Her brother was sentenced to death by ‘psychopath,’ in attempt to steal his family

The grieving sister of Ryan Cooper said Friday they were back in the same courtroom, less than a month later, for a second sentencing of a “psychopath” — Houston Danker — who ended Cooper’s life in 2021, leaving his family sentenced to life without their brother, dad and son.

“Not only did one of these psychopaths” — Danker and Ryan’s wife, Karina Cooper, who also was convicted in Ryan’s murder — “have a demented, vile and evil mind, but they both contributed to the planning and execution of my brother’s murder,” Michelle Wilson said in her victim impact statement at Danker’s sentencing for first-degree murder in Tama County District Court in Toledo.

Danker, 27, of Shellsburg, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder before jury selection started in August in Johnson County District Court, where the trial was moved from Tama County.

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Wilson said neither accomplice considered their murder plan was “unconscionable, immoral, unprincipled or evil,” it was just on their “checklist.” An agenda item to building a “dream life together.”

“A sick, disgusting plan to achieve their dreams but what about my brother’s dreams?” Wilson said, tearing up at times.

Her younger brother dreamed of being a farmer all his life and then a father. She recalled phone calls from him telling her he was going to be a dad.

“You could see his enormous grin and sparkle in his eyes by the tone of voice,” she said. “He loved his kids unconditionally. He was a great role model, teaching them right from wrong. He loved showing his kids around the farm and he gave them a safe home to grow up in.”

Wilson said her brother was a quiet man, preferring to “stay in the shadows.” He didn’t do things for attention. He did things to be a “good human.” He was generous and a well-respected member of the community.

His dream was to make a career of farming, which was a family legacy he wanted to carry on from his father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

“Working hard was honorable and rewarding — those were his dreams,” Wilson said. “What was your dream? To have Ryan’s life. You would murder him and assume his place with his family. Take over his dream that he worked so hard for. You had two beautiful children. Why did you need Ryan’s life?” she asked Danker.

Wilson told Danker he could never be Ryan, and his dream was disgusting.

“You honestly thought you could murder someone and get away with it,” Wilson said. “If she would have just remembered those casings or he would have known to make his Google searches private. So many mistakes they made but those are the things you learn when you kill somebody.”

Wilson then sarcastically advised Danker to not refer to himself as someone’s “gay best friend” in prison — a reference to testimony about how Danker described his relationship with Karina Cooper.

“Now, go to hell,” she said.

Danker declined to make a statement during sentencing.

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Sixth Judicial District Chief Judge Lars Anderson sentenced Danker to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He also ordered him to pay $150,000 in restitution to Danker’s estate or heirs.

Anderson gave “some credit” to Danker for his guilty plea in this “senseless” crime, but it doesn’t “atone” for what happened to Ryan and has affected so many people.

Evidence showed Danker, Karina Cooper were having an affair

According to a criminal complaint, Danker told police he helped Karina Sue Cooper, 48, kill her husband, who was fatally shot twice on the left side of his face while he slept on a recliner at his farmhouse in June 2021.

Karina Cooper was convicted by a Linn County jury of first-degree murder in July and was sentenced to life in prison last month.

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According to testimony during Karina Cooper’s trial, Danker, in two interviews, denied having a romance with Karina.

Special Agent Jon Turbett with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation testified that Danker described his relationship with Karina as her “gay best friend.” He acknowledged there were rumors about them in Traer, but it was because she cut his hair and babysat his kids.

Danker denied he and Karina had exchanged sexually explicit Snapchats.

According to evidence presented during Karina’s trial, she and Danker, who were having an affair, carried out a plot to kill Ryan so they could be together and start a new life with Ryan’s life insurance policy, which named Karina as sole beneficiary.

Digital forensic evidence showed many texts and Snapchats indicating a romantic and sexual relationship between Karina and Danker, according to testimony. Other messages included Karina saying she “hated” her husband, calling him a “sperm donor,” and then making plans to kill him and conceal the evidence.

Assistant Iowa Attorney General Mike Ringle, in his closing argument at Karina’s trial, presented two scenarios — one in which Karina was the shooter, and the other in which Danker shot Ryan. He said it doesn’t matter if Karina pulled the trigger of the rifle, or aided and abetted Danker if he was the shooter, it is first-degree murder.

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In messages to each other, Karina and Danker professed their love for each other. In a message sent around 3:30 a.m. June 18 — an hour before Karina called 911 to report the shooting — Danker told Karina, "Remember those casings. No ifs, ands or buts.“

Karina replied to Danker, "Absolutely. 100 percent."

Karina, testifying in her own defense, described her affair with Danker as mostly an “online relationship,” which led to sex one time. She said she was later “disgusted” and became scared of losing her husband and their family. It was just a “fantasy,” she said.

Karina said after Danker shot Ryan, she became scared of him because he was threatening her and her children.

Trish Mehaffey covers state and federal courts for The Gazette

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