Minnesota Man Who Murdered Democratic Lawmaker and Husband Gets Two Life Sentences

In Minnesota, the man who fatally shot Democratic lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark in their home has received a sentence of two consecutive life terms plus 40 years in prison. A federal judge handed down the sentence on Thursday to 57-year-old Vance Boelter, a self-professed conservative evangelical Christian whose guilty plea helped him avoid a possible death sentence. He also pleaded guilty to shooting and wounding state Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette at their home during a violent rampage in June 2025, during which Boelter dressed as a police officer and modified his SUV to look like a police car. Investigators say Boelter left behind three assault rifles, a handgun and a hit list containing the names of dozens of people, including prominent Democrats and abortion providers and advocates. www.democracynow.org