CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (Court TV) — An Iowa woman convicted of murdering her husband with her lover has been sentenced to life in prison without parole.
In July, Karina Cooper was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of Ryan Cooper. According to testimony, Ryan was found with two gunshot wounds to his face in their Traer home on June 18, 2021. A deputy noted Ryan’s body was in a recliner and Karina was sitting on top of him. The couple’s three children were also in the home.
Karina Cooper sits in court ahead of her sentencing on Sept. 19, 2025. (Court TV)
The case went unsolved for nearly three years until Karina was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in February 2024. Two months later, co-defendant Huston Danker was also arrested on a first-degree murder charge for “acting in concert” with Karina to kill Ryan. Danker pleaded guilty moments before jury selection began in his trial last month.
Prosecutors in Karina’s case argued she and Danker were having an affair and plotted to kill Ryan to collect $500,000 in life insurance. Karina testified about how their relationship evolved from her cutting Danker’s hair to exchanging messages on Snapchat and having sex in February 2021. Karina claimed she cut off in-person contact with Danker because she felt “disgusted” and fearful of jeopardizing her marriage.
Karina insisted Danker acted alone to kill Ryan; however, messages entered into evidence showed the lovers communicating just before Ryan’s murder, including a message from Danker about “remember[ing] those shell casings” about an hour before Karina called 911.
Ahead of sentencing, the judge heard the defense’s arguments for a new trial before swiftly denying that motion. Karina declined an opportunity to speak. Just before Karina’s sentence was handed down, Ryan’s loved ones delivered powerful victim impact statements. Ryan’s sister-in-law, Heather Cooper vowed to raise his kids as her own but acknowledged that she’s no substitute for their father’s love and support.
Ryan’s sister, Michelle Wilson, opted to confront Karina directly, making her feelings crystal clear:
“Today, I can finally speak out on how this narcissistic psychopath robbed us of my brother. Ryan was the quiet man who found joy in farming, but his greatest legacy was as a father. We were all sentenced to life without Ryan. There is no sentence adequate for your actions. My final message to you is: Go to hell.”
Although Iowa law mandates a sentence of life in prison without parole for Karina, the judge took a moment to acknowledge the impact of Ryan’s loss, calling his death “a senseless act” that separated the Cooper children from both their father and their mother.
