Newly released details from a letter written by Vance Boelter—the man who murdered Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, and wounded State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife—are raising serious questions not only about the killer’s state of mind, but also about the media and political response that followed.
Boelter, who was arrested late on Sunday, June 15, after a massive manhunt, left behind a letter discovered in his abandoned vehicle on the day of the shootings. According to reporting from the Star Tribune, the letter claims Boelter believed he was acting under the direction of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who served as Kamala Harris’s running mate in the 2024 presidential election.
NEW: Vance Boelter's letter to the FBI was rambling and conspiratorial, sources with direct knowledge of its contents say. Boelter claimed he was trained by the U.S. military off the books and that Gov. Tim Walz asked him to kill Sen. Amy Klobuchar, others https://t.co/RiMPpLfJtD
— Ryan Faircloth (@RyanFaircloth) June 20, 2025
The content of the letter indicates Boelter imagined himself as some sort of agent, carrying out violent acts to pave the way for Walz to run for the U.S. Senate—a seat Walz had publicly stated he would not pursue after Sen. Tina Smith announced her retirement.
Boelter, who had previously been appointed to a workforce board by Walz, appears to have created a delusional connection between himself and the governor.
The letter is incoherent and reflects a deeply disturbed mind. Importantly, there is no mention of President Donald Trump, the Republican Party, or any right-wing ideology as a motivating factor—contrary to early speculation from major networks and political figures.
And that's why this was out of the news by Tuesday. https://t.co/yZKeH38szA
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) June 20, 2025
In the immediate aftermath, prominent media outlets and some Democratic leaders cast blame on right-wing rhetoric, with MSNBC and CNN implying that the attack was fueled by extremism associated with Trump. These claims were made while the letter—already in law enforcement custody—clearly indicated a different, apolitical and irrational motive.
Governor Walz, who was aware of the letter’s existence early on, made no effort to correct the record. Instead, he allowed the narrative to shift blame toward his political opponents. While there is no suggestion that Walz bears any responsibility for Boelter’s actions, the failure to promptly and transparently share relevant information enabled false assumptions to proliferate.