Vance Boelter sentencing: Man who killed Minnesota Democratic lawmaker faces life in prison plus 40 years

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota man who pleaded guilty to killing a top Democratic lawmaker and her husband is set to be sentenced in federal court Thursday.

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota man who pleaded guilty to killing a top Democratic lawmaker and her husband is set to be sentenced in federal court Thursday.

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Vance Boelter, 59, agreed to plead guilty in June, almost a year after the Minneapolis-area attacks when he stalked and killed House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and critically wounded state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette.

Boelter pleaded guilty to six counts so federal prosecutors would not seek the death penalty; instead, he agreed to serve two consecutive life sentences, plus 40 years. Prosecutors and federal defenders said it was the maximum sentence he could be issued short of the death penalty.