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Police interview: Hiawatha man blames co-conspirator for Marion woman’s strangulation
McKinley Louisma told a DCI investigator Dakota Van Patten threatened him with a gun the night Melody Hoffman was killed
Nov. 12, 2024 7:09 pm, Updated: Nov. 13, 2024 12:04 pm
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CEDAR RAPIDS -- The Hiawatha man accused of torturing and strangling to death Melody Hoffman in February told an investigator that he was an unwilling victim to what happened that night and blamed his co-conspirator for the woman’s slaying.
McKinley Louisma, 23, in a recorded interview, told Special Agent Ryan Kedley of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation that he just planned to hang out with Hoffman, 20, of Marion, on Feb. 17, but Dakota Van Patten had other ideas, which included kidnapping and beating Hoffman, 20, of Marion.
Louisma said he didn’t know what was going on, and then Van Patten showed a gun, pointed it at Louisma’s head, and told him to “trust the process.”
The video was played Tuesday during the second week of Louisma’s trial. He is charged with first-degree kidnapping and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony. Van Patten, 18, of Cedar Rapids, also is charged in Hoffman’s kidnapping and killing.
According to testimony last week, Hoffman died by strangulation around midnight Feb. 17. The prosecution said she was tortured and killed at Morgan Creek Park in Cedar Rapids and then her body was left at Lily Pond Park in Amana.
The prosecution is expected to wrap up its case Wednesday.
At first, Louisma denied knowing Hoffman had died
Louisma, in his first interview with Kedley, denied knowing anything and said he hadn’t seen Hoffman since earlier in the week, before Feb. 17. Hoffman reached out to him about hanging out Feb. 17 or 18 but he told her he had errands to run and didn’t see her.
Kedley told Louisma that Hoffman was found dead.
“Really,” Louisma said without further reaction.
Kedley asked Louisma if there is any reason they might find evidence in his car. Police already had a search warrant and were in the process of going through it when Kedley was interviewing Louisma.
Louisma said they might find some clothes of his girlfriend, Nakia Svoboda, and there was green bag in the trunk but he didn’t know where it came from.
Louisma also said he hadn’t been to Morgan Creek in several weeks, and hadn’t been to the Lily Pond in Amana for about a month.
Kedley asked him if he would “swear under oath” that what he told him “is 100 percent accurate” and Louisma said he would.
In second interview, Louisma admitted to leaving things out
In a second interview, Louisma said he gave accurate information the first time they talked, but admitted he left out a few things.
Louisma said Hoffman wanted to hang out on the night of Feb. 17 and he and Van Patten picked her up. Louisma said he was going to drop Van Patten off because he and Klimpton -- who also is charged in Hoffman’s killing -- were going camping.
After Hoffman got in the car, she was talking about shopping and buying some items and Van Patten thought she must have money, so he wanted to stay with them, Louisma said. Van Patten began to get annoyed by Hoffman and suggested going to Morgan Creek Park. At the park, he told Louisma he wanted to talk to him outside the car.
Van Patten showed Louisma his gun and again mentioned Hoffman must have money. Louisma said she didn’t, but Van Patten said they needed to “continue” because Hoffman would “snitch.” Louisma said he didn’t know what was going on.
At some point, Louisma told Kedley, Van Patten started punching Hoffman and demanded the password to her phone, which she gave him. Hoffman told Van Patten her mom could see her location.
Louisma told Kedley he tried to stop Van Patten, but he had a gun and threatened him with it.
Louisma turned off one location app on Hoffman’s phone, but he didn’t turn off a second one that Van Patten didn’t know about.
When Megan Hoffman, Melody’s mom, sent a text to her daughter’s phone that night, it was Van Patten who responded, saying she was almost home and to leave the door unlocked.
They were parked near Hoffman’s residence because Louisma thought Van Patten was planning to get money, but Van Patten told Louisma to drive away when he saw a police car driving toward them.
Louisma said Van Patten made him put Hoffman in the trunk. She was tied up and Van Patten had put duct tape over her mouth and “wrapped it around her” at some point, Louisma said in the recording. Before this, Louisma said Hoffman had been pleading with him to help her but he told her he couldn’t because Van Patten had a gun.
When they went to the Lily Pond, Louisma told police Van Patten ripped Hoffman’s clothes and told Louisma to rip them off. Van Patten racked his gun to make Louisma do it. Van Patten then pulled off Hoffman’s necklace and Louisma ran back to the car to get away, but he said Van Patten chased him and they got into a “scuffle.”
Louisma said Hoffman was trying to get away and then he “heard” Van Patten choking her. He didn’t see it because he remained by the car and away from them.
Louisma said Van Patten came back to the car and asked for trash bag. He then handed Louisma a knife with blood on it and told him to put everything they touched in a bag.
Kedley, in the interview, said he didn’t believe Louisma’s story. What was Van Patten’s motivation to do this, he asked. Van Patten went from wanting money from Hoffman, to driving out to parks, beating Hoffman, tying her up, holding a gun to Louisma’s head and strangling the woman.
Kedley asked Louisma about his machete, which was by the driver’s side seat in the car throughout the night, and Louisma said it was but he couldn’t get to it.
Louisma repeatedly told Kedley that Van Patten had a gun.
Kedley will continue his testimony about the interview on Wednesday.
Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com
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