CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (Court TV) — An Iowa man who helped a friend kidnap and murder his girlfriend has been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted on all charges.

Dakota Van Patten appears in court during his murder trial Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. (Court TV)

Dakota Van Patten was found guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony in the death of 20-year-old Melody Hoffman. Her body was found on Feb. 18, 2024, by Lily Lake in Amana. A criminal complaint said she had been strangled and had numerous stab and slash wounds.

At his sentencing on Nov. 14, 2025, Judge Chad Kepros imposed a mandatory life sentence without possibility of parole for the murder conviction. The kidnapping conviction will run consecutively to the murder

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