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A Tale of Two Manhunts
Vance Boelter and Ernest Thomas
In the early hours of Saturday, June 14, 2025, Vance Boelter, disguised as a policeman, pulled up in front of the home of Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman. He’d made his SUV look like a police vehicle. Upon gaining entry, he shot and killed Representative Hortman and her husband, Mark.
Boelter got back into his vehicle, soon to appear in front of the home of State Senator John Hoffman. Using the same ruse, he entered their home and shot Hoffman and his wife several times. Both Hoffmans survived the shootings and were taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Police on the scene of the first shooting decided to check on other legislators and came upon Boelter exiting the Hoffman home. They engaged in a shootout, and Boelter escaped into the nearby woods on foot. A search of Boelter’s vehicle revealed a list with names and addresses of up to 70 individuals who were either Democratic lawmakers or supporters of legal abortion. There were also fliers for local “No Kings” rallies, which might also be targets. After Boelter’s escape, the largest manhunt in Minnesota history began, involving hundreds of agents across the state.
On July 16, 1949, Norma Padgett falsely accused four Black youth of raping her and assaulting her husband. Ernest Thomas, Charles Greenlee (age…
