After a monthlong manhunt in suburban Minneapolis, police said they have finally captured a man accused of fatally shooting his ex-boyfriend and business partner, Kelly Phillips, at an Arden Hills, Minnesota gas station on Aug. 11.
Lyle "Ty" Hoffman, 44, was arrested Thursday just after 10 a.m. at an Arby's restaurant in Shakopee, Minnesota — ending an intense monthlong search by authorities throughout the Minneapolis area.
Lyle Marvin “Ty” Hoffman
Shakopee Police received a call about a suspicious person matching Hoffman’s description near the restaurant in Southbridge Crossings shopping area, and police apprehended him there without incident. He will appear in court Friday at 1:30 p.m. local time.
"This situation exemplifies the importance of a strong partnership between law enforcement and the public," Shakopee Police Chief Jeff Tate said in a statement. "Citizens are our eyes and ears in the community, and we rely on you to observe and report suspicious activity. We are glad that this situation ended safely and would like to again extend our thanks to the public for your diligence."
Authorities told BuzzFeed News Hoffman was charged with intentional second-degree murder for the killing of Phillips, a vice president at medical technology company Boston Scientific and Hoffman's former boyfriend and business partner.
Philips owned Lush, a nightclub that he and Hoffman opened five years ago in Minneapolis. However, Phillips later evicted Hoffman from a home near the club as both their personal and business relationships deteriorated, according to a report by the Associated Press.
Hoffman is also a suspect in the Aug. 31 robbery of a TCF Bank in Blaine, Minnesota, according to Ramsey County Sheriff's Office Inspector Rob Allen. As of Friday, Hoffman has not been charged in connection with the robbery, and the second-degree murder charging documents are sealed until Hoffman appears in court.
Phillips, 48, was found shot to death in BMW at a gas station near his office. Witnesses heard the two men arguing before Hoffman allegedly shot Phillips three times — once in the head while he pleaded for his life, the StarTribune reported. The shooter also ran over Phillips' body and fled the scene.
Authorities continue their search for Hoffman on Sept. 3, 2014.
The killing set off a manhunt, including a search in the Prior Lake, Minnesota area Sept. 3 after what authorities believed to have been a possible sighting of Hoffman. On Sept. 2, police conducted a search near the Anoka County Airport.
At a news conference announcing the arrest, Ramsey County Chief Deputy John Kirkwood said investigators are still looking for a Glock semiautomatic .45-caliber handgun, and whether anyone had helped Hoffman evade police for so long, StarTribune reported.
