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CEDAR RAPIDS -- A Linn County jury Thursday convicted Dakota Van Patten of kidnapping and strangling 20 year-old Melody Hoffman in February of last year.

The jurors, who deliberated about three hours, were individually polled by 6th Judicial District Judge Chad Kepros to confirm the guilty verdicts for first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony were unanimous.

As the verdicts were read, the Hoffman family reacted with tears, then hugs after the jury left the courtroom. Melody’s mother, Megan Hoffman hugged her mom for a long time at the back of the courtroom. Both cried and held each other.

Van Patten , 19, of Cedar Rapids, didn’t show much react

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