MINI TRUE CRIME ROUNDUP: Killer Vance Boelter reveals 'chilling new details' about murders and attacks on Democrat lawmakers

**Lauren Barry** (0:02)
This is a True Crime in Real Time Roundup from The On Deadline Podcast. We explore crimes reported on by Audacy's radio newsrooms across the country.
I'm your host, Lauren Barry. Now we're headed to the US District Court of Minnesota, where Vance Boelter pleaded guilty to multiple charges Thursday related to stalking and killing Minnesota House of Representatives Speaker Emeritus, Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, as well as the stalking and shooting of Minnesota State Senator, John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman. Belter is a 58-year-old man who CNN described as a quote, outspoken evangelical Christian. He also reportedly worked for a security company that advertised, quote, police type vehicles.
In his efforts to stalk and attack Democratic lawmakers, Belter reportedly impersonated a police officer. He was apprehended last year after a days-long manhunt. Reporter Mark Fry from WCCO News Talk and the Twin Cities, joined the station's Adam and Jordana show with Adam Carter and Jordana Green, as news of Belter's guilty plea broke on Thursday, June 11th.

**Adam Carter** (1:26)
Mark, just take a second. Did Vance Belter have a chance to speak at all other than to just change his plea, or did his attorneys do that for him?

**Mark Fry** (1:35)
So he had a very interactive sort of back-and-forth dialogue with Judge Toonheim this morning as the judge read sort of the outline of the case. And then throughout the hearing today, Vance Belter's attorney read through the facts of the case and agreed to what those facts were in this case, Adam. And really that was the that was the extent of the speaking this morning. Really among anybody in there was just sort of yes, no.
The judge did ask Vance Belter how he was doing today. And again, Belter was very, very quiet in how he was talking, very soft spoken, but still sounded very confident in how he was speaking. Right, really right from the get-go. And it was kind of interesting just to see the reaction, the Hortman and Hoffman families were in the courtroom today as well. And one thing of note, Senator Hoffman, I think really the whole time was just leaned forward, just watching Vance Belter's almost every move. And that was something that really stood out to me this morning, Adam.

**Jordana Green** (2:32)
What did Vance Belter say to the judge? Did he address the case? Did he just give his plea? Did he address the families?

**Mark Fry** (2:40)
He has not addressed the families. So, Jordana, really what was happened today is Judge Schoenheim brought in Vance Belter. Vance Belter sat down. They read the facts of the case to Vance Belter. He agreed if those were the facts of the case, including did he shoot and kill Mark and Melissa Hortman, to which he said yes. Did he stalk the Hortmans and other lawmakers? He answered yes. So it's really just outlining the facts of the case. There was really no full sentences spoken from Vance Belter this morning other than the initial, how are you doing this morning? And he said, I'm doing okay, thank you. And that was really just the extent. Yes, no questions and just agreeing to the facts of the case this morning.

**Jordana Green** (3:21)
Mark, I actually got chills when you said that Vance Belter said yes to the question if he killed Mark and Melissa Hortman. What was the Hoffman's family and what was the gallery's reaction to these, these acknowledgments?

**Mark Fry** (3:38)
Really, the biggest reaction, Jordana, that came this morning was during the facts of the case that were being read. And towards the very end when they were talking about when Vance Belter entered the Hortman's home and tried to flee and sort of the final shot that was that rang out inside of that house on Melissa Hortman. And that probably drew the biggest reaction from the families here this morning. Just an audible gasp.
There was crying and I think that was just what stood out to me too was just how how focused they all were on Vance Belter. Sometimes in these cases you see family members they don't want to look at the perpetrator in this case. But that was not the case today. I mean they were very much looking at him and listening to really every word that he was saying.

**Adam Carter** (4:27)
And you said Senator John Hoffman in the room was his daughter and wife there too?

**Mark Fry** (4:33)
His daughter was not in the room today from what I was told, but his wife was with him this morning.

**Jordana Green** (4:38)
And also we were hearing that nobody from the Belter family or any supportive friends were there. Is that also true?