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National news outlets are following the story of affair partners turned murderers. NBC’s longest-running prime-time program, “Dateline,” is spotlighting the murder of Iowan Ryan Cooper on Friday, Dec. 12 with an episode titled “The Farmer’s Wife.”
In 2021, Ryan Cooper was fatally shot twice in his face while sleeping in his chair. Karina Cooper and Huston Danker were charged with first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison in 2025.
Karina Cooper was Ryan Cooper’s wife. Snapchat conversations show she had a romantic and sexual relationship with Danker, where they fantasized about getting married and wanting Ryan Cooper out of the picture, according to trial testimony. They made plans to use a life insurance payout to start a new life together.
Here’s what else to know about the case.
Who is Ryan Cooper?
42-year-old Ryan Cooper was killed in his Traer, Iowa home in June 2021. His obituary stated he was “well known for being a hard working farmer, truck driver and cattle producer. He was proud to be continuing the Cooper farming legacy.”
On June 18, 2021, Karina Cooper and Danker exchanged messages professing their love for each other before shooting Ryan Cooper. While it’s not clear who ended up pulling the trigger, Assistant Iowa Attorney General Mike Ringle said during a trial that it ultimately doesn’t matter — both committed first-degree murder.
In previous texts, Karina Cooper repeatedly said she wanted her husband dead.
An hour before Karina Cooper called 911 to report the shooting, Danker told her, “Remember those casings. No ifs, ands or buts.“
She replied to Danker, “Absolutely. 100 percent.”
What happened during Karina Cooper’s and Huston Danker’s trials?
At first, Karina Cooper and Danker denied having a romantic affair, before they eventually confessed.
Danker pleaded guilty to his charges, and Karina Cooper was found guilty by a jury. Ryan Cooper’s estate is seeking to freeze the $515,000 life-insurance payout after their convictions.
In a victim impact statement, Ryan Cooper’s sister-in-law, Heather Cooper, spoke about the fear her family felt in the early days of the investigation, not knowing why exactly he was killed.
“Why did she [Karina] put him through that? Was it her last stab? Were we that terrible to her?” Cooper said during the statement. “Hearing leads passed around, but nothing made sense. Huston [Danker]? What was this about? She never explained. She chose to let us live in the unknown.”
When will the ‘Dateline’ episode about Ryan Cooper’s murder air?
“The Farmer’s Wife” will air on NBC on Friday, Dec. 12 at 8 p.m. CT.
The episode was reported by Andrea Canning and features interviews with Ryan Cooper’s brother, Aaron Cooper, and sister, Michelle Wilson, according to a news release from NBC. It also includes Detective Trevor Killian and Sheriff Casey Schmidt, along with friends of the Coopers.
Parts of the episode were filmed at the River Center in downtown Des Moines, said Michael LaValle, owner of LaValle Hospitality Group.
(This article was updated to add new information.)
Lucia Cheng is a service and trending reporter at the Des Moines Register. Contact her at [email protected] or 515-284-8132.
