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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Mother’s tracking apps helped police decipher where her daughter was killed
Melody Hoffman’s missing glasses were found in defendant’s bedroom
Sep. 18, 2025 6:05 pm
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CEDAR RAPIDS — The mother of 20 year-old Melody Hoffman, who was kidnapped, strangled and killed last year, testified Thursday that the last time she saw her daughter was on a surveillance camera in their home, which showed Melody leaving the house.
Megan Hoffman, formerly of Marion and now of North Liberty, sent her daughter a text asking her where she was going and Melody said “I’ll be right back,” but she didn’t know when.
Megan never saw her daughter again. She had set up the camera to watch over Melody and used an app to track her daughter’s phone because Melody had a mild intellectual disability. The apps didn’t save Melody, but they helped police piece together what happened to her Feb. 17 and 18, 2024.
Dakota Van Patten, 19, of Cedar Rapids, charged with first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony, is on trial this week for his part in Melody’s killing. McKinley Louisma, 24, of Marion, Hoffman’s former boyfriend, was convicted last year in her slaying.
Melody was kidnapped, stabbed, strangled and killed, according to testimony. She was taken to Morgan Creek Park in Cedar Rapids and then her body was left at the Lily Pond in Amana.
The prosecution will continue its case Friday. The trial is expected to go into next week.
‘Overly trusting’
Melody was like a 14- or 15-year-old in a 20-year-old woman’s body, Megan, who teared up at times, testified Thursday. She was “overly trusting,” would talk to strangers, had no fear and didn’t always understand social situations. She was a “bubbly, lively, hopeful and caring” person who liked making others feel good, Megan testified.
Her daughter broke up with Louisma after they dated from October 2023 through early January 2024, Megan said. He was her first boyfriend. They met through a dating app and Megan thought he was “nice, polite and helpful.” She eventually let him stay overnight with her daughter and they seemed to have a good relationship.
Megan said Melody’s relationship with Louisma became “rocky” around early December when he wouldn’t show up to see Melody. It began happening more frequently and he wouldn’t respond to texts or phone calls. She told her daughter he seemed to be playing games and maybe it would be good for them to have some time apart.
During this time, Megan and Melody also learned Louisma may be the father of his ex-girlfriend’s baby. Melody broke off the relationship and arranged to exchange each other’s belongings on Jan. 7, but Megan gave Louisma his items.
Megan said a taller, white man was with Louisma that day but she couldn’t see his face. He remained in the car.
Threatening text
Later that day, Melody received a concerning text, Megan said. They didn’t know who sent it, but Megan said she suspected it could be from Louisma.
The text, displayed for the jury, told Melody she was a “dead girl” and when she least expected it “we’re gonna get you.” The text also told Melody she and her family “ain’t safe” and they would “paint your whole house red.”
Melody was scared after receiving it, her mother said.
On Feb. 16, Megan was with Melody when she received a call from Louisma, asking her to come over for a sleep over. Megan told her no and Melody didn’t go.
The next day, Feb. 17, the mother and daughter had a fun day of shopping, later ate dinner and watched a movie at home. Megan went to be around 11:15 p.m. She got an alert on her phone that Melody left the apartment, and she saw video of her leaving.
Megan suspected Melody was sneaking out to meet Louisma. She followed Melody’s location on her phone and it tracked her to Cherry Hill Park and then to Morgan Creek Park. Louisma had previously taken Melody to Morgan Creek Park.
At one point, Melody’s location showed her returning to Marion, at an address about two blocks from their apartment, and Megan started sending her texts telling her to come home.
Melody, on Snapchat, then contacted Megan and said she was on her way home. Megan said she didn’t think it was her daughter because of how she wrote the texts.
The location on Melody’s phone was turned off about 1:17 a.m. on Feb. 18, Megan testified. Then at 3:13 a.m., she received a notification on the location app that Melody’s iPhone detected a crash at the entrance ramp onto Highway 100 from Edgewood Road.
After finding out there was no crash in that area, Megan drove to the ramp at about 4 a.m. to look for her daughter’s phone, and found it. The case was missing and the back was shattered, but it worked.
Megan went to the police department and filed a missing persons report. She also sent messages to Louisma through Facebook Messenger, asking if he had seen Melody, but he said he had not.
She turned Melody’s phone over to police and they continued to send him messages from Megan, but he didn’t respond.
Several hours later, Megan was told Melody had been murdered.
Megan testified she also received texts about 6:34 p.m. on Feb. 18, but she didn’t know who sent them. The person said Melody was with “me” and she was “fine.” The person told Megan to “listen to exactly what I say” and if she did and paid some money, she would see her “baby girl safe.”
Never asked who was killed
In other testimony Thursday, Marion Police Investigator Michael Pope said when he made contact with Van Patten on his front porch, Van Patten said “What did I do?”
Pope told him he had been implicated in a murder and Van Patten asked who said he was involved. He asked more than once.
During this interaction, Van Patten never asked who was murdered and he never denied being involved.
Pope also testified about the search conducted at Van Patten’s residence, where he lived with his brother. They found the clothes in his basement bedroom that he was wearing the night Melody was killed.
Melody’s glasses found in search
Surveillance video taken from a convenience store showed where Van Patten and Louisma stopped to purchase cigars after killing Melody, according to testimony.
Melody’s missing clear frame glasses also were found in Van Patten’s bedroom.
A bundled paracord was found in the basement. It had been cut and a section was missing, Pope said. A piece of paracord was found in a trash bag in Louisma’s vehicle.
Brandon Monson, 21, formerly of Marion and now living in Hazelton, testified Logan Kimpton, 19, of Cedar Rapids, also charged in the killing, told him on Feb. 17 that he had plans with Van Patten and Lousima to kill a girl who owed them money. Kimpton said it was going to happen that night.
Monson said this conversation took place when he, Kimpton, Taya Meyer and another person were out “muddling.” He said he didn’t know if Kimpton was serious.
On cross, Monson said he has issues with his memory and has trouble with timelines.
Louisma’s former girlfriend, Nakia Svoboda, testified she knew about Louisma’s relationship with Melody during the time she and Louisma had broken up. She gave him an ultimatum that he needed to choose who he wanted. Louisma told Svoboda he wanted to be with her.
0n Feb. 17, Louisma told Svoboda he was going to his parents’ house, but he took a ski mask and was wearing his work boots, which was unusual, she said.
Louisma didn’t get home until about 4 a.m. Feb. 18 and he smelled like smoke, Svoboda said. It was “off” because he never smoked, and he was “acting weird.” She said Louisma just sat on floor, watching videos. She asked him if something was wrong, but he said no.
Trish Mehaffey covers state and federal courts for The Gazette
Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com
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