Minnesota lawmaker shootings: Prosecutors want to mark Boelter case as 'complex'

MN lawmaker shootings: Vance Boelter's letter to FBI

Vance Boelter, the alleged gunman in the shooting of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, has been federally indicted on murder, firearm, and stalking charges. Prosecutors have revealed new evidence in the case, including a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel that contains an alleged confession and other claims. FOX 9's Maury Glover has more on the story.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Prosecutors in the case of Vance Boelter, the man accused of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses last month, are asking the judge to mark the case as "complex."

Boelter prosecutors ask for "complex" designation

What we know:

In a filing on Tuesday, prosecutors are asking a judge to designate Boelter's case as "complex."

With the designation, prosecutors are looking for extra time to prepare a mountain of evidence, which prosecutors say will include hundreds of thousands of pages of documents for discovery and hours of body camera video. The prosecutor is asking the judge to allow for six months of preparation, from the date of the indictment on July 15 to January 15, which won't count towards the Speedy Trial Act, which requires the case to go to trial within 70 days of the indictment.

Boelter indicted

The backstory:

Boelter was charged in June with murder and stalking in the shootings of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, along with the shootings of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette. The Hortmans were killed in the shooting.

Boelter was indicted last week on six counts, including:

• Stalking of Melissa Hortman – use of interstate facilities
• Stalking of John Hoffman – use of interstate facilities
• Murder of Melissa Hortman through use of firearm
• Murder of Mark Hortman through use of firearm
• Shooting of Melissa and Mark Hortman – firearms offense
• Shooting of John and Yvette Hoffman and the attempted shooting of Hope Hoffman – firearms offense

The federal complaint alleges Boelter "embarked on a planned campaign of stalking and violence, designed to inflict fear, injure and kill members of the Minnesota state legislature and their families."

Dig deeper:

Authorities also unsealed a search warrant that included a letter written by Boelter to FBI Director Kash Patel. The letter included strange claims, like accusations that he had been trained by the military for secret missions and that Governor Walz had recruited him to kill Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith. Prosecutors said the writings were complete fantasy.