Minnesota Democratic Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband laid in state in the Minnesota Capitol alongside their beloved golden retriever, Gilbert, Friday, two weeks after the three were allegedly assassinated by a crazed gunman with a political grudge.
Hundreds of mourners passed through the stately rotunda in Saint Paul to pay their respects to the three victims of the June 14 assassination — the same day their accused killer appeared in federal court in a suicide prevention smock.
Hortman, 55, is the first woman to lie in state at the Capitol Rotunda. Gilbert’s gold urn was in between the flower-adorned caskets of her and her husband, Mark, 58, which were flanked by law enforcement officers.
The rescue dog is the first animal to lie in state in the Minnesota Capitol.
The three were gunned down at their Brooklyn Park home, near Minneapolis, in a politically motivated attack that also wounded another Democratic state lawmaker and his wife.
Gravely wounded Gilbert was later euthanized.
After the largest manhunt in state history, authorities apprehended and charged Vance Luther Boelter for the slayings.
Prosecutors have painted the 57-year-old as a crazed extremist — who was a political appointee of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz — with a hit list containing more than 40 state and federal officials.
He allegedly dressed as a cop before driving to the homes of three lawmakers, including state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, whom Boelter allegedly shot and severely wounded before moving on to the Hortmans’ house.
Disturbing images shared by the FBI allegedly showed Boetler wearing a creepy latex mask during the targeted shootings.
He was nabbed after an intense manhunt and faces multiple state and federal counts of murder and attempted murder. He could receive the death penalty if convicted.
Boelter appeared in federal court in Saint Paul on Friday morning, before his alleged victims were honored in the state Capitol, for a hearing to determine if he would be eligible for bail.
But the defendant, in a green jumpsuit and anti-suicide smock, appeared worse for wear, and his defense convinced the court to postpone the hearing to July 3.
His lawyers decried his “horrible conditions” in lockup, including having no pillow to sleep on, constantly slamming doors and lights on through the night.
“Your Honor, I haven’t really slept in 12 to 14 days,” KMSP quoted him as saying.
Boelter also insisted that he is not and never has been suicidal.
