THE gunman accused of killing a Democratic politician and her husband penned a chilling letter to the FBI where he seemingly admitted that he carried out the murders.
Vance Boelter was indicted on murder and stalking charges – weeks after Minnesota politician Melissa Hortman and her husband were found dead in their home.
ReutersVance Boelter seemingly admitted killing a lawmaker and her husband in a letter addressed to FBI Director Kash Patel[/caption]
EPAMelissa Hortman (pictured) and her husband were found dead last month[/caption]
FacebookHortman and her husband Mark[/caption]
An arraignment hearing is set to take place in September and Boelter is expected to stand trial in November.
As part of investigators probe into the shootings, a letter addressed to Kash Patel, the director of the FBI, was found in Boelter’s car.
This was unsealed as part of the indictment.
In the chilling note, Boelter, 57, described himself as the shooter at large.
“I will probably be dead by the time you read this letter,” the note said.
He then started to discuss a so-called project and claimed Tim Walz, who was Kamala Harris’ running mate in last year’s presidential election, wanted it carried out.
There is no evidence to suggest Walz had any connection with the project.
In the note to Patel, Boelter claimed Walz had instructed him to kill Democratic senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith.
Klobuchar dined with Hortman just hours before she was killed, as reported by Politico.
He went on to explain that it was part of a plot for Walz to be awarded a senate seat.
“I told Tim I wanted nothing to do with it,” Boelter claimed.
Boelter claimed that his family’s well being would have been put at risk if he didn’t go through with it.
“If you want me to turn myself in, it need to be directly to you,” he begged.
He said he was willing to be holed up in a military prison outside of the US.
“I am willing to spill all the beans,” Boelter wrote as he concluded his letter.
“I just want my family safe. They had nothing to do with this and are totally innocent.
“This was a one person job.”
Timeline of the Minnesota shootings
VANCE Boelter has been indicted for the murders of Melissa Hortman and her husband. He is accused of killing the couple as well as shooting state senator John Hoffman and his wife.
Saturday, June 14
2 am – Cops receive a phone call about a shooting at Hoffman’s house. Cops call nearby officers to proactively check Hortman’s home because it’s close by in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.
3:35 am – Police arrive at Hortman’s home and find a car that looks like a cop car in her driveway. Officers see the suspect, dressed as a cop and wearing a latex mask, leaving the Hortman’s house. Cops exchange gunfire with the suspect, who runs back into the home and leaves out the back door on foot.
7:11 am — A shelter-in-place warning is issued for three miles around Brooklyn Park.
7:35 am – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz posts on social media that he’s been briefed on the shootings.
9:30 am – Walz and cops give the first news conference on the shootings and confirm the Hortmans’ deaths. Minnesotans are asked not to attend rallies taking place across the state.
3 pm – Law enforcement officers identify Boelter as the suspect and release multiple pictures of him wearing a mask and dressed like a cop.
3:20 pm – Police lift shelter-in-place in Brooklyn Park.
4:45 pm – The FBI offers a $50,000 reward for information leading to Boelter’s arrest and conviction.
Sunday, June 15
10:50 am – Boelter’s car is found near Minnesota Highway 25 and 301st Avenue in Sibley County. Residents in the area are asked to lock their doors and stay in place.
9:30 pm – Boelter is arrested in the woods near his home in Green Isle, Sibley County
Minnesota prosecutors have described the deaths of Hortman and her husband, Mark, as “targeted political assassinations.”
Joseph Thompson, an acting US attorney, described Boelter’s actions as “heinous.”
“Vance Boelter planned and carried out a night of terror that shook Minnesota to its core,” he said.
Boelter is said to have posed as a fake cop before carrying out the killings.
Before allegedly killing Hortman, Boelter drove to state senator John Hoffman’s home.
He arrived at the property at around 2am on June 14 in what was a fake cop car.
The vehicle had a license plate that stated “police” and was had blue lights bolted on the top of it.
A masked Boelter trooped up to the property and demanded the politician to open the door.
Boelter claimed there had been a shooting in the area, but Hoffman and his wife Yvette realize he is a phony police officer.
The gunman is accused of shooting Hoffman and Yvette several times.
Vance Boelter planned and carried out a night of terror that shook Minnesota to its core
Joseph Thompson
Around 20 minutes later, Boelter then headed to another lawmaker’s home but no one was in the property.
At around 3:30am, Boelter then turned up at Hortman’s home.
But, local cops were dispatched to the property to carry out a welfare check.
Boelter starts shooting at the cops before fatally wounding the politician and Mark.
Investigators searched the Hortman family home and a Beretta gun was left behind as was the mask Boelter was wearing.
Cops searched Boelter’s car and found pamphlets with the phrase “No Kings” scrawled on them.
Boelter sent a series of messages to his childhood friend, David Carlson, in the aftermath of what unfolded.
“David and Ron, I love you guys,” the first text, obtained by the NBC affiliate KARE-TV, started.
“I made some choices, and you guys don’t know anything about this, but I’m going to be gone for a while.
“May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn’t gone this way.”
In the messages, Boelter told his pals he didn’t want to implicate them and he issued a groveling apology.
“But I love you guys and I’m sorry for all the trouble this has caused,” he said.
Boelter is believed to have sent the texts around three hours after the shootings.
He was arrested on June 15 and was indicted on six charges.
Boelter faces charges of stalking Hortman with the intent of murdering her.
He has been charged with two counts of murder for the deaths of Hortman and her husband.
Boelter has been charged with stalking Hortman and Hoffman with the intent to kill.
He has also been charged with shooting the Hortmans and Hoffmans.
He could face the death penalty if he’s convicted on the murder charges.
Boelter could be hit with a life sentence if he’s convicted on the stalking or shooting offenses.
EPAFlyers with the words ‘No Kings’ were found in Boelter’s car[/caption]
Department of JusticeCops released pictures showing a list of possible targets[/caption]
Boelter sent a string of messages to his friend – hours after the shootings Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
