Prosecutors decide whether to seek death penalty in 2025 Minnesota shooting that killed House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband.

Federal prosecutors are still deciding whether to seek the death penalty against Vance Boelter, who is charged with killing Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, and injuring Senator John Hoffman and his wife in a June 2025 shooting. Boelter, who pleaded not guilty and allegedly posed as a police officer, was arrested after a 40-hour manhunt. A February 20 court hearing marked the first without lead prosecutor Harry Jacobs, who resigned amid staff departures from Minnesota’s U.S. Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors said the case will not face delays despite staffing changes, and a decision on the death penalty is expected by an April 17 hearing. The case involves over 130,000 documents, thousands of images, and nearly 1,000 hours of audio and video.