1 of 3 | Devin Bruce of Minneapolis places flowers at a memorial for Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were fatally shot in their home on June 14. The suspect, Vance Luther Boelter, faces new state charges. File Photo by Craig Lassig/EPA
The alleged shooter of a Minnesota state lawmaker, her husband, their dog, and others, has been indicted on eight state charges, the county attorney announced.
Vance Boelter, 57, is now in the custody of the Department of Justice facing federal murder charges after being indicted in mid-July on federal charges. He is accused of killing state Rep. Melissa Hortman, a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farm-Labor party, her husband, Mark, and their dog, Gilbert.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced the new charges in a Thursday press conference.
He was charged with two counts of first-degree premeditated murder in the shootings of the Hortmans, four counts of attempted first-degree murder shooting the Hoffmans and targeting Bahner, a count felony cruelty to animals in the killing of the Hoffmans’ dog and count of impersonating a police officer.
Prosecution will resume as soon as Boelter is made available by the federal government, a press release said.
Conviction of one count of murder in Minnesota has a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.
“The damage done to the victims — those with us, those who were taken from us, and to our entire community — has opened wounds that will never heal,” Moriarty said. “These charges reflect the weight of Mr. Boelter’s crimes, and our thoughts are with Melissa and Mark Hortman’s family, the Hoffman family, Rep. Bahner, and Sen. [Ann] Rest.”
While Bahner and Rest weren’t injured, Boelter targeted them for attack.
This is the first criminal charge against Boelter in connection with Bahner. Vance is accused of trying to attack her between the separate shootings at the Hortman and Hoffman houses. Investigators said Boelter visited Bahner’s Maple Grove home and knocked on her door, but she was away on vacation with her family at the time.
“Boelter drives to the home of state Rep. Kristin Bahner, whose name is handwritten multiple times in the notes found in Boelter’s fake squad car. Her name has a star next to it,” Moriarty said at the press conference. “He rings her doorbell for over two minutes. He yells, ‘This is the police,’ and points a flashlight at her front door. He tries to open the handle. Bahner was not home.”
Moriarty said that it doesn’t matter that Bahner was not home at the time because Boelter took a “clear, substantial step by going to her door and engaging in the same pattern of behavior as he did at both the Hoffman and Hortman homes.”
John and Yvette Hoffman are recovering from being shot multiple times.
It’s also the first felony cruelty to animals charge in the case.
“Gilbert was barking when Mark opens the door, but when Mark says, ‘Gilbert, stay,’ Gilbert stops barking and is quiet,” Moriarty said. “Boelter willfully shot Gilbert — an act of cruelty that led to yet another loss for the Hortmans’ grieving family.”
At the Hortman home, police arrived and shot at Boelter before he reportedly got away. He is accused of wearing a realistic mask, dressing as a police officer, and outfitting his vehicle to look like a police squad car. Boelter was arrested after a two-day manhunt. Moriarty said Boelter told the Hortmans he was a Maple Grove Police Officer.
