Karina Cooper (Tama County Sheriff’s Office) and the home where she allegedly fatally shot her husband in the face three years ago (KCCI screenshot)
Nearly three years after a father in Iowa was fatally shot in the face while sitting in a recliner chair at home, his wife has been arrested and accused of being the one who pulled the trigger. Karina S. Cooper was taken into custody on Monday and charged with one count of first-degree premeditated murder in the 2021 slaying of Ryan Cooper, authorities announced.
According to court documents released by the Tama County Sheriff’s Office, deputies at about 4:35 a.m. on June 18, 2021, responded to a call reporting someone being shot at a home in the 1800 block of K Avenue in Traer, Iowa. The home was identified as the residence of Ryan and Karina Cooper.
Authorities who responded to the address walked into a grisly scene, according to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case.
“The first deputy arrived on scene at approximately 4:42 a.m., almost seven minutes after the 911 call. This deputy walked inside the residence and found a male laying in a recliner chair with what appeared to be a gun shot to the head in the front face area,” the document states. “Karina Cooper was sitting on top of the male later identified as Ryan Cooper.”
Aside from the victim, Karina Cooper and her three children were the only other people found in the home, police said. They were promptly removed from the home as deputies contacted emergency medical personnel. The Tama County Medical Examiner responded to the scene, where Ryan Cooper was pronounced dead.
Investigators looking into Ryan Cooper’s death said it appeared he had suffered two gunshot wounds to the face that ultimately proved fatal.
“A .22-caliber shell casing was found at the homicide scene and collected by the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation Crime Scene team,” the affidavit states. However, authorities said they were not able to locate a firearm “in the immediate vicinity of Ryan Cooper.”
All of the forensic evidence collected from inside of the residence was sent to a crime lab in Ankeny, Iowa, for testing.
A subsequent autopsy performed by the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner determined that Ryan Cooper’s manner of death was a homicide and the cause of death was the dual gunshot wounds.
Authorities said the investigation continued for years as detectives served multiple search warrants and interviewed many individuals in connection with the shooting. Karina Cooper was arrested after two witnesses spoke to detectives, saying she told them “she wanted Ryan Cooper dead and could shoot him in the face,” the affidavit states.
Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing and asked anyone with information to contact the office at (641) 484-4111, DCI at (515) 725-6010, or email [email protected].
Karina Cooper is currently being held in the Tama County Jail on $1 million bond. She is scheduled to appear in court for her preliminary hearing on Feb. 27.
