She sat in the courtroom like she had nothing to worry about, laughing and even smiling at the jury, almost like she thought this was all one big misunderstanding. She told them she was innocent, that her secret lover was the one who ended her husband's life, not her. >> Did Houston talk about killing Ryan? >> Several times. >> Did you want your husband dead? >> No. >> She really believed they'd buy her story and she'd be going home. But then the prosecutor put her own Snapchat messages up on the big screen. The same messages she thought had disappeared forever. They showed her plans, her words, and her secrets. In seconds her smile was gone. Her face dropped. She started to cry. Because in that moment, she realized the jury now knew the truth. And she was never walking out of that courtroom a free woman. It was early in the morning on June 18th, 2021 in the small town of Treyer, Iowa. Police got a 911 call about a man who wasn't breathing. When they arrived, they found 42-year-old Ryan Cooper sitting in his recliner, shot twice in the face. His wife, Karina Cooper, was there. Family members who showed up said they saw her lying on top of Ryan's body, crying. [Applause] [Applause] >> Are you the firefighter? What happened? >> She said, >> "Where is the ambulance? >> Where's the guy with the gunshot?" >> My brother's in the living room with the other deputy. >> No. [Applause] The house quickly turned into a crime scene. Officers collected shell casings, checked for footprints, and searched every room. But what they didn't know yet was that the real evidence was sitting inside Karina's phone. Karina had been married to Ryan for years. But she wasn't happy. At her salon, she met a customer named Hust Danker. And before long, they were having an affair. They weren't just flirting. They were planning a future together. marriage, having kids, even IVF treatments. And they talked about one big problem standing in their way, Ryan. The more police looked through Karina's messages with Hust, the more disturbing it got. One night, just hours before Ryan was killed, Hust sent her a message asking her to remember those shell casings. No ifs, ands, or buts. Karina replied saying, "Absolutely, 100%." And then came the message that would change everything. just one word, go. Prosecutors say that was the green light. For months, investigators quietly built their case. They went through texts, Snapchat messages, and phone records. In February 2024, Karina was finally arrested and charged with first-degree murder. The states theorized Karina and Houston planned it together. Her defense claimed Houston did it, and she was too scared to stop him. The trial took place in July 2025 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The prosecution told jurors Ryan was shot execution style while sitting in his recliner sleeping. Friends testified that Karina had said she hated Ryan and even talked about shooting him. Jurors listened to Karina's 911 call, her crying and panicking as she told police her husband was dead. [Music] What's going on? [Music] >> Baby, ma'am, >> Karina cried in court as she heard it again. But the most powerful moment came when the state showed the digital evidence. Every text, every Snapchat, every plan between her and Houston was laid out. >> What time are is this first message that you found on June 18th? >> At 3:31 in the morning. >> And what was that message? >> A heart emoji. >> Says here he responded approximately 2 seconds later. What was that response? >> Seriously, more than life. And Karina's response 8 seconds later >> forever. >> And then Houston Danker's next message to Karina Cooper. >> More than anything. Okay, babe. Phone's going down. Send me something after I leave your house to then wait for me to open it. Deal. >> What was that response? >> Deal. >> Karina's next message. What was that? >> A kissy emoji. >> What message did he send to Karina Cooper? Remember those casings. remember those. No ifs and or buts. >> She responded 14 seconds later. What did she say? >> Absolutely 100%. >> He responded 10 seconds later. >> Yes. >> What was that response? >> Okay. Phone's going down. I love you. >> 11 seconds later from Karina Cooper. >> I love you too. Houston's response. 7 seconds later, >> so much. >> 9 seconds later, Karina Cooper. >> Uh, forever. >> And he responded 8 seconds later. Correct. >> Yes. >> What did he say? >> Okay, babe. Seriously, putting the phone down. Have to get this done. I love you. >> And Karina's response, >> go. What are we seeing here on this image? >> There's approximately 2400 snap messages on the phone and only 61 of them were deleted which includes the messages to and from Houston up until the night of the shooting. >> It wasn't just romance, it was instructions, reminders, and timing. While on the stand, Karina admitted the affair, but said she was threatened by Houston. She claimed he pulled the trigger and she had nothing to do with it. saw a little bit in the Snapchat content about was Houston jealous of your relationship with Ryan? Houston acted like he was my husband and Ryan was my boyfriend like I was if Ryan if Ryan and I were together, he acted like I was sneaking around with my husband and cheating on him somehow. Did um did Houston talk about um did Houston talk about killing Ryan? >> Several times. >> Did you ever take him seriously? >> No. I thought he was full of crap. >> Did you want your husband dead? >> No. >> But under cross-examination, prosecutors hit her with her own words. her promises to Houston, her dreams of a future with him, and that one-word text, go. That's when the confidence faded. The tears came, and it was clear the jury wasn't buying her story. >> So, you not only say deal, but you seal your deal with a kiss. >> I wasn't sealing my deal, but I sent a kiss emoji. >> Then he says, "Remember those kissings. remember those. No ifs, ends, or buts. >> That's what he said. >> There's no ignorance on your part when he tells you to remember those casings. You know what those casings are because you say absolutely 100%. >> That was the Snapchat I sent. Yes. When you say absolutely 100%, you are as clear as possible on what you will remember. >> No, >> that's what you write, Mr. >> That's what I wrote. >> Then he tells you, okay, phone's going down. I love you. And what's your response? >> My response is, I love you, too. >> What does he say? so much. >> And what do you say? >> Forever. >> When you say forever to the man who said, "I'm coming to your house and you need to send me a message so that I can open it when I get back." What does he respond to you once you say forever to him? He responds, "Okay, babe. Seriously, putting the phone down. have to get this done. I love you. >> And what do you say to him? >> I say go to sleep, >> Miss Cooper. You can read what's in front of you. >> This reads go. >> So you say to him, go. >> That's not what I said to him. >> What you read? >> That is what this reads. Again, what we read in front of you, that's this exhibit that the jury is reading is you say, "Go." >> Yes. >> An hour later, a Tema County deputy is stroll is walking in your house because your husband is dead. >> Is that a question? >> It is. >> I don't know for certain on the timeline, but yes. When those messages were projected on the courtroom screen, everything changed. The jury saw exactly what was said, when it was said, and what it meant. There was no taking it back. Her version of events didn't match what was right there in black and white. She couldn't talk her way out of it anymore. On July 11th, 2025, after just about 3 hours of deliberation, the jury came back, finding her guilty of firstdegree murder. Would council and parties please stand. All right. I have a formal verdict for form of verdict two. We the jury find the defendant Karina Cooper guilty of the offense of murder in the first degree dated this 11th day of July 2025. Garina started crying as the judge read the verdict. Under Iowa law, that meant a mandatory life sentence with no chance of parole. Prosecutors had always said she didn't act alone. Histon Danker was also charged. And just one month later on August 12th, 2025, right before his trial was set to start, he pleaded guilty to helping commit the killing. It confirmed what investigators believed from the start. This was a plan between two people who thought they could get away with it until their own words gave them away. Karina thought she could outsmart everyone. She thought her tears, her charm, and her lies would convince a jury she was innocent. But it wasn't the detectives or witnesses that sealed her fate. It was her own messages. One word, go, was all the jury needed to hear, and that was the word that guaranteed she'd never go home again. So now I want to hear from you. Was Karina Cooper a cold, calculating partner in this plan or a woman manipulated and pressured by her secret lover? Drop your thoughts below. And if you enjoyed this video, click on the next video on your screen. I'll see you there.