[CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa] — The murder trial of Dakota Van Patten is ongoing in Linn County, with jurors hearing from investigators about the evidence on March 26, 2025.

Van Patten is charged with first-degree murder in the 2024 death of Melody Hoffman. She was found strangled and stabbed in Amana.

Hoffman's mother took the stand, recounting efforts to locate her daughter after she went missing.

If convicted, Van Patten faces a life sentence in prison.

See Full Page