‘Stuff of nightmares’: Alleged killer stalked lawmakers, stopped at four homes the night of killings

As federal and state murder charges were unveiled against Vance Boelter Monday, the shocking scope of his potential plans to assassinate state lawmakers and how he fled the Twin Cities were laid out in a 20-page criminal complaint in U.S. District Court.

Boelter, 57, of Green Isle, Minn., stands charged with six federal crimes, including stalking and murder for the killing of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and the shooting of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. Acting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Joe Thompson said those charges carry the potential for a death sentence.

“It is no exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmares,” Thompson said.

The federal complaint against Boelter provided the most robust details around what happened Saturday morning through Sunday night, including that Boelter went to the homes of four Minnesota lawmakers. He also encountered law enforcement in two cities before fleeing Brooklyn Park and setting off the largest manhunt in state history.

“This was a political assassination,” Thompson said. “Which is not a word we use very often here in the United States, let alone here in Minnesota. It’s a chilling attack on our democracy, on our way of life. It’s only the most recent example of political extremism in this country, and I hope it’s a wake up all for everyone that people can disagree without being evil.”

One of the previously unknown lawmakers, Sen. Ann Rest, DFL-New Hope, said in a statement Monday she was informed Boelter parked near her home early Saturday.

Boelter is now federally charged with two counts of stalking Rep. Melissa Hortman and Sen. John Hoffman using interstate facilities; two counts of murder for Melissa and Mark Hortman; and two counts of using a firearm to shoot the Hortmans and Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.

On top of his federal charges, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said she intends to pursue first-degree murder charges against Boelter in district court.

The federal complaint states Boelter used extensive planning to surveil his potential victims and dressed as a police officer and drove a police-style SUV to the homes of Hoffman, Hortman, Rest and a fourth lawmaker from Maple Grove, who was not named, with the intent to “inflict fear, injure, and kill members of the Minnesota state legislature and their families.”

It also shows that in the wake of the killing, Boelter texted his family, “Dad went to war last night ... I don’t wanna say more because I don’t wanna implicate anybody.” Shortly after that his wife received a text message that read, “Words are not going to explain how sorry I am for this situation.”

At a news conference Monday, Thompson noted that the list of names of political leaders was robust but spanned several different notebooks and were found in multiple locations. He also dispelled the notion of any “Unabomber-style” manifesto, referencing Ted Kaczynski.

The criminal complaint states that in the notebooks were “names, and often home addresses, of numerous Minnesota public officials” including Rep. Hortman. It included a note that Hortman was married to her “husband Mark,” that she had two children, and that she was on her 11th term in the Legislature.

Boelter used several websites to search for their addresses and personal information of legislators and purchased materials from Fleet Farm to carry out the shootings, including flashlights and decals to create fake license plates that read “POLICE.” He also wore a silicone mask throughout the night.

When he arrived at the Hoffmans’ house, Boelter knocked and repeatedly shouted, “This is the police. Open the door,” according to the complaint.

They opened the door. Boelter shined his flashlight in their face, and allegedly told the Hoffmans there had been a shooting inside the house. He asked them if there were any guns in the house, according the complaint, and Hoffman said his guns were locked away.

Yvette eventually realized that Boelter was wearing a mask, and told Boelter they knew he was not an officer. Boelter responded by saying something along the lines of: “This is a robbery,” the complaint says.

Hoffman tried to push Boelter away from the front door and Boelter “shot Senator Hoffman repeatedly.”

Yvette Hoffman tried to shut Boelter outside by closing the door, but he then shot her multiple times, the complaint says.

Boelter then went to the home of another state legislator in Maple Grove. The legislator was out of town with her family. As Boelter pounded on the door, a doorbell camera caught him saying, “This is the police. Open this door. This is the police. We have a warrant.”

He then travelled to New Hope toward the home of Sen. Rest. At this point, law enforcement in the Twin Cities had been alerted that there could be threats on state politicians and police were doing proactive investigations.

A New Hope officer dispatched to a home came upon a SUV that resembled a squad car. The complaint reads that the officer approached the SUV and saw a “bald, white male, staring straight ahead. The officer tried to speak with that man, but he continued staring straight ahead and did not respond.”

Thompson said he believes Boelter was wearing the silicone mask when the New Hope officer pulled up next to him.

The officer then left to continue the wellness check. Once the officer returned to the area where the SUV was parked, it was gone.

“I am so grateful for the heroic work of the New Hope Police Department and its officers. Their quick action saved my life,” Sen. Rest said Monday. “While I am thankful the suspect has been apprehended, I grieve for the loss of Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and I am praying for the recovery of John and Yvette Hoffman.”

Not long after that, the complaint reads, Brooklyn Park police encountered Boelter outside the Hortmans’ home. He had a flashlight raised toward the house and as police arrived he fired several shots into the home before entering and killing Melissa and Mark Hortman and shooting and gravely injuring their family dog, Gilbert.

Law enforcement officials said they are still investigating whether Boelter actively shot at police.

“This happened incredibly fast,” said Drew Evans, the superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. “What I can tell you is the police officers that were there on the scene, that while they were assessing the situation that gunfire erupted.”

After the murders, video footage allegedly shows Boelter returning to a north Minneapolis house. A witness said he met Boelter at a bus stop at 7 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of 48th Avenue North and Lyndale Avenue, less than a mile to the east of Boelter’s Fremont Avenue apartment. He was holding two duffel bags, and asked the witness to purchase an e-bike.

The two boarded a bus and traveled to the witness’ house, where Boelter asked to purchase his Buick sedan, which was later abandoned miles away from Boelter’s house in Green Isle.

Boelter and the man went to a U.S. Bank branch in Robbinsdale, where Boelter withdrew $2,200 and emptied an account in his name, the complaint says. He gave the man “about $900” for the e-bike and Buick.

Around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, police received word about someone riding an e-bike about 2 miles northeast of his family home in Green Isle but were unable to locate him at that time.

Police located the abandoned Buick near where the e-bike was sighted, and inside found a handwritten letter directed to the FBI. The letter was signed with “Dr. Vance Luther Boelter,” and included him allegedly admitting to being “the shooter at large in Minnesota” from Saturday morning

After being arrested late Sunday in a field in Sibley County, Boelter was booked into Hennepin County jail after being delivered by the Brooklyn Park Police Department just after 1 a.m. Monday. His bail was set at $5 million, but he is now in federal custody.

Boelter appeared in person in U.S. District Court in St. Paul Monday afternoon wearing a standard orange jumpsuit. A federal defender was appointed to him after U.S. Magistrate Judge John Docherty said he doubts Boelter’s finances could cover attorney costs given the “severity” of his charges.

After Docherty asked how he pronounced his name, Boelter said it is pronounced “Belter.”

“The ‘o’ is silent,” Boelter said.

As Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley M. Endicott read the serious criminal charges, Boelter looked on. He responded “yes, sir” to most questions during the hearing and projected his voice throughout the courtroom while learning forward to speak into a microphone. He told Docherty that he understands the charges against him and has read the criminal complaint.

He also said he owns his home and works part time, making “maybe $540 per week,” and has an estimated $20,000 to $30,000 in his bank account.

His next hearing was set for June 27 at 11 a.m.

Boelter was initially charged by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder.

Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Judith Cole handled the bail review for the state charges and Judge Juan Hoyos granted a bench warrant with $5 million bail. No court date has been set for his next state appearance.

Moriarty noted earlier in the day that a first-degree murder charge in Minnesota carries a sentence of life in prison without parole.

“It is a frightening time we are living in,” Moriarty said. “We will seek justice and accountability for the victims of all these heinous crimes. We cannot continue this way.”