Wife of Vance Boelter speaks out for first time since shootings of state lawmakers
Jenny Boelter has released her first public statement since her husband, Vance Boelter, allegedly shot and killed Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and wounded Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.
Jenny Boelter extended her condolences to the Hortman and Hoffman families and said the acts of terror do not “at all align with our beliefs as a family.”
“It is a betrayal of everything we hold true as tenets of our Christian faith,” Jenny Boelter said. “We are appalled and horrified by what occurred and our hearts are incredibly heavy for the victims of this unfathomable tragedy.”
RELATED: Investigators believe Vance Boelter acted alone during shooting spree | Federal charges: Boelter went to 4 homes as he sought to kill lawmakers
Vance Boelter, 57, faces state charges of second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder in addition to federal charges of murder, stalking, and unlawful use of a firearm. So far, authorities have not implicated Jenny Boelter in the case.
On the morning of June 14, Jenny Boelter was detained at a convenience store in Onamia — more than two hours from the Boelter family’s home in Green Isle — while a massive manhunt for her husband was still active. A search of her vehicle turned up two firearms, about $10,000 in cash and passports for Jenny Boelter and her children, who were in the vehicle at the time, federal charging documents state.
Jenny Boelter now claims she was not pulled over and met with agents at the gas station on her own accord after law enforcement contacted her.
“We were not pulled over; we parked and waited until they arrived,” she said. “When they did, we voluntarily agreed to meet with them, answer their questions, provide all items they requested, and cooperate with all searches.”

Court filings show Vance Boelter texted Jenny Boelter and other family members around 6:18 a.m. on June 14, several hours before law enforcement searched her vehicle.
“Dad went to war last night … I don’t wanna say more because I don’t wanna implicate anybody,” he wrote to the group.
Separately, he texted his wife: “Words are not gonna explain how sorry I am for this situation. … there’s gonna be some people coming to the house armed and trigger-happy and I don’t want you guys around.”
According to an FBI affidavit, the Boelters were “preppers” and had been preparing for catastrophic events. Vance Boelter had also given his wife a “bailout plan” to go to her mother’s home in Spring Brook, Wisconsin, in the event of an emergency.
While Jenny Boelter did not directly acknowledge her husband’s role in the killings, she did thank law enforcement for their “diligent and professional efforts.”
“We thank law enforcement for apprehending Vance and protecting others from further harm,” she concluded.
Jenny Boelter retained Halberg Criminal Defense as her legal representation. The law firm released a statement on her behalf, which you can view in full below.