Vance Boelter, man accused of killing Minnesota lawmaker, husband, pleads not guilty

The man accused of killing the top Democratic leader in the Minnesota House, Rep. Melissa Hortman, and her husband at their house on June 14 pleaded not guilty to federal charges Thursday.

Vance Boelter is also accused of targeting, shooting and injuring Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette and attempting to shoot their daughter Hope at the family’s home the same day. All three survived.

Mr. Boelter, 58, pleaded not guilty in a federal courtroom in Minneapolis after waiving the reading of his July indictment. 

He is facing six counts of murder, stalking and firearms violations. Federal prosecutors indicted Mr. Boelter on two counts for the murder of the Hortmans, one count each for stalking the slain state representative and the state senator, and two firearms counts for each incident.

Mr. Boelter’s public defender, Manny Atwal, told The Associated Press following the indictment that the defendant planned to plead not guilty.

In a July 3 court appearance, Mr. Boelter told the judge that “I’m looking forward to court, and looking forward to the facts about the 14th coming out. That gets us to court faster, where the truth can come out,” according to the AP.

In addition to the federal charges, Mr. Boelter also faces Minnesota state charges, though his state case is on hold as the federal case against him proceeds.

Minnesota state prosecutors charged Mr. Boelter with two counts of second-degree intentional murder and two counts of second-degree attempted intentional murder, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.