Lyle "Ty" Hoffman, currently serving a 25-year prison sentence for killing his former domestic partner last year, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in St. Paul to robbing a TCF Bank in Blaine.

Hoffman, 45, was sentenced in March for the August 2014 shooting death of Kelly Phillips, 48, an attorney with Boston Scientific, in the parking lot of a gas station in Arden Hills.

After the shooting, Hoffman disappeared and was the subject of a several-week manhunt.

On Aug. 31, about three weeks after the killing, he entered the bank on County Rd. 10, pointed a handgun at a teller, and said something like, "Give me the money," according to the plea agreement. He was handed about $12,020 in cash, he acknowledged Wednesday in court.

Hoffman was captured Sept. 11 when he was spotted outside a fast-food restaurant in Shakopee.

On Wednesday, he stood beside his attorney, Manny Atwal, of the federal public defender's office, who asked Judge Richard Kyle if Hoffman would be allowed to remain at St. Cloud state prison to serve out his 25-year second-degree murder sentence. Kyle said yes.

Hoffman pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery. He could receive 70 to 87 months in prison under federal guidelines.

Kyle noted that he has the option of sentencing Hoffman to more or less time than the guidelines say. The maximum sentence is 25 years and a fine of up to $250,000

Atwal said in a brief interview after the hearing that she will ask Kyle that at least part of Hoffman's bank-robbery sentence be run concurrently with the murder sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Ueland declined to say what sentence he will seek.

There will be a presentence investigation for the bank-robbery plea. No sentencing date has been set.

Hoffman shot Phillips three times — including once in the head at point-blank range — as he pleaded for his life.

The two were partners for 15 years and together opened the northeast Minneapolis business Lush Bar. They broke up several years ago, but their business relationship continued until 2014, when Phillips fired Hoffman and evicted him from a house across the street from the business. Hoffman had no legal stake in the home or business.

Randy Furst • 612-673-4224

Twitter: @randyfurst