TRAER, Iowa — A woman was arrested Monday in connection to the 2021 shooting death of her husband, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation said in a press release.
46-year-old Karina Cooper is charged with first-degree murder, two and half years after the death of her husband Ryan Cooper.
Ryan was found dead at his home in Traer on June 18, 2021. First responders arrived at the home around 4:42 a.m. that day, just seven minutes after receiving the 911 call.
When they arrived, first responders found Ryan laying in a recliner chair with Karina sitting on top of him, according to a criminal complaint. Ryan had an apparent gun shot wound to the head.
The Tama County Sheriff's Office determined Ryan was shot twice in the face. Investigators found a shell casing at the scene, but no gun was located in the immediate vicinity of Ryan's body.
The sheriff's office "secured the scene until it was released after 7:30 p.m. on June 19th, 2023", according to the criminal complaint.
After conducting multiple interviews and executing search warrants, investigators learned Karina allegedly told two witnesses she wanted Ryan dead and "could shoot him in the face".
Karina is currently being held at Tama County Jail.
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