The Minnesota man accused of killing State House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark denied in July 11 conversations with the New York Post that his actions were motivated by loyalty to President Donald Trump or opposition to abortion, distancing himself from early reports that pointed to those motives for the mid-June attacks.
“I’ll say it didn’t involve either the Trump stuff or pro life,” Vance Boelter wrote through Sherburne County Jail’s messaging system. “I am pro-life personaly [sic] but it wasn’t those. I will just say there is a lot of information that will come out in future that people will look at and judge for themselves that goes back 24 months before the 14th. If the gov ever let’s [sic] it get out.”
The 57-year-old, who is facing charges for multiple shootings June 14, made his first public comments during two video visits and a string of messages with the Post.
Along with the fatal shootings of the Hortmans in Brooklyn Park, Boelter is also accused of targeting State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette in Champlin during what authorities had described as a politically charged crime spree.
>> Minnesota archbishop calls for prayers after deadly shooting of lawmakers <<
Central to the investigation is a letter police said Boelter left in a vehicle at the scene. The letter has not been released to the public, and much of its content remains unverified.
The Post reported June 21 that the letter, addressed to FBI Director Kash Patel, allegedly included claims that the suspect had been secretly trained by the US military and was ordered by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to commit the killings. The letter also reportedly stated that the motive was to create a political opening for Walz to take Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s seat.
In the July 11 interview, Boelter expressed frustration over how the letter has been portrayed.
“Certain details of that letter were leaked out that probably painted one kind of a picture, but a lot more important details that were in that letter were not leaked out,” he told the Post.
He maintained he had taken steps to ensure the letter’s preservation upon arrest, fearing it could be destroyed.
Law enforcement reports indicate the letter was found alongside a list of dozens of political figures and abortion providers in Minnesota, as well as promotional materials for an anti-Trump protest held on the day of the murders. Despite this, Boelter declined to elaborate on any broader motive.
When asked about his views on Walz, who had previously appointed him to a state workforce council, Boelter did not respond directly. He did confirm support for Trump, according to the Post.
Boelter also briefly invoked religious language when reflecting on the attacks and their aftermath.
Citing an unspecified Bible verse about loving one’s neighbor that he said he’s “always followed,” he posed a rhetorical question: “You can maybe ask…if somebody believes that, and they love God and that they love their neighbor…allegedly, how could they be involved in a situation where some people are no longer here that were here before?”
He added, “I’ll let you chew on that one.”
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Author: Rachel Quackenbush
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