Shellsburg man told police he helped Traer woman kill her husband in 2021

A Shellsburg man this week became the second person charged in the 2021 fatal shooting of a Traer man — after the victim’s wife was charged in February.

Huston William Danker, 26, during an initial appearance in Tama County District Court, was charged Tuesday with first-degree murder. A judge set his bail at $1 million pending trial.

Danker told investigators he planned and assisted Karina Sue Cooper, 46, in the shooting of her husband, Ryan Roy Cooper, 42, on June 18, 2021, according to a criminal complaint. The complaint doesn’t provide further details about when Danker’s confession was made to authorities, or what his connection is to Karina Cooper.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety, in a news release, stated no additional information would be available at this time.

A previous complaint for Karina Cooper said Tama County sheriff’s deputies found her sitting on top of her husband, who was in a recliner in their home, after they received a 911 call about 4:35 a.m. June 18, 2021. He appeared to have been shot in his face.

The 911 call reported someone had been shot at the Coopers’ residence, 1846 K. Ave. in Traer. The complaint didn’t state who made the call.

Karina Cooper and her three children, also in the home when deputies arrived, were taken outside. Medical personnel responded, but the medical examiner pronounced Ryan Cooper dead at the scene.

Further investigation — including an autopsy — showed that Ryan Cooper died from two gunshot injuries to his face. A .22 caliber shell casing was found in the home and collected by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s crime scene team. No gun was found in the immediate area of the body, the complaint stated.

During the investigation, which included multiple search warrants and interviews, investigators learned Karina Cooper told two witnesses she wanted her husband dead and “could shoot him in the face.”

Karina Cooper remains in jail under a $1 million bail pending her trial, set for July 9.

Last year, the Tama-Toledo News Chronicle published a story about the anniversary of Ryan Cooper’s death and the continued investigation. Cedar Valley Crime Stoppers was offering a $17,000 reward for information in the case.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information related to this investigation was asked to contact the Tama County Sheriff’s Office at (641) 484-4111, the DCI at (515) 725-6010, or email dciinfo@dps.state.ia.us.

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com