Shotgun murder of sleeping Iowa man now snares another suspect

TRAER, IOWA – The case of an Iowa man who died from a shotgun blast while reclined in a chair has now yielded a second murder suspect.

NIT reported back in March on the murder of 42-year-old Ryan Roy Cooper on June 18, 2021, in Traer, Iowa. His wife, Karina Cooper, age 46, was arrested for her role in his shooting death. According to reports, police came to the residence and found the deceased Ryan Cooper in a chair with a fatal gunshot to the face with his wife atop him. The investigation continued, police said.

In a new development in the case, on April 29, 2024, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s (DCI) Major Crime Unit and the Tama County Sheriff’s Office arrested Huston Danker, age 27, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Danker was arrested for his role in the shooting death of Ryan Cooper on June 18, 2021. Danker was transported to the Tama County Sheriff’s Office and was charged with Murder in the First Degree, a Class A Felony. Danker is being held at the Tama County Jail, bond to be determined.

The investigation is ongoing, police say.