The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.

CEDAR RAPIDS — The mother of 20 year-old Melody Hoffman, who was kidnapped, strangled and killed last year, testified Thursday that the last time she saw her daughter was on a surveillance camera in their home, which showed Melody leaving the house.

Megan Hoffman, formerly of Marion and now of North Liberty, sent her daughter a text asking her where she was going and Melody said “I’ll be right back,” but she didn’t know when.

Megan never saw her daughter again. She had set up the camera to watch over Melody and used an app to track her daughter’s phone because Melody had a mild intellectual disability. The apps didn’t save Melody, but they helped police piece together what happened to her Feb

See Full Page