The man accused of killing LGBT community leader Kelly Phillips and robbing a bank has eluded police for nearly a month.

On Wednesday, Ramsey County Sheriff’s office announced that the reward for information leading to the capture of Ty Hoffman has increased to $40,000, up from an original $1,000.

On August 11, Phillips was shot and killed at a gas station in Arden Hills. His former business partner, Hoffman, is the prime suspect. Though he’s potentially been spotted in Blaine, Shakopee, and Prior Lake, he has eluded police who believe Hoffman may be getting help from friends and family.

Last week, Hoffman was spotted in Prior Lake after security at the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community saw someone who is believed to be Hoffman at the Mystic Lake Casino. An employee at the bar at America’s Best Value Inn and Suites in Shakopee also alerted police after someone fitting Hoffman’s description paid for a drink with a $20 bill covered in red dye.

The week prior, a man police believe was Hoffman robbed a TCF Bank in Blaine, and a bank employee included a dye pack with the stolen money.

“We do believe there was the suspect and another individual walking through the hotel corridor,” Americas Best manager, Laura Ellingson, told KSTP. “That’s where our bartender said this doesn’t look quite right.”

Police searched the area, but Hoffman was not found.

On Friday, police released a new image believed to be Hoffman which was taken at “a metro area big-box retailer,” according to KARE 11.

The search for Hoffman has led to a number of questions.

Kevin Sieben of Sieben Edmunds, a criminal defense firm, recapped some of those questions.

It’s easy for all of us to get pulled into this “man-hunt” story line so I thought it was prudent that we talk about what is actually known about what happened. The criminal complaint against Hoffman is sealed, meaning the public is not allowed to view it. That means what is known to us and the media amounts to very little.
We have information that indicates that the relationship (both professional and personal) between Hoffman and his former partner, Kelly Phillips, was strained. If we assume that is true, we must ask why Hoffman and Phillips were driving together to a gas station. The answer to that question may indicate we do not know the full story.
Hoffman has now been charged with robbing a bank in Blaine. This theory directly conflicts with expert commentary which says that the only way he could elude police is with preparation and planning. If Ty Hoffman had planned this murder, wouldn’t he have saved sufficient money to escape instead of robbing a bank while all of Minnesota is looking for him? Another question we do not know the answer to.
Furthermore, there is commentary that Ty Hoffman is receiving help to elude police but then there are accounts that he is laying in the weeds and running through the forests to avoid arrest. These two narratives contradict, if he is receiving help then why is he running through forests on foot?
Having said all that, let me be clear, Ty Hoffman should turn himself in and face the charges. However, we as the public must challenge what we hear on television, for every time we rubber stamp what we read, we undermine the quality legal process this country is founded on.

According to a release from the Ramsey County Sheriff on Wednesday:

The last confirmed sighting of Hoffman was early last week in the vicinity of Shakopee and Prior Lake.
Investigators request the public’s help in:
• Sharing the Wanted Poster widely as Hoffman may have traveled, or attempted to travel, out of the state, particularly toward warmer climates
• Remaining vigilant for money that was colored red by an exploding dye pack
• Keeping an eye out for Hoffman at the places he likes to frequent: gay bars, casinos, movie
theaters, and coffee shops and at properties that were believed to be vacant or budget hotels.
• Being aware that Hoffman has a habit of clearing his throat often and with a loud and distinctive sound.
To report a sighting of Ty Hoffman, call 9-1-1. To share any information or report a tip anonymously, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Here’s the new wanted poster from the Ramsey County Sheriff’s office:

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