Vance Luther Boelter arrested, Minnesota's “biggest manhunt” ends as former preacher nabbed for killing a top democrat; details of the killer out

After a two-day statewide manhunt that gripped Minnesota and shocked the nation, 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter has been arrested in connection with the targeted shooting deaths of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and the attempted killings of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.

Minnesota senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot at their home a short distance away, but both survived.

Officials said the arrest followed the "largest manhunt in Minnesota's history".


Described by investigators as “armed, dangerous, and calculated,” Boelter allegedly disguised himself in a police uniform and latex mask before entering the lawmakers’ homes in what officials are now investigating as a politically motivated act of violence.

“This was a complex and dangerous manhunt,” said Drew Evans, superintendent at Minnesota’s Department of Public Safety. “One man’s unthinkable actions have altered the state of Minnesota.”

Asked whether the attacks could be labelled an act of domestic terrorism, they stated it was "way too soon" in the investigation to confirm, but that they were "confident" the shooter had worked alone.

Know the suspect

Vance Boelter was a devout evangelical Christian who spent recent years preaching abroad, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where he spoke emotionally about faith and the suffering he believed the nation had endured due to global exploitation.

He founded a nonprofit ministry, claimed to have ministered in conflict zones, and held himself out as “Dr. Boelter,” citing degrees in educational leadership and management from Cardinal Stritch University. Public records show no significant criminal history, only traffic violations, and friends from his church circle described him as gentle and committed to faith.

He worked at companies like Nestlé, managed a 7-Eleven, and led a private security firm advertising “police-type vehicles”, a detail that has become significant in the investigation.

Politically, he was a registered Republican, described as a Trump supporter, but had not publicly displayed aggressive views. Friends, including longtime acquaintance David Carlson, said he had recently faced severe financial strain after quitting job to travel for missionary work, struggling to find stability upon return.

It is suspected that stress and disillusionment may have contributed to Boelter’s alleged turn to violence, though those who knew him say they remain shocked by the accusations.

The arrest

An FBI reward of up to US$ 50,000 ($77,159) was later offered for any information leading to Mr Boelter's arrest.

Boelter’s final hours on the run ended late Sunday(June 15) in a wooded stretch of Sibley County, where police recovered a car, a hat, and what appeared to be tactical gear. A tip from a local resident triggered a lockdown of the area and brought more than 100 officers, snipers, and FBI agents to the scene.