An Iowa teen is facing trial for allegedly aiding in the murder of his friend’s girlfriend — and later taking dozens of selfies wearing her glasses.
Dakota Van Patten, 19, was arrested on Feb. 21, 2024, and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Melody Hoffman, 20, who had been found dead three days earlier, according to an affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.
Prosecutors allege that Van Patten assisted Hoffman’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, McKinley Louisma, in planning and carrying out her killing, CBS2 Iowa reports.
In November 2024, Louisma was convicted of first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony in connection with Hoffman’s death. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Van Patten is said to have been a passenger in Louisma’s car when he picked up Hoffman at 11 p.m. on Feb. 17, 2024, according to the affidavit.
Louisma told authorities that he and Van Patten bound Hoffman’s wrists with duct tape at Morgan Creek Park before placing her in the trunk of his car and driving to Lily Lake in Iowa County, the affidavit states.
The affidavit claims the two beat Hoffman while she pleaded for her life before leaving her to die at the pond.
Louisma also told police he was in an “intimate relationship” with Hoffman as well as another woman at the time, according to the affidavit.
During Tuesday’s court proceedings, Associate State Medical Examiner Dr. Kelly Kruse testified that the primary cause of Hoffman’s death was strangulation by an object other than hands, CBS2 Iowa reports.
Investigators say a rope found in Louisma’s car matches paracord recovered from Van Patten’s home, which they believe was used to strangle Hoffman, prosecutors allege.
Kruse told The Gazette that Hoffman likely died within minutes after being strangled with the paracord.
Hoffman also suffered blunt force trauma to the head, five stab wounds, serrated knife cuts, six cutting injuries to her right hand, and various abrasions and bruises to her face, according to Kruse, KCRG reports.
Lab tests also suggested that Hoffman may have been pregnant at the time of her death, Kruse said, as hormones indicating pregnancy were detected in her body, KCRG reports.
Investigators allegedly recovered multiple items from Louisma’s car, including a blood-stained pocketknife, machetes, a rope, a roll of duct tape, pink HeyDude shoes, and a cut-up pink shirt wrapped with duct tape, CBS2 Iowa reports.
Photos found on Van Patten’s phone reportedly show him wearing what authorities believe were Hoffman’s glasses, which were recovered from his room, CBS2 Iowa reports.
A witness who saw Van Patten with a machete afterward asked who he had killed, and he allegedly replied, “Melody,” the affidavit states.
A third suspect, Logan Kimpton, faces charges of conspiracy and willful injury in connection with Hoffman’s death. His trial is scheduled to begin in November.
