CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (Court TV) — An Iowa man is standing trial on charges he helped a friend kidnap and murder his girlfriend.
Dakota Van Patten is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping in the death of 20-year-old Melody Hoffman. Her body was found on Feb. 18, 2024, by Lily Lake in Amana. A criminal complaint said she had been strangled and had numerous stab and slash wounds.
At the time of her death, Hoffman was dating MicKinley Louisma, who was friends with Van Patten. Investigators were able to determine the men were with Hoffman when she died by tracking activity on her iPhone and Apple Watch.
When confronted by investigators, Louisma admitted to kidnapping Hoffman with Van Patten and physically beating her. Video surveillance footage from a local Walmart allegedly showed the two men purchasing gloves and two machetes before they took Hoffman. Video surveillance footage from a convenience store showed them purchasing cigars after Hoffman’s body had been left at the lake…