MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota man who pleaded guilty to killing a top Democratic lawmaker and her husband will be sentenced in federal court on Thursday.

Vance Boelter, 59, agreed to plead guilty in June, nearly a year after the Minneapolis-area attacks, when he stalked and killed House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and seriously injured state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette.

Boelter pleaded guilty to six counts so that federal prosecutors would not seek the death penalty; instead, he agreed to serve two consecutive life sentences, plus 40 years. Federal prosecutors and defense attorneys said it was the maximum sentence that could be imposed short of the death penalty.

Boelter admitted in court that he spent months identifying and stalking his targets, before driving to their homes in the middle of the night, disguised as a police officer, with the intention of killing them.

The murders sparked the largest police search in the state’s history, prompting panic, fear and increased security and precautions. Elected officials faced increasing threats and political polarization that many feared would lead to more violence and attacks.

A filing memorandum submitted to federal court in late June was sealed early Thursday, along with objections to that report.

But prosecutors and Boelter’s defense team also submitted letters detailing their positions on the potential sentence.

“Vance Boelter committed an assault on democracy,” prosecutors wrote in their filing. “He destroyed the lives of his victims. He terrorized Minnesota public servants. He threatened police and pointed a gun at an officer. He brutally attacked the bodies of Minnesota’s representative government.”

Boelter went to Hortman’s home, wearing a tactical uniform and a mask, around 3:30 a.m. on June 14, 2025. He rang the doorbell while yelling that he was a police officer conducting a welfare check, according to court documents.

Mark Hortman opened the door. Boelter gave him a false name and license plate number before asking him to also knock on Melissa Hortman’s door. He shot Mark Hortman several times before entering the house and shooting the lawmaker as she fled upstairs. Melissa and Mark Hortman were murdered.

Boelter had already visited the Hoffman home that night, shooting and seriously wounding the senator and his wife, according to police and court documents. Court documents say Boelter also went to the homes of two other lawmakers that night. In one case, no one answered the door and in the other, Boelter became frightened when a police officer approached him in his car believing it was another officer.

Boelter also faces state charges, including two counts of murder, four counts of attempted murder, impersonating a police officer and animal cruelty. The Hortman family’s golden retriever was seriously injured in the shooting and had to be euthanized. Hoffman and his family filed a personal injury lawsuit against Boelter in April.

In his letter about the proposed sentencing, Boelter’s attorney asked that he be sent to a federal prison in Florida, be allowed to work so he can pay restitution, and be allowed to participate in therapy and other in-person programs. The letter said Boelter had spent decades in food service and had experience in some other fields.

“Mr. Boelter understands that his impending sentence means he will spend the rest of his life in prison. But the skill set he retains from his diverse work history makes him a strong candidate for programming, employment and other opportunities at the Bureau of Prisons,” wrote federal defender Manny Atwal.

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Lauer reported from Philadelphia.