Minnesota killing suspect to plead guilty after death penalty is dropped
What's next: Vance Boelter is due in federal court Thursday, while parallel state murder charges remain pending and could still bring life in prison.
Vance Boelter, the man charged in the 2025 killings of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, is expected to plead guilty in federal court after prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty. A change-of-plea hearing was set for Thursday morning in Minneapolis. Boelter is also charged with shooting state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, who survived, after allegedly posing as a police officer and using a fake squad car. He had previously pleaded not guilty to federal murder, attempted murder, stalking and firearms counts. Separate state murder and attempted murder charges are still on hold pending the federal case.