Cooper

TOLEDO — Following her first-degree murder conviction last month, Karina Sue Cooper’s sentencing hearing has been pushed back.

Karina Cooper, now 48, was arrested and charged on Feb. 19, 2024, with first-degree murder in connection with her husband Ryan Cooper’s death following a more than two-and-a-half year investigation by both the Tama County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Ryan Cooper was found deceased in the home he and Karina shared with their three minor children west of Traer in the early morning hours of Friday, June 18, 2021, following a 911 call. He had been shot twice in the face.

More than four years later on Friday, July 11, 2025, Karina Cooper was found guilty of first-degree murder by a 12-member jury in Linn County District Court on the eighth day of trial. Her sentencing was originally set to take place on Friday, Sept. 5, at the Tama County Courthouse in Toledo.

On Aug. 19, the State of Iowa filed a motion to continue sentencing to a later date citing a scheduling conflict on the part of Assistant Attorney General Michael H. Ringle. The motion was unresisted by Karina Cooper’s defense counsel. Sixth Judicial District Chief Judge Lars Anderson subsequently granted the continuance the following day. Sentencing will now take place on Friday, Sept. 19, in Tama County District Court beginning at 2:30 p.m.

In Iowa, a first-degree murder charge carries a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Karina Cooper’s co-defendant and former lover, Huston William Danker, now 27, pleaded guilty on Aug. 12, to first-degree murder in connection with Ryan Cooper’s death. He entered his plea on what would have been the first day of trial moments before jury selection was set to begin in Johnson County District Court. Danker’s sentencing hearing is set for Oct. 3 at 9 a.m. at the Tama County Courthouse.

Ryan Cooper’s estate

According to court documents, following Ryan Cooper’s death, Karina Cooper, as the surviving spouse, was appointed administrator of his estate. The estate was formally opened on Aug. 13, 2021, with now-retired Stephen A. Kenkel of Toledo designated the estate’s attorney.

On July 26, 2024, Karina Cooper, then jailed on the single charge of first-degree murder, was removed as administrator by court order and Ryan Cooper’s siblings, Aaron Cooper and Michelle Wilson, were appointed co-administrators. Under the same order, Kenkel was allowed to withdraw as attorney and a requirement that the estate be closed within three years of opening was waived. In October of 2024, Travis M. Cavanaugh of Cedar Rapids was designated as the estate’s new attorney.

Back in November 2013, Ryan Cooper, then 34, took out a term life insurance policy worth $500,000. The policy named Karina Cooper as the only beneficiary. On Dec. 22, 2021 — six months after Ryan Cooper’s death — Karina Cooper was issued a check in the amount of $514,882.21 from Shelter Life Insurance Company of Missouri. She subsequently cashed the check via Chelsea Savings Bank.

Under Iowa’s felony death statute, Karina Cooper is no longer able to receive any beneficial interest from Ryan Cooper’s estate.

On July 30, Aaron Cooper and Michelle Wilson filed a motion for an immediate temporary injunction to hold and preserve funds or property held in the name of Karina Cooper (or in which Karina Cooper holds a beneficial interest) and stop distribution or payment.

“It is probable that a significant portion of the insurance proceeds have been dissipated,” the filing states. “If the insurance proceeds are further dissipated, the Estate will be irreparably

harmed because, due to Karina Cooper’s incarceration, is unlikely that she will be able to repay dissipated proceeds that cannot be identified and secured, and there is reason to believe that she would not be able to satisfy any in personam judgement against her for the wrongful death of Ryan Cooper and/or dissipation of life insurance proceeds.”

The filing goes on to list persons or entities who may have custody or control over the proceeds of Ryan Cooper’s insurance benefits including Karina Cooper herself; Chris Wilson, attorney for Karina Cooper; Jay Devries, an investment broker; and Chelsea Savings Bank.

The administrators further asked that if Karina Cooper does not disclaim her interest, the matter be set for trial.

A hearing for the injunction was subsequently set for Sept. 12 beginning at 11:30 a.m. at the Tama County Courthouse.