An alarming discovery was made in the car of accused Minnesota assassin Vance Boelter, as notebooks filled with chilling details of his alleged plan to attack two Democratic lawmakers and their spouses were found. The meticulous planning and grim hit list of targets were revealed in photos released by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota.
The notebooks contained lists of websites used to find the addresses of state and federal elected officials, with notes indicating whether the services were free or paid. The addresses of more than 45 Minnesota officials were identified in the notebooks, according to authorities.
Additional notebooks were recovered from a residence where Boelter was renting a room in north Minneapolis. Inside Boelter’s car, a shocking cache of assault-style rifles and ammunition was found, painting a disturbing picture of his intentions.
The investigation also uncovered a GPS inside Boelter’s SUV with a trip history that included the addresses of state Rep. Melissa Hortman’s house in Brooklyn Park, state Sen. John Hoffman’s house in Champlin, and the addresses of at least two other state officials. A search near Hortman’s home led to the discovery of a disassembled semiautomatic handgun, magazines, tactical body armor vest, and a latex mask of a bald old man.
The mask was consistent with what Boelter was seen wearing in security footage taken on the night of the killings, authorities revealed.
Boelter, 57, of Green Isle, Minnesota, has been charged with stalking and murdering Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, as well as stalking and shooting Sen. John Hoffman and his wife. Acting US Attorney Joseph H. Thompson announced the charges on Monday, following Boelter’s arrest after the largest manhunt in Minnesota history.
Witnesses described encountering Boelter in the vicinity of his home in Green Isle, with one witness, Wendy Thomas, recalling the moment she believed she saw him lurking near her friend’s home before his arrest. Thomas spotted a person in the grass as she was leaving her friend’s driveway and initially thought it was a law enforcement officer. She quickly realized there was only one person and no vehicle, prompting her to alert authorities.
Thomas’s quick thinking led to Boelter’s capture just a mile from his home, surprising many who believed he had fled the area. The extensive investigation and manhunt ultimately led to Boelter’s arrest, bringing a sense of relief to the community.
