Investigators testify traffic cameras, cell data helped solve Marion woman’s slaying

CEDAR RAPIDS — Traffic camera images, cellphone tower data and surveillance videos collected by police investigators helped track the movements of Dakota Van Patten and McKinley Louisma on the night 20-year-old Melody Hoffman was kidnapped, strangled and killed in February 2024.

Marion police investigators testified Friday that Cedar Rapids traffic cameras and cellphone data taken from the phones of Hoffman, Van Patten and Louisma — who already was convicted in her slaying — showed Hoffman being picked up by the two men around 11:30 p.m. from her home in Marion.

Marion Police Sgt. Michael Pope testified various traffic cameras tracked Louisma’s Honda Accord traveling from Marion to Morgan Creek Park, where investigators believe Hoffman was killed, possibly about midnight or just after on Feb. 17. The Accord then went back on Edgewood toward Marion, near Hoffman’s residence, but then headed back toward Walford and the Lily Pond in Amana, where her body was found.

Pope said the video footage showed Louisma’s sweatshirt logo and Van Patten’s stocking cap that identified them later at a convenience store in northwest in Cedar Rapids.

Van Patten, 19, of Cedar Rapids, charged with first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony, is on trial for his part in Melody’s killing. McKinley Louisma, 24, of Marion, Hoffman’s former boyfriend, was convicted last year.

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The prosecution will continue its case Monday. The trial is expected to wrap up by the end of the week.

Marion Police Sgt. Adam Paulsen, during his testimony, identified surveillance video from the Kwik Star at 1001 Blairs Ferry Rd. NE about 3:17 a.m., which showed Van Patten and Louisma going in the store and purchasing cigars and cigarettes after coming back from the Lily Pond in Amana.

Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks, in his opening, said the two men “celebrated” with cigars after killing Hoffman.

Louisma, as he entered the convenience store, was wearing a black sweatshirt with a white colored logo of “Technoblade Never Dies,” and Van Patten had on a dark sweatshirt with a logo and black stocking cap.

First Assistant Linn County Attorney Monica Slaughter asked Paulsen how the relationship between Van Patten and Louisma seemed in the store.

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Paulsen said they seemed casual. Van Patten didn’t seem scared or under duress and he never asked anyone for help. He was following Louisma around the store.

The defense contends Van Patten was coerced in some way by Louisma and was with him but didn’t participate in Hoffman’s killing.

Paulsen said as the two left the store, Louisma got into the backseat, took out a green bag that contained evidence and moved it to the trunk, where it was later found. He said that may have given Van Patten time to run because Louisma wasn’t watching him, but Van Patten stayed in the car.

Paulsen also reviewed the Apple health data that works with an Apple watch from Hoffman’s phone, which tracks heart rate and steps taken. Hoffman’s heart rate went from normal to elevated — an “extreme rise” — and then stopped. Paulsen said that could mean her heart stopped or the watch was disconnected from her body. This happened around midnight Feb. 17.

This information of the health data wasn’t included in the phone’s cell download report because the phone stopped working after he reviewed it, Paulsen said. Melody’s phone was found by her mother, Megan Hoffman, who testified Thursday about the app she used to track her daughter’s phone after she went missing. Hoffman’s phone was found on the roadway and had been severely damaged.

Paulsen said the damage to the phone was consistent with it being run over by a vehicle, instead of it being thrown out onto the pavement.

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Paulsen also testified about Hoffman’s cellphone information that showed her phone was manually connected to Van Patten’s hot spot with his password — 1132dlvp — Dakota Lyle Van Patten, and saved at 1:01 a.m. The last auto connection to the hot spot was at 2:52 a.m. on Feb. 18.

Special Agent Melissa Mussman with the Division of Criminal Investigation testified about the social media accounts of Louisma and Van Patten. Facebook Messenger showed Van Patten attempting to communicate with Louisma on Feb. 18. Louisma missed some of the calls.

On Feb. 19, Van Patten asked Louisma why he removed him as a friend.

Mussman said the two had been Facebook friends off and on since Jan. 11, 2024. In reviewing the messages, they seemed to have spent time together, she said. Van Patten had unfriended Louisma about a week earlier, on Feb. 12.

Marion Sgt. Tom Peterson testified Van Patten, through Facebook Messenger on Feb. 19, asked Taya Meyer, who testified Van Patten confessed about killing Hoffman, why she unfriended him. She never answered him. He called her three times and then sent her a text saying he thought she “cared” but she’s just like the “others.”

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After Van Patten was arrested, Peterson said Van Patten attempted to get his girlfriend, Shanta McMurrin, to provide an alibi for him between on Feb. 17 and 18, when Hoffman was killed.

During a jail call from Van Patten to McMurrin on March 3, 2024, Van Patten asked her about finding some photos of them together at 2 a.m. on Feb. 18, Peterson said. She said she didn’t have any photos, but he continued to ask her to “find” some.

On March 4, Van Patten sent McMurrin a text through the jail system, asking her to find those photos from 11:30 a.m. Feb. 17 to 4 a.m. Feb. 18.

McMurrin said she found them.

Van Patten then asked if they have a time-stamp, but she didn’t answer.

Trish Mehaffey covers state and federal courts for The Gazette

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com