a.m. CDT Thursday.

The Justice Department said in the letter that it would not seek the death penalty. The public version of the letter did not disclose the specific terms of the agreement, The New York Times reported. Federal prosecutors decided against capital punishment after determining that the stalking charges against Boelter would not qualify as a predicate violent crime under federal death-penalty law, the Times reported, citing a Justice Department statement. Under federal statute, a defendant is eligible for execution only if the underlying violent offense results in death, and court precedent has left unclear whether stalking meets that definition.

Boelter is accused of shooting and killing Melissa Hortman, a Democratic state representative, and her husband Mark at their home on June 14, 2025. He is also accused of shooting and wounding state Sen. John A. Hoffman, also a Democrat, and his wife Yvette at their home the same night. The Hortmans’ dog, Gilbert, was also killed, according to court records. Prosecutors allege Boelter was dressed as a police officer when he visited both residences. He was arrested after a two-day manhunt.

Boelter had pleaded not guilty to six federal charges — murder, attempted murder, stalking and firearms offenses — and had been held without bond. The Justice Department will continue to seek accountability “to the fullest extent possible,” spokesperson Emily Covington said in a statement Monday.

Minnesota has no state death penalty, but the federal government does. The state of Minnesota is separately pursuing its own prosecution of Boelter, authorities have said.