1 00:00:09,976 --> 00:00:13,545 >>> TONIGHT, ON "DATELINE"-- 2 00:00:13,546 --> 00:00:16,615 OH, MY GOD. KARINA, SIT UP, KARINA. 3 00:00:16,616 --> 00:00:19,718 SHE SAID, I JUST DROVE BY THE COOPERS, AND SOMETHING IS WRONG. 4 00:00:19,719 --> 00:00:23,155 THERE'S POLICE AND AMBULANCES THERE. 5 00:00:23,156 --> 00:00:26,892 MY MOM SAID, "I JUST GOT A PHONE CALL THAT RYAN IS DEAD." 6 00:00:26,893 --> 00:00:30,295 I APPROACHED RYAN, AND I OBSERVE A BULLET HOLE. 7 00:00:30,296 --> 00:00:36,935 HE WAS SHOT TWICE. SOMEBODY CAME INTO MY HOUSE 8 00:00:36,936 --> 00:00:38,937 AND KILLED MY HUSBAND! WHEN YOU GET A CASE LIKE 9 00:00:38,938 --> 00:00:43,909 THIS, YOU CONSIDER ALL POSSIBLE SUSPECTS. 10 00:00:43,910 --> 00:00:45,511 HUSTON IS KNOWN AS A LADIES MAN WHO HAD A PARTICULAR 11 00:00:45,512 --> 00:00:46,679 AFFINITY FOR OLDER WOMEN. HE WAS INTO THE COUGARS? 12 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:48,113 I WOULD SAY SO. SOMETIMES KAREN COULD DRIFT 13 00:00:48,114 --> 00:00:51,984 INTO BAD KAREN? YEAH, WHEN SHE HAD WAY TOO 14 00:00:51,985 --> 00:00:54,486 MUCH TO DRINK. LAW ENFORCEMENT RECOVERED 15 00:00:54,487 --> 00:00:56,789 SNAPCHAT MESSAGES. SNAPCHAT MESSAGES DON'T 16 00:00:56,790 --> 00:00:59,191 ACTUALLY GO AWAY. THEY DON'T GO AWAY. 17 00:00:59,192 --> 00:01:03,729 IT WAS HORRIBLE LANGUAGE. DISGUSTING. 18 00:01:03,730 --> 00:01:07,399 IT'S PRETTY CLEAR EVIDENCE OF WHAT THEIR PLAN WAS. 19 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:09,868 THE TRUTH WAS COMING OUT FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW. 20 00:01:09,869 --> 00:01:11,904 THAT WAS A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW. 21 00:01:11,905 --> 00:01:17,876 A BRUTAL MURDER ON A FAMILY FARM. 22 00:01:17,877 --> 00:01:27,486 A PLOT "HATCHED" ON SNAPCHAT. I'M LESTER HOLT, AND THIS IS 23 00:01:27,487 --> 00:01:35,094 "DATELINE." HERE'S ANDREA CANNING WITH "THE 24 00:01:35,095 --> 00:01:35,395 FARMER'S WIFE." 25 00:01:39,833 --> 00:01:41,166 Reporter: IT WAS JUNE 18th, 26 00:01:41,167 --> 00:01:42,768 2021. NIGHT HAD SETTLED OVER THE CORN 27 00:01:42,769 --> 00:01:47,406 FIELDS IN TRAER, IOWA. THE AIR WAS STILL AND QUIET. 28 00:01:47,407 --> 00:01:49,808 RYAN COOPER, A FOURTH GENERATION FARMER, WAS HOME WITH HIS WIFE 29 00:01:49,809 --> 00:01:53,979 KARINA AND THEIR THREE KIDS IN THE COMFORT OF THEIR FARMHOUSE. 30 00:01:53,980 --> 00:01:57,116 RYAN HAD FALLEN ASLEEP ON THE LIVING ROOM RECLINER, NOT 31 00:01:57,117 --> 00:01:59,918 UNUSUAL AFTER A LONG DAY WORKING THE LAND. 32 00:01:59,919 --> 00:02:04,957 HIS YOUNGER BROTHER AARON LIVED JUST A MILE DOWN THE ROAD. 33 00:02:04,958 --> 00:02:07,159 AND YOUR PHONE RINGS. ABOUT WHAT TIME WAS IT? 34 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:09,595 4:30. Reporter: IT WAS RYAN'S WIFE, 35 00:02:09,596 --> 00:02:14,800 KARINA. SHE CALLED AND SCREAMING THAT 36 00:02:14,801 --> 00:02:18,203 SOMEBODY WAS IN HER HOUSE. DID SHE GIVE ANY MORE DETAIL? 37 00:02:18,204 --> 00:02:20,372 NO, IT WAS JUST SCREAMING AND FRANTIC AND COULDN'T REALLY MAKE 38 00:02:20,373 --> 00:02:22,374 OUT TOO MUCH OF WHAT SHE WAS SAYING BESIDES SOMEBODY IS IN 39 00:02:22,375 --> 00:02:25,577 HER HOUSE. GRABBED MY GUN AND HEADED 40 00:02:25,578 --> 00:02:26,945 TOWARDS RYAN'S HOUSE. Reporter: DO YOU JUST HAUL IT 41 00:02:26,946 --> 00:02:29,248 OVER THERE? TOP SPEED? 42 00:02:29,249 --> 00:02:32,084 YEAH. Reporter: ON THE WAY, HE 43 00:02:32,085 --> 00:02:34,820 CALLED 911. I JUST GOT A CALL FROM MY 44 00:02:34,821 --> 00:02:36,522 SISTER-IN-LAW THAT SOMEBODY IS IN HER HOUSE. 45 00:02:36,523 --> 00:02:39,458 OKAY, SOMEBODY IS IN HER HOUSE? 46 00:02:39,459 --> 00:02:41,794 YEP. WE HAVE A FEMALE ON 911 BUT 47 00:02:41,795 --> 00:02:44,697 CAN'T UNDERSTAND HER. Reporter: KARINA HAD ALSO 48 00:02:44,698 --> 00:02:48,133 CALLED EMERGENCY DISPATCH. HELP! 49 00:02:48,134 --> 00:02:51,337 HELP! Reporter: WHEN AARON ARRIVED 50 00:02:51,338 --> 00:02:53,539 AT THE HOUSE, HE COULD HEAR KARINA. 51 00:02:53,540 --> 00:02:55,107 I COULD HEAR HER SCREAMING STILL FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE, IN 52 00:02:55,108 --> 00:02:59,778 MY PICKUP. Reporter: SO, THAT'S LOUD. 53 00:02:59,779 --> 00:03:01,246 YEAH, IT WAS VERY LOUD. Reporter: AARON SAW HIS 54 00:03:01,247 --> 00:03:02,748 11-YEAR-OLD NEPHEW CAYD AT THE WINDOW. 55 00:03:02,749 --> 00:03:05,584 HE JUMPED OUT OF THE TRUCK, STILL ON THE PHONE WITH 911. 56 00:03:05,585 --> 00:03:08,854 I AM ARMED. DO YOU WANT ME TO PROCEED? 57 00:03:08,855 --> 00:03:13,559 YEAH. THE THREE KIDS JUST CAME OUT AND 58 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:15,060 TOLD ME TO COME OUT. OKAY. 59 00:03:15,061 --> 00:03:18,831 SHE'S STILL SCREAMING. SO, I WENT IN THE HOUSE AND 60 00:03:18,832 --> 00:03:23,102 WALKED IN THE LIVING ROOM, AND THAT'S WHEN I FOUND MY BROTHER. 61 00:03:23,103 --> 00:03:28,707 WHAT THE [ BLEEP ]? WHAT THE [ BLEEP ]? 62 00:03:28,708 --> 00:03:32,111 MY BROTHER'S DEAD. Reporter: AARON IS A 63 00:03:32,112 --> 00:03:33,879 VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER, SO HE'D SEEN DEATH BEFORE. 64 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:39,418 BUT NEVER LIKE THIS. THIS WAS HIS BROTHER. 65 00:03:39,419 --> 00:03:44,690 WHAT THE [ BLEEP ]? WE NEED AN AMBULANCE NOW. 66 00:03:44,691 --> 00:03:46,425 A LOT OF BLOOD ALL OVER BOTH OF THEM, BIG POOL ON THE FLOOR. 67 00:03:46,426 --> 00:03:49,094 Reporter: AND WHAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU DO WHEN YOU SEE 68 00:03:49,095 --> 00:03:50,362 THAT, AND WHAT DO YOU SAY? WHAT DO YOU DO? 69 00:03:50,363 --> 00:03:53,899 I DON'T REALLY REMEMBER WHAT I DID. 70 00:03:53,900 --> 00:03:55,267 I CHECKED FOR HIS PULSE, AND THERE WAS NO PULSE. 71 00:03:55,268 --> 00:03:58,537 DO YOU KNOW IF HE HAS BEEN SHOT? 72 00:03:58,538 --> 00:04:02,474 NO. HE HAS NOT, BUT THERE'S BLOOD 73 00:04:02,475 --> 00:04:07,846 COMING OUT OF HIS MOUTH? AND EAR AND-- AND ALL OVER 74 00:04:07,847 --> 00:04:09,615 ON THE FLOOR. IT WAS HORRIBLE. 75 00:04:09,616 --> 00:04:11,283 WORST THING I'VE EVER SEEN. Reporter: MINUTES LATER, A 76 00:04:11,284 --> 00:04:14,219 SHERIFF'S DEPUTY ARRIVED AND SPOKE WITH AARON. 77 00:04:14,220 --> 00:04:17,890 WHAT'S GOING ON? MY BROTHER IS DEAD. 78 00:04:17,891 --> 00:04:20,959 Reporter: RYAN WAS IN HIS RECLINER CHAIR, KARINA SITTING 79 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:23,796 ON TOP OF HIM, STILL WAILING. MA'AM, WHAT HAPPENED? 80 00:04:23,797 --> 00:04:27,232 I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW. 81 00:04:27,233 --> 00:04:29,335 Reporter: THE DEPUTY SEARCHED THE DARKENED ROOMS WITH A 82 00:04:29,336 --> 00:04:33,772 FLASHLIGHT, MAKING SURE AN INTRUDER WASN'T INSIDE. 83 00:04:33,773 --> 00:04:35,774 HE CALLED FOR BACKUP. 1079, IS 7 HEADED THIS WAY AS 84 00:04:35,775 --> 00:04:39,912 WELL? THEY'RE ALMOST TO YOUR 85 00:04:39,913 --> 00:04:42,948 LOCATION NOW. Reporter: TAMA COUNTY DEPUTY 86 00:04:42,949 --> 00:04:45,818 TRAVIS FOSTER ARRIVED NEXT. AS I WALK TOWARDS THE HOUSE, 87 00:04:45,819 --> 00:04:49,588 I COULD SEE TWO INDIVIDUALS, A MALE AND A FEMALE. 88 00:04:49,589 --> 00:04:52,191 THE MALE WAS IDENTIFIED AS AARON COOPER, AND THE FEMALE WAS 89 00:04:52,192 --> 00:04:58,097 FOUND TO BE, UH, KARINA COOPER. WHAT HAPPENED? 90 00:04:58,098 --> 00:05:00,733 SHE SAID SHE HEARD SOMETHING IN THE HOUSE. 91 00:05:00,734 --> 00:05:03,469 I ASKED AARON, UM, WHERE THE VICTIM WAS, AND HE ADVISED THAT 92 00:05:03,470 --> 00:05:08,140 THE OTHER DEPUTY AND HIS BROTHER RYAN WERE INSIDE THE RESIDENCE 93 00:05:08,141 --> 00:05:10,042 IN THE LIVING ROOM. WELL, I WALKED IN, AND RYAN'S 94 00:05:10,043 --> 00:05:14,046 LEANING BACK IN HIS CHAIR, SLUMPED OVER. 95 00:05:14,047 --> 00:05:18,550 SHE'S HYSTERICAL. ASSUMING THAT'S THE WIFE. 96 00:05:18,551 --> 00:05:22,321 I THINK SO. COUNTY 7, GET A HOLD OF THE 97 00:05:22,322 --> 00:05:24,923 M.E.'S OFFICE. ALSO ADVISE 86-1 WE HAVE ONE 98 00:05:24,924 --> 00:05:29,061 DECEASED MALE. Reporter: SOON THE HOUSE WAS 99 00:05:29,062 --> 00:05:30,729 SWARMING WITH POLICE, PARAMEDICS, THE MEDICAL 100 00:05:30,730 --> 00:05:34,266 EXAMINER. EVERYONE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT 101 00:05:34,267 --> 00:05:37,136 WHAT HAPPENED. DOES HE HAVE ANY PROBLEMS? 102 00:05:37,137 --> 00:05:38,871 MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS? OR ANYTHING? 103 00:05:38,872 --> 00:05:41,106 NO. WHAT DID YOU FIND? 104 00:05:41,107 --> 00:05:43,575 Reporter: AARON GOT THE CHILDREN OUT OF THE HOUSE AND 105 00:05:43,576 --> 00:05:47,079 INTO HIS TRUCK. HE CALLED HIS AND RYAN'S SISTER, 106 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:49,314 MICHELLE WILSON. AND HE SAID, "RYAN IS DEAD." 107 00:05:49,315 --> 00:05:51,817 I'M LIKE, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN DEAD? 108 00:05:51,818 --> 00:05:54,687 LIKE HOW? "I DON'T KNOW." 109 00:05:54,688 --> 00:05:56,722 AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, "CAN YOU TELL WHAT HAPPENED?" 110 00:05:56,723 --> 00:05:59,758 HE'S LIKE, "NO, I DON'T-- I DON'T KNOW." 111 00:05:59,759 --> 00:06:02,461 IN MY MIND, I'M THINKING, DID HE FALL AND HIT HIS HEAD? 112 00:06:02,462 --> 00:06:05,431 YOU KNOW, SOMETHING AT THE FARM. Reporter: KARINA WAS STILL 113 00:06:05,432 --> 00:06:08,534 DISTRAUGHT WHEN DEPUTY FOSTER BROUGHT HER TO HIS PATROL CAR. 114 00:06:08,535 --> 00:06:14,073 CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED? 115 00:06:14,074 --> 00:06:15,674 THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE. I THOUGHT SOMETHING FELL. 116 00:06:15,675 --> 00:06:21,080 DID YOU SEE ANYBODY ELSE IN THE HOUSE? 117 00:06:21,081 --> 00:06:22,281 NO. SO, DID HE DO THAT TO 118 00:06:22,282 --> 00:06:25,451 HIMSELF? NO WAY. 119 00:06:25,452 --> 00:06:30,055 NO [ BLEEP ] WAY. OKAY. 120 00:06:30,056 --> 00:06:33,559 SHE'S JUST INCONSOLABLE, AND THAT'S A TYPICAL RESPONSE FROM 121 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:36,362 LOSING A-- A LOVED ONE OR SOMEONE THAT'S VERY CLOSE TO 122 00:06:36,363 --> 00:06:38,364 YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU KIND OF, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT 123 00:06:38,365 --> 00:06:40,532 TO DO. I'M HERE FOR YOU. 124 00:06:40,533 --> 00:06:45,738 ALL RIGHT, I'M HERE FOR YOU. ALL RIGHT? 125 00:06:45,739 --> 00:06:47,172 HAPPENED FIRST, OKAY? DO YOU WANT TO STAND UP? 126 00:06:47,173 --> 00:06:54,079 YEAH. I NEED AIR. 127 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:58,183 OKAY. JUST TAKE A SEAT, ALL RIGHT? 128 00:06:58,184 --> 00:07:00,586 Reporter: IN THOSE EARLY MORNING HOURS AT THE CRIME 129 00:07:00,587 --> 00:07:04,723 SCENE, KARINA, NOW A WIDOW, COULD BARELY SPEAK. 130 00:07:04,724 --> 00:07:07,659 BUT AS THE MYSTERY OF WHAT HAPPENED DEEPENED, THERE WOULD 131 00:07:07,660 --> 00:07:10,429 BE PLENTY OF TALK AROUND THIS TINY TOWN. 132 00:07:10,430 --> 00:07:12,898 US GIRLS ARE VERY INQUISITIVE. 133 00:07:12,899 --> 00:07:14,400 Reporter: THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF TAMA COUNTY. 134 00:07:14,401 --> 00:07:18,103 YEAH. WE TOOK HIS PHONE AND LOOKED AT 135 00:07:18,104 --> 00:07:20,239 ALL THE MESSAGES. Reporter: WHAT DID YOU THINK 136 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:25,110 WHEN YOU HEARD THAT? JUST GOSSIP. 137 00:07:25,111 --> 00:07:29,481 TO THINK THAT EVERYTHING COULD HAVE JUST BEEN A COMPLETE 138 00:07:29,482 --> 00:07:30,083 LIE THAT WHOLE TIME, IT'S HARD 139 00:07:30,817 --> 00:07:31,450 COULD HAVE JUST BEEN A COMPLETE 140 00:07:31,451 --> 00:07:49,401 LIE THAT WHOLE TIME, IT'S HARD Reporter: THE SUN WAS JUST 141 00:07:49,402 --> 00:07:51,537 BEGINNING TO RISE OVER THE CORNFIELDS WHEN WORD SPREAD, 142 00:07:51,538 --> 00:07:56,408 SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAD HAPPENED TO RYAN COOPER. 143 00:07:56,409 --> 00:07:57,976 KARINA'S FRIEND, ASHTON WILSON-- 144 00:07:57,977 --> 00:08:02,114 ONE OF MY GOOD FRIENDS CALLED ME AND SAID, "I JUST DROVE BY 145 00:08:02,115 --> 00:08:03,515 THE COOPERS, AND SOMETHING IS WRONG. 146 00:08:03,516 --> 00:08:05,417 THERE'S A LOT OF POLICE AND AMBULANCES THERE. 147 00:08:05,418 --> 00:08:07,019 I THINK YOU NEED TO CHECK IN WITH KARINA." 148 00:08:07,020 --> 00:08:08,787 Reporter: BUT BEFORE SHE COULD GET THERE, HER PHONE RANG 149 00:08:08,788 --> 00:08:11,724 AGAIN. IT WAS HER MOM. 150 00:08:11,725 --> 00:08:14,126 AND SHE SAID, "I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT I JUST GOT A 151 00:08:14,127 --> 00:08:17,229 PHONE CALL THAT RYAN IS DEAD." Reporter: OH, MY GOSH. 152 00:08:17,230 --> 00:08:19,264 RYAN'S CLOSE FRIEND, JAMIE ERHARDT, RUSHED OVER TO 153 00:08:19,265 --> 00:08:24,303 THE FARM TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED. 154 00:08:24,304 --> 00:08:26,872 WHAT ARE YOU LEFT TO THINK IN THOSE EARLY MOMENTS? 155 00:08:26,873 --> 00:08:29,608 I GOT NO IDEA. I-- I MEAN, DID HE HAVE A-- 156 00:08:29,609 --> 00:08:35,481 HAVE A HEART ATTACK? DID HE HAVE A WHATEVER? 157 00:08:35,482 --> 00:08:36,849 I MEAN, MAYBE IT WAS A HEALTH-RELATED DEAL. 158 00:08:36,850 --> 00:08:38,417 Reporter: THERE WAS ANOTHER THOUGHT THAT THIS COULD BE A 159 00:08:38,418 --> 00:08:40,519 MEDICAL ISSUE. ONE OF THE DEPUTIES, OR 160 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:43,589 AMBULANCE CREW, SAID COULD HAVE BEEN A MEDICAL THING, LIKE A 161 00:08:43,590 --> 00:08:45,924 HEMORRHAGE. Reporter: IN THOSE FIRST 162 00:08:45,925 --> 00:08:48,761 CHAOTIC HOURS, ANYTHING WAS POSSIBLE. 163 00:08:48,762 --> 00:08:51,196 BUT AFTER TAKING A CLOSER LOOK, THE MEDICAL EXAMINER DETERMINED 164 00:08:51,197 --> 00:08:56,568 RYAN DID NOT DIE FROM NATURAL CAUSES. 165 00:08:56,569 --> 00:08:58,504 WHEN DOES THAT INFORMATION START COMING OUT ABOUT WHAT REALLY 166 00:08:58,505 --> 00:09:02,441 HAPPENED TO HIM AS FAR AS HIS INJURIES? 167 00:09:02,442 --> 00:09:07,279 BY THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY, MAYBE BY THE TIME WE GOT TO 168 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:09,848 TRAER, MAYBE I THINK WE PROBABLY HAD HEARD THAT THERE WERE 169 00:09:09,849 --> 00:09:11,450 GUNSHOTS. Reporter: INVESTIGATORS 170 00:09:11,451 --> 00:09:14,219 WONDERED IF RYAN HAD TAKEN HIS OWN LIFE. 171 00:09:14,220 --> 00:09:16,588 WAS IT SUICIDE? DID HE SHOOT HIMSELF? 172 00:09:16,589 --> 00:09:18,824 Reporter: YEAH, BUT HOW DID THAT SIT WITH YOU WHEN YOU HEARD 173 00:09:18,825 --> 00:09:20,426 THAT? OH, NOT WELL. 174 00:09:20,427 --> 00:09:22,628 YOU KNOW, I'M LIKE, "THERE'S NO WAY." 175 00:09:22,629 --> 00:09:25,431 YOU KNOW, LIKE, I CAN'T IMAGINE HIM DOING THAT IN THE FIRST 176 00:09:25,432 --> 00:09:31,036 PLACE, AND I CAN'T IMAGINE HIM DOING THAT IN HIS HOME. 177 00:09:31,037 --> 00:09:33,405 Reporter: HARD TO IMAGINE, BECAUSE AT 42 YEARS OLD, RYAN 178 00:09:33,406 --> 00:09:36,408 SEEMED TO HAVE IT ALL. WAS IT CLEAR THAT RYAN WANTED TO 179 00:09:36,409 --> 00:09:39,778 HAVE A LIFE ON THE FARM WHEN HE GREW UP? 180 00:09:39,779 --> 00:09:48,387 FOR SURE, ABSOLUTELY. THERE WAS NEVER ANY QUESTION 181 00:09:48,388 --> 00:09:50,356 THAT HE WOULDN'T BE INVOLVED. THAT WAS HIS PASSION, COMING 182 00:09:50,357 --> 00:09:52,257 HOME AND HELPING DAD, AND BEING THERE TO HELP WITH HARVEST AND 183 00:09:52,258 --> 00:09:54,493 PLANTING. AS SOON AS HE WAS 18, HE WENT 184 00:09:54,494 --> 00:10:02,534 AND GOT HIS LICENSE AND STARTED TRUCKING AND LOVED IT. 185 00:10:02,535 --> 00:10:11,043 Reporter: THE COOPER FARM WENT BACK FOUR GENERATIONS. 186 00:10:11,044 --> 00:10:14,480 ACROSS THE 2,000 ACRES OF LAND, THERE WERE CATTLE TO HAUL AND 187 00:10:14,481 --> 00:10:15,748 FEELS OF SOYBEANS AND CORN TO MANAGE. 188 00:10:15,749 --> 00:10:17,516 MICHELLE, AN ACCOUNTANT, DID THE BOOKKEEPING WHILE BROTHERS AARON 189 00:10:17,517 --> 00:10:18,784 AND RYAN MANAGED THE CROPS AND THE ANIMALS. 190 00:10:18,785 --> 00:10:21,320 MOM WOULD'VE BEEN SO PROUD TO HAVE SEEN ALL OF US WORKING 191 00:10:21,321 --> 00:10:24,156 TOGETHER AT THE FARM. Reporter: THE FARM HAD ALWAYS 192 00:10:24,157 --> 00:10:26,492 BEEN A FAMILY AFFAIR, AND RYAN WANTED TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. 193 00:10:26,493 --> 00:10:28,694 HAVE SOME KIDS AND LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER. 194 00:10:28,695 --> 00:10:31,730 Reporter: FARMER WANTS A WIFE. 195 00:10:31,731 --> 00:10:33,632 YEAH. Reporter: RYAN WAS DIVORCED 196 00:10:33,633 --> 00:10:36,235 WITH A YOUNG SON WHEN HE STARTED DATING KARINA ALPERS. 197 00:10:36,236 --> 00:10:42,741 I'VE KNOWN KARINA FOR A LONG TIME, AND I THOUGHT SHE WAS A 198 00:10:42,742 --> 00:10:44,309 PRETTY FUN PERSON AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, SO-- AND SHE 199 00:10:44,310 --> 00:10:47,780 ALWAYS HAD VERY TERRIBLE TASTE IN MEN, AND I TOLD HER THAT 200 00:10:47,781 --> 00:10:50,049 FOREVER UNTIL SHE MET RYAN. Reporter: WHERE RYAN WAS 201 00:10:50,050 --> 00:10:53,952 QUIET AND RESERVED, KARINA WAS OUTSPOKEN. 202 00:10:53,953 --> 00:10:56,789 SHE WAS ALSO A HAIRSTYLIST. IF YOU LIVED IN TOWN, CHANCES 203 00:10:56,790 --> 00:10:58,557 WERE, SHE CUT YOUR HAIR. ALL THREE OF MY KIDS GOT 204 00:10:58,558 --> 00:11:05,764 THEIR FIRST HAIRCUTS FROM KARINA. 205 00:11:05,765 --> 00:11:07,232 SHE DID MY HAIR FOR A DECADE. I'M SURE YOU TWO TALKED A 206 00:11:07,233 --> 00:11:08,500 LOT. YEAH, THERAPY SESSIONS HALF 207 00:11:08,501 --> 00:11:11,904 THE TIME. YES. 208 00:11:11,905 --> 00:11:13,172 YES, EXACTLY. VERY MUCH SO. 209 00:11:13,173 --> 00:11:14,573 Reporter: KARINA AND RYAN MARRIED AND QUICKLY BUILT A 210 00:11:14,574 --> 00:11:17,876 FAMILY. THEY HAD THEIR FIRST BABY. 211 00:11:17,877 --> 00:11:19,311 AND THEN ANOTHER ONE FOLLOWED. 212 00:11:19,312 --> 00:11:20,112 MM-HM. Reporter: ANOTHER BOY. 213 00:11:20,113 --> 00:11:21,480 YES. Reporter: AND THEN THEY HAD 214 00:11:21,481 --> 00:11:22,948 ONE MORE? YEP, LITTLE GIRL. 215 00:11:22,949 --> 00:11:25,384 LITTLE GIRL. Reporter: RYAN AND KARINA 216 00:11:25,385 --> 00:11:26,985 WERE PART OF A TIGHT CIRCLE OF FRIENDS THAT INCLUDED JAMIE'S 217 00:11:26,986 --> 00:11:33,759 WIFE, CARMEN. SHE WAS, I MEAN, FUN, 218 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:42,368 OUTSPOKEN. Reporter: AND KIRSTIE 219 00:11:42,369 --> 00:11:43,836 SHEDA-- FRIEND GROUP THAT IS DEAR TO MY 220 00:11:43,837 --> 00:11:44,903 HEART. 221 00:11:44,904 --> 00:11:46,538 WE DID. TAMA COUNTY HOUSEWIVES. 222 00:11:46,539 --> 00:11:47,773 I MEAN-- 223 00:11:47,774 --> 00:11:49,108 Reporter: I MEAN, I LOVE THAT. 224 00:11:49,109 --> 00:11:50,309 YEAH. 225 00:11:50,310 --> 00:11:51,643 Reporter: THE HOUSEWIVES DID GIRLS TRIPS, FUN RUNS, AND 226 00:11:51,644 --> 00:11:53,746 PLENTY OF BAR HOPPING. RYAN AND HIS FRIENDS PREFERRED 227 00:11:53,747 --> 00:11:55,647 ADVENTURE. OUTDOOR STUFF, FREEDOM-TYPE 228 00:11:55,648 --> 00:11:59,118 THINGS. WE HAD SNOWMOBILE TRIPS, AND 229 00:11:59,119 --> 00:12:02,287 MOTORCYCLE TRIPS, AND VACATIONS, AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS LIKE 230 00:12:02,288 --> 00:12:04,056 THAT. BOATING AND CAMPING, AND-- 231 00:12:04,057 --> 00:12:05,791 Reporter: FUN TIMES. YEAH. 232 00:12:05,792 --> 00:12:07,893 GREAT TIMES. Reporter: BUT IN RECENT 233 00:12:07,894 --> 00:12:10,596 MONTHS, JAMIE THOUGHT RYAN SEEMED DOWN. 234 00:12:10,597 --> 00:12:13,198 DID YOU FEEL LIKE RYAN WAS ACTING A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY? 235 00:12:13,199 --> 00:12:15,934 YEAH, THE ONLY THING THAT REALLY COMES TO MIND IS WE 236 00:12:15,935 --> 00:12:19,304 ALWAYS DO A TRIP TO NORTHERN WISCONSIN. 237 00:12:19,305 --> 00:12:22,975 HE ALWAYS GOES, NO MATTER WHAT, AND HE LOOKS FORWARD TO IT AND 238 00:12:22,976 --> 00:12:25,277 MADE EVERY EXCUSE IN THE WORLD NOT TO GO AND THEN STILL WENT. 239 00:12:25,278 --> 00:12:28,580 AND THEN WHEN HE GOT THERE, HE JUST WASN'T HIMSELF, WASN'T HIS 240 00:12:28,581 --> 00:12:30,315 NORMAL SELF. Reporter: BUT SUICIDE? 241 00:12:30,316 --> 00:12:31,550 NOT RYAN. BUT HE'S NOT THAT KIND OF 242 00:12:31,551 --> 00:12:34,286 PERSON. NO, NO. 243 00:12:34,287 --> 00:12:36,088 THAT'S JUST NOT-- THAT'S NOT HIM. 244 00:12:36,089 --> 00:12:40,392 NO WAY. HE WOULD NEVER HURT HIMSELF, 245 00:12:40,393 --> 00:12:41,927 AND HE WOULD NEVER, EVER DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN HIS OWN 246 00:12:41,928 --> 00:12:43,529 HOME WITH HIS WIFE AND KIDS THERE. 247 00:12:43,530 --> 00:12:46,498 Reporter: THAT HOME ON THE FARM RYAN LOVED SO MUCH WAS 248 00:12:46,499 --> 00:12:50,102 LOCKED DOWN. THE SCENE OF A GROWING 249 00:12:50,103 --> 00:12:51,837 INVESTIGATION WHEN TAMA COUNTY DETECTIVE TREVOR KILLIAN ARRIVED 250 00:12:51,838 --> 00:12:56,241 A FEW HOURS AFTER THE FIRST FRANTIC CALL. 251 00:12:56,242 --> 00:12:58,610 I DRIVE UP THE LANE, AND THE FORMER SHERIFF IS SITTING THERE. 252 00:12:58,611 --> 00:13:01,580 SO HE WALKS ME INSIDE. THE SHERIFF TELLS ME THAT HE 253 00:13:01,581 --> 00:13:04,450 THINKS THAT THERE'S A SINGLE GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE FACE. 254 00:13:04,451 --> 00:13:06,852 Reporter: THINKING IT WAS SUICIDE, THEY'D BEEN LOOKING FOR 255 00:13:06,853 --> 00:13:09,955 A GUN. AND WHEN THEY MOVED THE BODY 256 00:13:09,956 --> 00:13:13,058 TO THE FLOOR, THAT'S WHEN THEY REALIZED THAT THERE WAS NO 257 00:13:13,059 --> 00:13:15,427 FIREARM PRESENT. AND THEN I CROUCHED DOWN AND-- 258 00:13:15,428 --> 00:13:17,629 AND I'M JUST TAKING A LOOK AT HIM, AND THEN I OBSERVE WHAT 259 00:13:17,630 --> 00:13:21,233 APPEARED TO BE A SECOND BULLET HOLE. 260 00:13:21,234 --> 00:13:24,770 I LOOKED AT THE SHERIFF, AND I'M LIKE, "HE'S BEEN SHOT TWICE." 261 00:13:24,771 --> 00:13:26,305 Reporter: WOW. SO THE-- THIS IS VERY LIKELY 262 00:13:26,306 --> 00:13:27,773 NOT A SUICIDE IF HE'S BEEN SHOT TWICE. 263 00:13:27,774 --> 00:13:28,941 YES. Reporter: YOU HAVE A MURDER 264 00:13:28,942 --> 00:13:31,810 ON YOUR HANDS. WE DO. 265 00:13:31,811 --> 00:13:35,247 THIS IS 100% AN ACTIVE CRIME SCENE. 266 00:13:35,248 --> 00:13:38,484 NOBODY COMES HERE. Reporter: WHAT IN RYAN'S LIFE 267 00:13:38,485 --> 00:13:40,953 HAD LED TO THIS DEADLY ENDING? DO YOU KNOW ANYONE THAT WOULD 268 00:13:40,954 --> 00:13:43,622 HAVE ANY REASON TO HURT HIM? NO. 269 00:13:43,623 --> 00:13:46,091 NOBODY. 270 00:13:46,092 --> 00:13:46,559 HE DOESN'T HURT ANYBODY. 271 00:13:47,861 --> 00:13:48,093 NOBODY. 272 00:13:48,094 --> 00:14:05,210 HE DOESN'T HURT ANYBODY. Reporter: RYAN AND 273 00:14:05,211 --> 00:14:06,745 KARINA COOPER'S CHILDREN HAD BEEN TAKEN FROM THE CRIME SCENE 274 00:14:06,746 --> 00:14:08,947 TO A RELATIVE'S HOUSE. ASHTON RUSHED OVER TO BE WITH 275 00:14:08,948 --> 00:14:11,517 THEM. THEY'RE SO LITTLE. 276 00:14:11,518 --> 00:14:15,721 MM-HMM. I MEAN, THAT WAS THE FIRST THING 277 00:14:15,722 --> 00:14:21,393 IS HOW DO WE GO ON? AND DO THEY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED? 278 00:14:21,394 --> 00:14:23,929 Reporter: THE BOYS WERE 11 AND 8, THE LITTLE GIRL 279 00:14:23,930 --> 00:14:27,299 ONLY 4. OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS A LOT OF 280 00:14:27,300 --> 00:14:29,501 SHOCK, CRYING. WHEN I GOT THERE, BOTH OF THE 281 00:14:29,502 --> 00:14:31,570 BOYS HAD BLOOD ON THEM. Reporter: OH, MY GOSH. 282 00:14:31,571 --> 00:14:34,673 THAT'S AWFUL. SO, I KNEW THAT THEY 283 00:14:34,674 --> 00:14:36,642 OBVIOUSLY KNEW WHAT HAD HAPPENED AT THAT POINT. 284 00:14:36,643 --> 00:14:40,679 Reporter: FRIENDS JAMIE AND CARMEN WERE THERE, TOO. 285 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:49,221 I JUST SAID, I-- 'CAUSE THEY GOTTA BE STRONG. 286 00:14:49,222 --> 00:14:51,090 I'LL STOP THERE. THAT THEY NEED TO BE STRONG AND, 287 00:14:51,091 --> 00:14:54,126 UH, THAT MOM WAS HURT REALLY BAD RIGHT NOW. 288 00:14:54,127 --> 00:14:56,762 I'M GONNA BE THERE FOR HER. Reporter: RYAN AND KARINA'S 289 00:14:56,763 --> 00:15:00,132 SON, CAYD, WAS FEELING WHAT SEEMED LIKE A VERY ADULT 290 00:15:00,133 --> 00:15:04,103 EMOTION, GUILT. PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST 291 00:15:04,104 --> 00:15:08,774 MEMORABLE COMMENTS WAS, YOU KNOW, CAYD JUST BEING TERRIBLY 292 00:15:08,775 --> 00:15:11,043 UPSET THAT HE DIDN'T SLEEP ON THE COUCH WITH DAD THAT NIGHT. 293 00:15:11,044 --> 00:15:15,948 Reporter: OH. HIS MOM WANTED HIM TO SLEEP 294 00:15:15,949 --> 00:15:18,050 IN HIS ROOM THAT NIGHT. SHE HAD JUST DONE ANOTHER 295 00:15:18,051 --> 00:15:21,620 REMODELING, REPAINTING, YOU KNOW, GOT HIS ROOM ALL FIXED UP 296 00:15:21,621 --> 00:15:23,722 AND MOVED AROUND FOR HIM. Reporter: THE IOWA DIVISION 297 00:15:23,723 --> 00:15:27,426 OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION JOINED WHAT WAS NOW A HOMICIDE 298 00:15:27,427 --> 00:15:30,162 INVESTIGATION. IS THAT NORMAL THAT IN A CASE 299 00:15:30,163 --> 00:15:33,232 LIKE THIS, THAT DCI COMES TO HELP? 300 00:15:33,233 --> 00:15:39,271 WE DO ASK THE ASSISTANCE OF THE DCI, AS WE'RE NOT FULLY 301 00:15:39,272 --> 00:15:40,839 CAPABLE OF HANDLING A FULL-BLOWN DEATH INVESTIGATION. 302 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:42,641 Reporter: THAT MORNING, DCI AGENTS INTERVIEWED KARINA AT THE 303 00:15:42,642 --> 00:15:45,944 SHERIFF'S OFFICE. HOURS HAD PASSSED. 304 00:15:45,945 --> 00:15:48,814 HER VOICE WAS A LITTLE STEADIER AS SHE RECOUNTED THE MOMENTS 305 00:15:48,815 --> 00:15:51,750 BEFORE SHE DISCOVERED HER HUSBAND DEAD IN THE LIVING ROOM. 306 00:15:51,751 --> 00:15:53,352 THERE WAS A-- IT SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING CRASHED IN THE 307 00:15:53,353 --> 00:15:54,687 KITCHEN. IT SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING 308 00:15:54,688 --> 00:16:00,659 FALLING. IT SCARED ME. 309 00:16:00,660 --> 00:16:05,230 I KIND OF LAID THERE FOR A SECOND TO SEE IF THE KIDS WOKE 310 00:16:05,231 --> 00:16:09,034 UP, WHICH THEY DIDN'T. AND I GOT UP, AND I PEEKED IN 311 00:16:09,035 --> 00:16:13,038 THE LIVING ROOM, AND HE WAS LAYING THERE, AND I WENT TO THE 312 00:16:13,039 --> 00:16:17,142 KITCHEN AND TURNED THE LIGHT ON IN THE LIVING ROOM, AND THEN-- 313 00:16:17,143 --> 00:16:19,578 THEN I SAW HIM. OKAY. 314 00:16:19,579 --> 00:16:25,384 IT JUST LOOKED LIKE HE WAS SLEEPING. 315 00:16:25,385 --> 00:16:27,319 OKAY. AND THEN I WALKED UP TO HIM 316 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:32,891 AND TOUCHED HIS FOOT. THERE WAS BLOOD, LIKE, 317 00:16:32,892 --> 00:16:35,394 EVERYWHERE. SHE SAID THAT SHE JUST HEARD 318 00:16:35,395 --> 00:16:37,896 A LOUD BANG, WHICH SHE GOT UP TO INVESTIGATE, AND THAT'S WHEN SHE 319 00:16:37,897 --> 00:16:40,532 FOUND HER HUSBAND WAS COVERED IN BLOOD. 320 00:16:40,533 --> 00:16:43,535 BUT I KNEW I SCARED THE KIDS 'CAUSE CAYD CAME RUNNING DOWN. 321 00:16:43,536 --> 00:16:45,070 I THOUGHT-- I DON'T KNOW WHAT I THOUGHT. 322 00:16:45,071 --> 00:16:51,076 I THOUGHT SOMEBODY WAS IN THE HOUSE. 323 00:16:51,077 --> 00:16:57,950 I PUT THEM IN MY BEDROOM AND TOLD THEM TO LOCK THE DOOR, AND 324 00:16:57,951 --> 00:17:00,152 I CALLED AARON. DO YOU MAKE ANY ATTEMPT AT-- 325 00:17:00,153 --> 00:17:05,424 YOU KNOW, DO YOU TOUCH HIM? DO YOU-- DO YOU-- 326 00:17:05,425 --> 00:17:07,159 I CRAWLED ON HIM. I WAS-- I HIT HIM, I THINK. 327 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:10,029 I WAS SHAKING HIM AND SCREAMING IN HIS FACE TO WAKE UP. 328 00:17:10,030 --> 00:17:13,032 OKAY. YOU THINK YOU WERE HITTING HIM? 329 00:17:13,033 --> 00:17:18,103 I THINK I KEPT HITTING HIM, TRYING TO GET HIM TO WAKE UP. 330 00:17:18,104 --> 00:17:20,506 DID YOU HEAR ANY OTHER SOUNDS OR COMMOTIONS OR ANYTHING OTHER 331 00:17:20,507 --> 00:17:28,113 THAN THE ONE THAT WOKE YOU UP? NO. 332 00:17:28,114 --> 00:17:33,652 NOTHING I MEAN, CARS GO BY ALL THE TIME OF THE NIGHT, BUT I 333 00:17:33,653 --> 00:17:34,953 DIDN'T SEE-- I LOOKED OUT THE KITCHEN WINDOW. 334 00:17:34,954 --> 00:17:36,288 I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING. OKAY. 335 00:17:36,289 --> 00:17:37,489 NO SOUNDS OF LIKE THE FRONT DOOR SLAMMING SHUT. 336 00:17:37,490 --> 00:17:40,726 NO. OR ANYONE RUNNING DOWN YOUR 337 00:17:40,727 --> 00:17:44,730 DECK OR DOWN YOUR STEPS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? 338 00:17:44,731 --> 00:17:46,065 NO, NOTHING. DO YOU KNOW ANYONE THAT WOULD 339 00:17:46,066 --> 00:17:47,399 HAVE ANY REASON TO HURT HIM? NO. 340 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:49,568 DOES HE HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH ANYBODY? 341 00:17:49,569 --> 00:17:52,538 NO, NOBODY. HE DOESN'T HURT ANYBODY. 342 00:17:52,539 --> 00:17:56,175 Reporter: OF COURSE, INVESTIGATORS HAD TO ASK SOME 343 00:17:56,176 --> 00:17:58,811 DIFFICULT QUESTIONS. NOT TO BE PERSONAL, OKAY, BUT 344 00:17:58,812 --> 00:18:00,579 AGAIN THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO ASK. 345 00:18:00,580 --> 00:18:08,220 HAS THERE BEEN ANY MARITAL ISSUES BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU? 346 00:18:08,221 --> 00:18:11,023 NO, WE HAD A ROUGH PATCH SHORTLY AFTER HIS MOM PASSED 347 00:18:11,024 --> 00:18:17,029 AWAY WHERE WE JUST WEREN'T-- WE WEREN'T GETTING ALONG. 348 00:18:17,030 --> 00:18:19,798 THERE WASN'T ANY REAL ISSUE, WE WERE JUST BOTH SAD AND MAD AND 349 00:18:19,799 --> 00:18:25,704 NOT COMMUNICATING. SHE SAID THEY HAD THEIR 350 00:18:25,705 --> 00:18:27,206 ARGUMENTS, UM, BUT THEY FOUGHT, AND THEY MADE UP, AND EVERYTHING 351 00:18:27,207 --> 00:18:29,341 WAS JUST FINE. Reporter: SO NO TROUBLE IN 352 00:18:29,342 --> 00:18:32,644 PARADISE FOR THE COOPERS. YEP. 353 00:18:32,645 --> 00:18:35,814 ACCORDING TO HER THERE WAS-- THERE WAS NO ISSUES, NO ISSUES 354 00:18:35,815 --> 00:18:37,383 THAT NOBODY ELSE HAS. Reporter: HE'S BEEN SLEEPING 355 00:18:37,384 --> 00:18:42,054 ON THE RECLINER? YES. 356 00:18:42,055 --> 00:18:48,060 HE WORKS A LOT OF HOURS, AND IT'S JUST SOMETIMES EASIER TO 357 00:18:48,061 --> 00:18:49,161 COME HOME, HE JUST-- HE SLEEPS IN THE RECLINING CHAIR. 358 00:18:49,162 --> 00:18:52,464 NO AFFAIRS OF ANY KIND? NO. 359 00:18:52,465 --> 00:18:53,832 NOT BY HIM OR BY YOU? AND THE ONLY REASON I ASK IS IF 360 00:18:53,833 --> 00:18:58,170 SOMEONE WENT IN AND DID SOMETHING TO HIM, I'M JUST 361 00:18:58,171 --> 00:18:59,471 THINKING ABOUT LIKE THE SCORNED LOVER TYPE OF THING OR ANYTHING 362 00:18:59,472 --> 00:19:00,406 LIKE THAT. NO. 363 00:19:00,407 --> 00:19:02,341 NO. OKAY. 364 00:19:02,342 --> 00:19:05,010 SO THERE'S NO-- WE DON'T GO ANYWHERE. 365 00:19:05,011 --> 00:19:09,848 WE DON'T DO ANYTHING. HE MIGHT GO TO THE BAR AFTER 366 00:19:09,849 --> 00:19:12,885 WORK WITH HIS FRIEND RILEY, AND HE'S NEVER HOME PAST 8:00. 367 00:19:12,886 --> 00:19:16,822 THAT'S HOW EXCITING WE ARE. Reporter: INVESTIGATORS LET 368 00:19:16,823 --> 00:19:19,024 KARINA GET BACK TO HER CHILDREN. MOM BROUGHT HER BACK TO MY 369 00:19:19,025 --> 00:19:21,060 MOM'S HOUSE. I MET THEM THERE. 370 00:19:21,061 --> 00:19:24,029 Reporter: THIS IS KARINA'S BROTHER, KURT ALPERS. 371 00:19:24,030 --> 00:19:28,801 IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, KARINA TOOK A SHOWER. 372 00:19:28,802 --> 00:19:31,103 SHE WAS OBVIOUSLY MESSY. A BUNCH OF HER FRIENDS CAME TO 373 00:19:31,104 --> 00:19:33,539 MY MOM'S HOUSE AND VISITED AND GAVE THEIR CONDOLENCES. 374 00:19:33,540 --> 00:19:41,413 IT WAS JUST A LOT OF CRYING, A LOT OF QUESTIONS. 375 00:19:41,414 --> 00:19:45,351 Reporter: ONCE RYAN'S AUTOPSY WAS COMPLETE, FAMILY AND 376 00:19:45,352 --> 00:19:46,752 FRIENDS LEARNED HE HAD BEEN MURDERED, SHOT TWICE IN THE 377 00:19:46,753 --> 00:19:48,053 FACE. WHAT'S GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND 378 00:19:48,054 --> 00:19:49,455 WHEN THIS GETS OUT? NOBODY BREAKS INTO HOUSES AND 379 00:19:49,456 --> 00:19:51,490 SHOOTS PEOPLE IN TRAER, IOWA. SO, IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT 380 00:19:51,491 --> 00:19:53,926 HAPPENS. Reporter: CRIME SCENE TECHS 381 00:19:53,927 --> 00:19:57,863 HAD SWABBED THE HOME FOR FINGERPRINTS, FOR DNA. 382 00:19:57,864 --> 00:20:00,566 THEY PHOTOGRAPHED THE HOUSE ROOM BY ROOM, TAKING CAREFUL NOTE OF 383 00:20:00,567 --> 00:20:04,003 THE BLOOD POOL AND SPATTER ON THE WALLS OF THE LIVING ROOM. 384 00:20:04,004 --> 00:20:07,740 OUTSIDE, THEY PHOTOGRAPHED A PARTIAL BLOODY SHOE PRINT. 385 00:20:07,741 --> 00:20:11,877 Reporter: DID THAT GIVE ANY CREDENCE TO THIS INTRUDER THEORY 386 00:20:11,878 --> 00:20:17,149 THAT MAYBE THAT WAS AN INTRUDER RUNNING FROM THE HOUSE? 387 00:20:17,150 --> 00:20:21,053 IT DID LINE UP WITH THAT SOMEBODY HAD COME INSIDE AND WAS 388 00:20:21,054 --> 00:20:22,955 AT LEAST AT THE SCENE AND STEPPED IN THE BLOOD AND THEN 389 00:20:22,956 --> 00:20:28,193 LEFT. Reporter: IN THE DRIVEWAY, 390 00:20:28,194 --> 00:20:30,963 ANOTHER CLUE. THERE WAS A PURSE THAT WAS 391 00:20:30,964 --> 00:20:34,366 THROWN OUTSIDE OF A VEHICLE DOOR, IT WAS KARINA'S PURSE. 392 00:20:34,367 --> 00:20:37,202 Reporter: IS THAT SUGGESTING THAT IT COULD BE A ROBBERY? 393 00:20:37,203 --> 00:20:41,774 YEAH. THAT'S WHAT IT APPEARED TO BE 394 00:20:41,775 --> 00:20:43,442 WITH KARINA SAYING THAT AN INTRUDER HAD CAME IN AND-- AND 395 00:20:43,443 --> 00:20:45,911 HAD ROBBED THEM AND SHOT HER HUSBAND. 396 00:20:45,912 --> 00:20:48,380 Reporter: AND WHILE INVESTIGATORS HADN'T YET FOUND A 397 00:20:48,381 --> 00:20:51,417 GUN, THEY FOUND A SHELL CASING ON THE LIVING ROOM FLOOR. 398 00:20:51,418 --> 00:20:55,287 IT APPEARED THAT HE WAS SHOT WITH A .22. 399 00:20:55,288 --> 00:20:57,256 Reporter: AND DOES THAT TELL YOU ANYTHING, A .22 CALIBER? 400 00:20:57,257 --> 00:21:00,959 I MEAN, PROBABLY EVERY FARMER HAS ONE. 401 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:03,562 THEY SHOOT COYOTES, UH, RACCOONS THAT ARE ON THEIR PROPERTY. 402 00:21:03,563 --> 00:21:06,065 Reporter: THIS COULD BE ANYBODY IN THE AREA. 403 00:21:06,066 --> 00:21:07,399 YEAH. AND THERE'S A MAJOR HIGHWAY 404 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:09,234 RIGHT THERE. Reporter: SOMEONE COULD 405 00:21:09,235 --> 00:21:11,103 EASILY JUMP ON THAT HIGHWAY AND JUST BE GONE. 406 00:21:11,104 --> 00:21:13,772 YEAH. YOU GOT THREE DIFFERENT WAYS 407 00:21:13,773 --> 00:21:17,409 THAT YOU-- YOU CAN GO UP THE GRAVEL, YOU CAN GO EAST OR WEST 408 00:21:17,410 --> 00:21:20,612 FROM THE RESIDENCE. Reporter: EAST OR WEST THE 409 00:21:20,613 --> 00:21:22,081 ROAD OUT WAS OPEN. BUT A TIP WOULD SOON PULL 410 00:21:22,082 --> 00:21:25,284 DETECTIVES RIGHT BACK TO THE FARM. 411 00:21:25,285 --> 00:21:29,522 THE ONLY ONE THAT WE'VE 412 00:21:31,091 --> 00:21:31,590 THE ONLY ONE THAT WE'VE 413 00:21:31,591 --> 00:21:53,812 REALLY HAD ANY BUSINESS DE STRIKES YOU ABOUT THIS AREA IS 414 00:21:53,813 --> 00:21:54,813 JUST HOW PEACEFUL IT IS, AND IT FEELS SO SAFE. 415 00:21:54,814 --> 00:21:56,248 YEAH. Reporter: I CAN ONLY IMAGINE 416 00:21:56,249 --> 00:21:57,282 HOW THIS AREA MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE SHATTERED-- 417 00:21:57,283 --> 00:21:59,918 YEAH, IT WAS. Reporter:-- BY SOMETHING 418 00:21:59,919 --> 00:22:03,055 LIKE THIS, THE FEAR. YEAH. 419 00:22:03,056 --> 00:22:04,656 WITH-- WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED, IT WAS SLEEPLESS 420 00:22:04,657 --> 00:22:07,059 NIGHTS FOR A WHILE, FOR SURE. NOT KNOWING IF WE'RE IN DANGER 421 00:22:07,060 --> 00:22:08,360 OR NOT. Reporter: YEAH. 422 00:22:08,361 --> 00:22:17,336 I MEAN IT WAS TERRIFYING TO GO HOME THINKING THAT SOMEBODY 423 00:22:17,337 --> 00:22:19,438 MURDERED OUR FRIEND A MILE FROM OUR HOUSE, AND I MEAN, CAMERAS 424 00:22:19,439 --> 00:22:20,673 WENT UP ON THE FARM ALL OVER, LOCKS WERE CHANGED ON THE HOUSE 425 00:22:20,674 --> 00:22:22,741 WITHIN THE WEEK. Reporter: KARINA AND THE 426 00:22:22,742 --> 00:22:27,813 THREE KIDS STAYED WITH HER BROTHER KURT. 427 00:22:27,814 --> 00:22:30,549 KARINA SAID THAT SHE WAS ALWAYS SCARED, FEARFUL THAT 428 00:22:30,550 --> 00:22:34,453 WHOEVER HAD DONE THIS IS GONNA COME FOR THE FAMILY. 429 00:22:34,454 --> 00:22:36,789 EVERY NIGHT, I'D DOUBLE CHECK THE LOCKS ON THE HOUSE. 430 00:22:36,790 --> 00:22:39,425 YOU KNOW, I BOUGHT A MOTION SENSOR LIGHT. 431 00:22:39,426 --> 00:22:42,094 Reporter: KURT AND HIS WIFE TRIED THEIR BEST TO DISTRACT THE 432 00:22:42,095 --> 00:22:45,097 KIDS. WE TRIED TO KEEP THEM BUSY, 433 00:22:45,098 --> 00:22:48,600 KEEP THEIR MINDS OFF THINGS. I MEAN, YOU CAN ONLY FORGET FOR 434 00:22:48,601 --> 00:22:50,602 SO LONG BEFORE IT COMES BACK. Reporter: AND EVERYONE HAD 435 00:22:50,603 --> 00:22:54,206 THEIR OWN THEORY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. 436 00:22:54,207 --> 00:22:58,877 MY FIRST ASSUMPTION WAS THAT SOMEBODY STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY 437 00:22:58,878 --> 00:23:02,081 FOR SOME REASON AND WAS LOOKING TO ROB THE HOUSE OR SOMETHING 438 00:23:02,082 --> 00:23:04,516 LIKE THAT AND SAW THAT RYAN WAS SITTING IN HIS RECLINER AND 439 00:23:04,517 --> 00:23:07,086 FREAKED OUT. THE TOWN NEXT TO US WAS 440 00:23:07,087 --> 00:23:10,055 HAVING THEIR BIG CELEBRATION THAT WEEKEND. 441 00:23:10,056 --> 00:23:14,226 COULD IT HAVE BEEN SOMEBODY THAT WAS HERE WITH THE CARNIVAL? 442 00:23:14,227 --> 00:23:19,631 THERE WAS A LOT OF THEORIES, A LOT OF SPECULATION. 443 00:23:19,632 --> 00:23:22,968 IT WAS REALLY ANYTHING, ANYTHING THAT PEOPLE COULD USE TO COPE 444 00:23:22,969 --> 00:23:25,270 WITH WHAT HAPPENED. Reporter: TAMA COUNTY SHERIFF 445 00:23:25,271 --> 00:23:28,374 CASEY SCHMIDT WAS A DEPUTY AT THE TIME. 446 00:23:28,375 --> 00:23:32,444 I'VE MET PEOPLE IN TAMA COUNTY THAT WILL LEAVE THEIR 447 00:23:32,445 --> 00:23:35,080 DOORS UNLOCKED AND HAVE FOR 60, 70 YEARS. 448 00:23:35,081 --> 00:23:38,684 THAT JUST SHOWS THE TYPE OF COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE. 449 00:23:38,685 --> 00:23:43,422 IT'S ALMOST MORE SHOCKING WHEN IT HAPPENS IN A SMALLER 450 00:23:43,423 --> 00:23:46,325 COMMUNITY, BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS SO CLOSE, EVERYBODY WANTS TO 451 00:23:46,326 --> 00:23:47,860 KNOW WHY IT HAPPENED, WHAT HAPPENED. 452 00:23:47,861 --> 00:23:52,197 Reporter: IT WAS DETECTIVE KILLIAN'S JOB TO FIND THOSE 453 00:23:52,198 --> 00:23:54,600 ANSWERS, AND HE DIDN'T BELIEVE A RANDOM INTRUDER WAS RESPONSIBLE. 454 00:23:54,601 --> 00:23:59,004 IT JUST MADE NO SENSE THAT SOMEBODY WOULD COME TO A 455 00:23:59,005 --> 00:24:02,241 FARMHOUSE AND WALK IN THE DOOR AND SHOOT SOMEONE IN THE FACE 456 00:24:02,242 --> 00:24:05,144 FOR NO REASON. Reporter: YOU WOULD THINK IF 457 00:24:05,145 --> 00:24:09,515 IT WAS AN INTRUDER OR SOME TYPE OF ROBBERY GONE BAD, THAT 458 00:24:09,516 --> 00:24:13,686 USUALLY THE ROBBER IS INTERRUPTED IN SOME WAY. 459 00:24:13,687 --> 00:24:17,222 BUT YOU'RE ASSUMING THAT RYAN WAS SLEEPING, RIGHT, BASED ON 460 00:24:17,223 --> 00:24:18,857 WHERE HE WAS FOUND AND-- YEAH. 461 00:24:18,858 --> 00:24:22,628 IT DID NOT APPEAR THAT HE HAD TRIED TO GET UP. 462 00:24:22,629 --> 00:24:26,598 THERE WAS NO DEFENSIVE WOUNDS. Reporter: AND WHILE KARINA'S 463 00:24:26,599 --> 00:24:28,634 PURSE WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY, THERE WAS CASH ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER, 464 00:24:28,635 --> 00:24:30,502 UNTOUCHED. SO IF NOT A ROBBERY, THE 465 00:24:30,503 --> 00:24:34,673 DETECTIVE THOUGHT IT HAD TO BE PERSONAL. 466 00:24:34,674 --> 00:24:38,577 THEY TALKED TO KARINA AGAIN. DID KARINA HAVE ANY IDEA WHO MAY 467 00:24:38,578 --> 00:24:42,548 HAVE WANTED TO DO THIS TO RYAN? THE ONLY NAME THAT SHE 468 00:24:42,549 --> 00:24:46,218 BROUGHT UP WAS NOLAN DeWALL. Reporter: THAT WAS A NAME 469 00:24:46,219 --> 00:24:50,222 RYAN'S SISTER KNEW WELL. THE ONLY ONE THAT WE'VE 470 00:24:50,223 --> 00:24:52,324 REALLY HAD ANY BUSINESS DEALINGS WITH THAT HAVE MAYBE GONE AWRY 471 00:24:52,325 --> 00:24:58,597 WOULD BE NOLAN. Reporter: NOLAN DeWALL HAD 472 00:24:58,598 --> 00:24:59,932 BEEN A BUSINESS PARTNER IN THE COOPER FARM'S CATTLE OPERATION, 473 00:24:59,933 --> 00:25:01,567 AND HE HAD SOME TROUBLE WITH THE LAW. 474 00:25:01,568 --> 00:25:06,038 A FEW YEARS EARLIER, HE WAS INVOLVED IN A BANK FRAUD SCHEME, 475 00:25:06,039 --> 00:25:10,042 WRITING BAD CHECKS TOTALING A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS. 476 00:25:10,043 --> 00:25:13,045 HE WAS GOOD AT LIKE SHIFTING THINGS FROM HERE TO THERE TO TRY 477 00:25:13,046 --> 00:25:14,346 AND COVER, AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS KIND OF STARTED HAPPENING 478 00:25:14,347 --> 00:25:15,681 IN OUR BUSINESS TOO. Reporter: LIKE SNEAKY STUFF? 479 00:25:15,682 --> 00:25:19,151 MM-HMM. YEAH. 480 00:25:19,152 --> 00:25:21,520 AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT JUST GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I THINK, YOU 481 00:25:21,521 --> 00:25:23,555 KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TERMINATE THIS RELATIONSHIP AND 482 00:25:23,556 --> 00:25:25,591 GET OUT. Reporter: WOULD RYAN HAVE 483 00:25:25,592 --> 00:25:27,059 BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT? HE-- 484 00:25:27,060 --> 00:25:28,694 Reporter: THE DECISION-MAKING OF-- 485 00:25:28,695 --> 00:25:32,398 YEAH. FOR SURE. 486 00:25:32,399 --> 00:25:33,766 Reporter:-- IT'S TIME FOR NOLAN TO GO? 487 00:25:33,767 --> 00:25:34,900 YEAH, FOR SURE. YEP. 488 00:25:34,901 --> 00:25:38,937 Reporter: SO NOLAN AND THE COOPERS CUT TIES. 489 00:25:38,938 --> 00:25:40,739 HE LIVED AND WORKED A 30-MINUTE DRIVE FROM THE FARM, AND THAT'S 490 00:25:40,740 --> 00:25:44,376 WHERE INVESTIGATORS FOUND HIM. DID AN INTERVIEW WITH HIM AND 491 00:25:44,377 --> 00:25:50,249 JUST KIND OF ASKED HIM ABOUT, UH, RYAN COOPER. 492 00:25:50,250 --> 00:25:51,717 AND HE HAD SAID THAT HE HAD HEARD, 'CAUSE IT WAS OUT, THAT 493 00:25:51,718 --> 00:25:55,120 HE HAD BEEN KILLED. Reporter: NOLAN DENIED HAVING 494 00:25:55,121 --> 00:25:57,623 ANYTHING TO DO WITH RYAN'S MURDER, AND WHILE HE DID OWN 495 00:25:57,624 --> 00:26:05,698 A .22 CALIBER PISTOL, HE TOLD POLICE HE DIDNT HAVE IT HANDY 496 00:26:05,699 --> 00:26:07,232 FOR THEM TO LOOK AT BECAUSE HE KEPT IT AT HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW'S 497 00:26:07,233 --> 00:26:10,235 HOUSE. DETECTIVES WANTED TO GET THEIR 498 00:26:10,236 --> 00:26:11,570 HANDS ON THAT GUN FOR TESTING AND CHECK OUT NOLAN'S ALBI. 499 00:26:11,571 --> 00:26:14,473 AND HE WASN'T THE ONLY PERSON THEY NEEDED TO TALK TO. 500 00:26:14,474 --> 00:26:18,177 YOU FIND OUT THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN AN ALTERCATION AT A BAR 501 00:26:18,178 --> 00:26:20,279 WITH RYAN A FEW NIGHTS BEFORE THE MURDER? 502 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:23,816 YES. SO THERE WAS SOMEONE AT THE BAR 503 00:26:23,817 --> 00:26:26,118 THAT NIGHT THAT HAD CALLED US FOR A TIP THAT SAYS, "HEY, I 504 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:29,655 THINK YOU SHOULD GO TALK TO THIS PERSON. 505 00:26:29,656 --> 00:26:32,491 UM, HE COULD BE A SUSPECT." SO WE GET AHOLD OF THE BAR 506 00:26:32,492 --> 00:26:34,827 OWNER. HE DID MAKE THE COMMENT TO US 507 00:26:34,828 --> 00:26:37,396 THAT THERE WAS THIS RONALD BENKIN AND RYAN HAD 508 00:26:37,397 --> 00:26:40,199 GOTTEN INTO A VERBAL ALTERCATION. 509 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:42,868 Reporter: THE MEN KNEW EACH OTHER THROUGH THE FARMING 510 00:26:42,869 --> 00:26:45,971 BUSINESS. I DON'T REALLY THINK THAT HE 511 00:26:45,972 --> 00:26:48,874 LIKED RYAN COOPER. Reporter: WHAT WAS THE 512 00:26:48,875 --> 00:26:50,576 ALTERCATION ABOUT, OR THE-- THIS VERBAL ARGUMENT? 513 00:26:50,577 --> 00:26:55,080 WHAT WAS IT OVER? SO NOBODY REALLY TOLD US WHAT 514 00:26:55,081 --> 00:26:56,582 IT WAS ABOUT. THEY JUST SAID THAT, UM, THEY 515 00:26:56,583 --> 00:26:59,351 WERE HAVING AN ALTERCATION TOGETHER. 516 00:26:59,352 --> 00:27:01,086 Reporter: DETECTIVES WENT TO THE BAR AND ASKED TO SEE 517 00:27:01,087 --> 00:27:03,689 SECURITY FOOTAGE FROM THAT NIGHT. 518 00:27:03,690 --> 00:27:06,859 THERE WAS NO AUDIO ASSOCIATED WITH THE VIDEO. 519 00:27:06,860 --> 00:27:08,827 IT WAS JUST A PICTURE. IT JUST LOOKED LIKE A COUPLE 520 00:27:08,828 --> 00:27:14,033 PEOPLE HAVING A NORMAL CONVERSATION. 521 00:27:14,034 --> 00:27:17,136 THERE WAS NO FINGER-POINTING. THERE WAS NOBODY STANDING UP 522 00:27:17,137 --> 00:27:18,671 GETTING IN ANYBODY'S FACE, AND THERE-- THEN THERE WAS 523 00:27:18,672 --> 00:27:20,572 CERTAINLY NOT A FIGHT AS IT WAS PUT TO US. 524 00:27:20,573 --> 00:27:21,840 Reporter: THAT LEAD WENT NOWHERE. 525 00:27:21,841 --> 00:27:30,449 SAME WITH NOLAN DeWALL. INVESTIGATORS DID FIND 526 00:27:30,450 --> 00:27:36,221 HIS .22 CALIBER PISTOL. IT WAS AT HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW'S 527 00:27:36,222 --> 00:27:37,589 HOUSE LIKE HE SAID. SO THAT FIREARM WAS 528 00:27:37,590 --> 00:27:39,058 SUBMITTED, AND IT DID NOT MATCH WHAT THE SHELL CASING THAT WAS 529 00:27:39,059 --> 00:27:40,325 AT THE SCENE. AND WE WERE ABLE TO FOLLOW UP 530 00:27:40,326 --> 00:27:41,927 WITH HIS ALIBI THAT HE WASN'T EVEN IN THE AREA. 531 00:27:41,928 --> 00:27:43,529 THEY CLEARED HIM AS A SUSPECT. Reporter: BUT INVESTIGATORS 532 00:27:43,530 --> 00:27:46,331 WEREN'T OUT OF NAMES YET. SOMEONE ELSE HAD POPPED UP ON 533 00:27:46,332 --> 00:27:49,201 THEIR RADAR. A YOUNG MAN WITH QUITE THE 534 00:27:49,202 --> 00:27:51,770 REPUTATION. HE LIKED THE OLDER LADIES. 535 00:27:51,771 --> 00:27:54,073 Reporter: OH. LIKES COUGARS. 536 00:27:54,074 --> 00:27:54,274 YEAH. 537 00:27:55,709 --> 00:27:56,075 LIKES COUGARS. 538 00:27:56,076 --> 00:28:12,191 YEAH. Reporter: INVESTIGATORS 539 00:28:12,192 --> 00:28:14,727 TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO IN THIS FARM TOWN MIGHT HAVE HATED 540 00:28:14,728 --> 00:28:17,896 RYAN COOPER ENOUGH TO SHOOT HIM WERE CROSSING NAMES OFF THEIR 541 00:28:17,897 --> 00:28:21,500 LIST, INCLUDING HIS FORMER BUSINESS PARTNER AND A MAN RYAN 542 00:28:21,501 --> 00:28:25,904 ENCOUNTERED AT A BAR. DETECTIVES WERE ALSO EYEING 543 00:28:25,905 --> 00:28:29,875 SOMEONE ELSE, A FARMHAND WHOSE REPUTATION AROUND TRAER PRECEDED 544 00:28:29,876 --> 00:28:34,179 HIM. HUSTON DANKER IS A YOUNG MAN 545 00:28:34,180 --> 00:28:40,352 WHOSE NAME JUST KIND OF POPPED UP ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. 546 00:28:40,353 --> 00:28:41,720 Reporter: ASSISTANT TAMA COUNTY ATTORNEY, 547 00:28:41,721 --> 00:28:44,390 GENEVA WILLIAMS, JOINED THE INVESTIGATION AT THE BEGINNING. 548 00:28:44,391 --> 00:28:47,960 HE'S KNOWN AS A LADIES' MAN. HE WAS, UH, KNOWN AS SOMEONE WHO 549 00:28:47,961 --> 00:28:52,231 HAD A PARTICULAR AFFINITY FOR OLDER WOMEN. 550 00:28:52,232 --> 00:28:53,365 Reporter: HE WAS ONLY 23 YEARS OLD AND FRIENDS WITH 551 00:28:53,366 --> 00:28:54,733 KIRSTIE'S SON. HE LIKED THE OLDER LADIES. 552 00:28:54,734 --> 00:29:01,273 Reporter: LIKES COUGARS. YEAH. 553 00:29:01,274 --> 00:29:02,574 WE'D BE WORKING OUT AT THE GYM IN THE MORNINGS, AND THIS IS-- 554 00:29:02,575 --> 00:29:06,111 HE WAS STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL AT THIS TIME. 555 00:29:06,112 --> 00:29:09,148 AND HE WOULD DRIVE UP TO THE FRONT WINDOW AND LIKE WATCH US 556 00:29:09,149 --> 00:29:11,150 THROUGH THE WINDOW WORK OUT. Reporter: AND HUSTON WASN'T 557 00:29:11,151 --> 00:29:14,753 JUST OGLING. THERE WAS ONE WOMAN IN 558 00:29:14,754 --> 00:29:17,389 PARTICULAR THAT HE WRECKED THEIR MARRIAGE. 559 00:29:17,390 --> 00:29:18,424 IS THAT-- IT'S HIS BEST FRIEND'S-- 560 00:29:18,425 --> 00:29:19,658 YEAH. >>-- MOM. 561 00:29:19,659 --> 00:29:21,026 Reporter: HIS BEST FRIEND'S MOM? 562 00:29:21,027 --> 00:29:22,361 WITH HIS HIGH SCHOOL BUDDY'S MOM. 563 00:29:22,362 --> 00:29:23,896 YEAH. YEAH. 564 00:29:23,897 --> 00:29:25,431 Reporter: OKAY. THAT REALLY IS STACY'S MOM. 565 00:29:25,432 --> 00:29:27,433 YEAH. Reporter: SO, HE HAD AN 566 00:29:27,434 --> 00:29:31,370 AFFAIR WITH HIS BEST FRIEND'S MOM, AND HER MARRIAGE ENDED? 567 00:29:31,371 --> 00:29:34,907 OH, YEAH. Reporter: HUSTON WAS A CLIENT 568 00:29:34,908 --> 00:29:36,909 OF KARINA'S AT THE SALON, AND INVESTIGATORS LEARNED THAT RYAN 569 00:29:36,910 --> 00:29:40,579 THOUGHT HE WAS INTERESTED IN MORE THAN A HAIRCUT. 570 00:29:40,580 --> 00:29:43,182 THEY HEARD HUSTON HAD BEEN MESSAGING WITH KARINA ON 571 00:29:43,183 --> 00:29:45,751 SNAPCHAT, AND RYAN WASN'T HAPPY ABOUT IT. 572 00:29:45,752 --> 00:29:48,220 HE IS ALSO BROUGHT IN TO TALK TO INVESTIGATORS. 573 00:29:48,221 --> 00:29:50,589 YEAH. HUSTON SHOWED UP AT THE TAMA 574 00:29:50,590 --> 00:29:53,125 COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. YOU CAN GRAB A SEAT WHEREVER. 575 00:29:53,126 --> 00:29:54,193 ACTUALLY, YOU CAN GRAB A SEAT HERE. 576 00:29:54,194 --> 00:29:55,527 THAT'D BE GREAT. OKAY. 577 00:29:55,528 --> 00:29:57,796 HIS DEMEANOR WAS-- WAS VERY RELAXED. 578 00:29:57,797 --> 00:30:01,066 Reporter: COOPERATIVE? HE WAS VERY COOPERATIVE. 579 00:30:01,067 --> 00:30:03,936 UM, HE WAS KIND OF JOKING WITH THE DCI AGENT IN THE INTERVIEW. 580 00:30:03,937 --> 00:30:05,537 KEEP IN MIND I DON'T KNOW YOU. 581 00:30:05,538 --> 00:30:08,874 I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR WHAT, TEN MINUTES NOW. 582 00:30:08,875 --> 00:30:13,178 BUT YOU KINDA GOT THE REPUTATION WHERE YOU'RE PRETTY SUCCESSFUL 583 00:30:13,179 --> 00:30:17,316 WITH THE LADIES, RIGHT? I WOULDN'T-- 584 00:30:17,317 --> 00:30:20,119 BETTER LUCK THAN SOME OR NOT AS BAD AS OTHERS. 585 00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:24,656 LIKE, YEARS AGO. YEARS AGO? 586 00:30:24,657 --> 00:30:30,996 YEAH, I MEAN IT'S BAD TO SAY, BUT I'M YOUNG WITH TWO KIDS. 587 00:30:30,997 --> 00:30:32,364 THE RUMOR THAT'S GOING AROUND IS RYAN-- OR YOU AND KARINA 588 00:30:32,365 --> 00:30:34,166 WERE SNAPCHATTING. DID THAT ACTUALLY HAPPEN AT SOME 589 00:30:34,167 --> 00:30:37,469 POINT? YEAH. 590 00:30:37,470 --> 00:30:41,006 IT'S NOT ANYTHING-- IT'S-- YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST YOUR TYPICAL 591 00:30:41,007 --> 00:30:44,943 SNAP-- LIKE I SAID, SNAPCHAT. RANDOM, YOU KNOW. 592 00:30:44,944 --> 00:30:48,747 WHAT I WAS TOLD, AND KEEP IN MIND THIS IS SOMETIMES SECOND, 593 00:30:48,748 --> 00:30:50,149 THIRD HAND THROUGH PEOPLE-- YEP. 594 00:30:50,150 --> 00:30:51,684 >>-- IS THAT RYAN FOUND OUT THAT YOU WERE SNAPCHATTING. 595 00:30:51,685 --> 00:30:55,020 DID RYAN EVER KNOW ABOUT YOU TWO SNAPCHATTING? 596 00:30:55,021 --> 00:30:56,755 OH, YEAH. Reporter: BUT HE SAID IT WAS 597 00:30:56,756 --> 00:31:01,794 NO BIG DEAL, THEY WERE JUST FRIENDS. 598 00:31:01,795 --> 00:31:03,962 THERE'S NO POINT IN KINDA DANCING-- IF YOU WERE SCREWING 599 00:31:03,963 --> 00:31:06,298 AROUND WITH HER, IT DOESN'T MAKE YOU A KILLER. 600 00:31:06,299 --> 00:31:09,768 EVERYBODY'S GOT WEIRD GOING ON IN THEIR LIFE. 601 00:31:09,769 --> 00:31:14,840 RIGHT. SO, I DON'T WANT YOU TO GET 602 00:31:14,841 --> 00:31:16,208 TOO NERVOUS, BECAUSE IF YOU HAD AN AFFAIR WITH KARINA, IT 603 00:31:16,209 --> 00:31:17,643 DOESN'T MAKE YOU GUILTY OF ANYTHING OTHER THAN YOU HAD AN 604 00:31:17,644 --> 00:31:19,111 AFFAIR WITH HER. RIGHT. 605 00:31:19,112 --> 00:31:20,479 WELL, AND THAT-- THAT-- I'LL PUT IT THIS WAY. 606 00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:23,816 I'LL-- I'LL COMPLETELY DUMB IT DOWN. 607 00:31:23,817 --> 00:31:27,886 SO, LIKE WITH ME AND KARINA, I WAS LITERALLY SITTING THERE 608 00:31:27,887 --> 00:31:31,890 LIKE, I WOULD SAY, A GAY BEST FRIEND. 609 00:31:31,891 --> 00:31:33,425 "I'M MORE LIKE A GAY BEST FRIEND." 610 00:31:33,426 --> 00:31:35,260 Reporter: ONLY HE'S NOT GAY. RIGHT? 611 00:31:35,261 --> 00:31:38,130 THAT'S CORRECT. Reporter: KARINA WAS 20 YEARS 612 00:31:38,131 --> 00:31:40,265 OLDER THAN HUSTON. HE SAID SHE GAVE HIM ADVICE, AND 613 00:31:40,266 --> 00:31:43,602 EVEN OFFERED TO HELP HIM OUT WITH HIS KIDS. 614 00:31:43,603 --> 00:31:47,339 ME AND MY BABY MAMA SPLIT UP, OKAY? 615 00:31:47,340 --> 00:31:51,310 SHE LOVES KIDS, WHATEVER, AND SHE-- SHE ALWAYS TOLD ME, YOU 616 00:31:51,311 --> 00:31:53,445 KNOW, "IF YOU'RE EVER IN A PINCH, HEY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T 617 00:31:53,446 --> 00:31:54,480 HAVE A PROBLEM WATCHING YOUR KIDS." 618 00:31:54,481 --> 00:31:57,816 AND THEN THE SNAPCHATTING, DID THAT KIND OF COINCIDE WITH 619 00:31:57,817 --> 00:32:06,091 WATCHING THE KIDS, OR HOW DID THAT-- 620 00:32:06,092 --> 00:32:07,292 YEAH, THAT'S-- THAT'S WHERE-- THAT'S WHERE THAT 621 00:32:07,293 --> 00:32:08,794 PICKED UP. YOU'RE A HELPLESS SINGLE DAD 622 00:32:08,795 --> 00:32:10,062 THAT NEEDS HELP EVERY NOW AND THEN? 623 00:32:10,063 --> 00:32:11,296 THAT'S PRETTY WELL KIND OF THE WAY-- YEAH. 624 00:32:11,297 --> 00:32:12,598 Reporter: HUSTON SAID HE WAS HOME ASLEEP WHEN THE MURDER 625 00:32:12,599 --> 00:32:14,933 HAPPENED. WHAT TIME DO YOU THINK YOU 626 00:32:14,934 --> 00:32:21,106 WENT TO BED? OH, PROBABLY 11:00, 11:30. 627 00:32:21,107 --> 00:32:22,808 SO, AFTER 11:00. YEAH, PROB-- YEAH, I'D SAY 628 00:32:22,809 --> 00:32:24,943 10:30, 11:00. Reporter: DID THE 629 00:32:24,944 --> 00:32:26,612 INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE HIM? YEAH. 630 00:32:26,613 --> 00:32:30,082 I MEAN, WE WOULD FOLLOW UP WITH HIS ALIBI TO SEE. 631 00:32:30,083 --> 00:32:35,254 SO, IT'S A LONG PROCESS FOR US. 632 00:32:35,255 --> 00:32:36,555 WE HAVE SEVERAL RUMORS THAT WE GOTTA TRACK DOWN RIGHT NOW, SO 633 00:32:36,556 --> 00:32:39,091 YOU'RE JUST ONE OF 'EM. I GET THAT. 634 00:32:39,092 --> 00:32:42,161 SO, DON'T FEEL TOO SPECIAL. Reporter: THE INTERVIEW ENDED 635 00:32:42,162 --> 00:32:45,431 WITH INVESTIGATORS CONCLUDING THIS LEAD WAS LIKELY A DEAD END. 636 00:32:45,432 --> 00:32:50,869 JUST ANOTHER RED HERRING? MM-HMM, MM-HMM. 637 00:32:50,870 --> 00:32:53,639 I THINK THEY KIND OF EXPLAINED IT AS JUST A FRIENDSHIP THAT 638 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:57,943 MAYBE SOMEBODY HAD MISINTERPRETED AS BEING-- BEING 639 00:32:57,944 --> 00:32:59,478 A RELATIONSHIP. Reporter: BUT THE IDEA THAT 640 00:32:59,479 --> 00:33:01,280 SOME KIND OF LOVE TRIANGLE MIGHT BE AT THE CENTER OF THE MURDER 641 00:33:01,281 --> 00:33:04,249 WAS JUICY GOSSIP FOR A SMALL TOWN. 642 00:33:04,250 --> 00:33:08,620 ASHTON WAS QUICK TO DISMISS IT AS AN ABSURD RUMOR. 643 00:33:08,621 --> 00:33:13,058 IT WAS ALMOST LAUGHABLE. YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY GOOD 644 00:33:13,059 --> 00:33:14,360 FRIENDS' HUSBAND WAS JUST MURDERED, AND THE RUMOR MILL IS 645 00:33:14,361 --> 00:33:16,895 JUST FLYING NOW. THERE WAS A 20-YEAR AGE GAP. 646 00:33:16,896 --> 00:33:19,498 Reporter: INVESTIGATORS ASKED YOU ABOUT HUSTON? 647 00:33:19,499 --> 00:33:22,601 YES. THEY ASKED IF WE THOUGHT MAYBE 648 00:33:22,602 --> 00:33:26,271 HE WAS INVOLVED, AND I DIDN'T THINK SO. 649 00:33:26,272 --> 00:33:27,773 I DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS HIS WAY OF DOING THINGS, JUST NOT HIS 650 00:33:27,774 --> 00:33:30,075 WAY OF-- Reporter: HE'S MORE INTO 651 00:33:30,076 --> 00:33:32,878 COUGARS THAN KILLING. YEAH. 652 00:33:32,879 --> 00:33:34,646 I THINK, YEAH, I DON'T-- I THINK HE'S MORE OF A LOVER THAN 653 00:33:34,647 --> 00:33:36,849 A FIGHTER, SO. Reporter: MONTHS PASSED. 654 00:33:36,850 --> 00:33:39,685 THE FALL HARVEST ARRIVED AND STILL NO ARREST. 655 00:33:39,686 --> 00:33:44,189 YEAH, IT WAS VERY FRUSTRATING. 656 00:33:44,190 --> 00:33:46,458 AND WE WERE IN TOUCH WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT WEEKLY, AND WE KNEW 657 00:33:46,459 --> 00:33:50,396 THEY WERE WORKING ON THINGS, BUT IT'S JUST EVERYTHING TAKES TIME 658 00:33:50,397 --> 00:33:56,335 AND WE JUST HAD TO BE PATIENT. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AS IT BECAME 659 00:33:56,336 --> 00:33:57,670 A COLD CASE, THEN IT WAS LIKE, OH, YOU KNOW. 660 00:33:57,671 --> 00:33:58,804 Reporter: DID THEY ACTUALLY CALL IT A COLD CASE? 661 00:33:58,805 --> 00:34:00,339 YES. YES. 662 00:34:00,340 --> 00:34:01,373 Reporter: THE LAW ENFORCEMENT? 663 00:34:01,374 --> 00:34:02,241 YEAH, ABOUT SIX, SEVEN MONTHS IN. 664 00:34:02,242 --> 00:34:03,642 Reporter: THAT SEEMS SO QUICK. 665 00:34:03,643 --> 00:34:05,778 IT'S ONLY BEEN SEVEN MONTHS, LIKE-- 666 00:34:05,779 --> 00:34:07,613 Reporter: RIGHT. YEAH. 667 00:34:07,614 --> 00:34:10,249 IT HASN'T EVEN BEEN A YEAR. Reporter: THE TRAIL TO RYAN'S 668 00:34:10,250 --> 00:34:13,152 KILLER HAD GONE COLD, BUT IT WAS BY NO MEANS FROZEN. 669 00:34:13,153 --> 00:34:16,055 THE TRUTH ABOUT SOMEONE IN HIS INNER CIRCLE COULD BE THE KEY TO 670 00:34:16,056 --> 00:34:18,190 IT ALL. ENTER KAREN. 671 00:34:18,191 --> 00:34:20,459 SOMETIMES KAREN COULD DRIFT INTO BAD KAREN? 672 00:34:20,460 --> 00:34:21,961 UH, YEAH, WHEN SHE HAD WAY 673 00:34:23,430 --> 00:34:24,063 UH, YEAH, WHEN SHE HAD WAY 674 00:34:24,064 --> 00:34:41,080 TOO MUCH TO DRINK. Reporter: IN THE MONTHS AFTER 675 00:34:41,081 --> 00:34:42,514 RYAN COOPER'S MURDER, ASHTON WILSON SAW HER FRIEND 676 00:34:42,515 --> 00:34:46,085 KARINA DOING HER BEST TO RAISE HER THREE CHILDREN WITHOUT HIM. 677 00:34:46,086 --> 00:34:48,520 IT WASN'T EASY. SHE GAVE UP CUTTING HAIR AND 678 00:34:48,521 --> 00:34:51,190 MOVED WITH THE KIDS INTO A DIFFERENT HOUSE ON THE COOPER 679 00:34:51,191 --> 00:34:54,193 FARM. AND KARINA'S JUST FEELING 680 00:34:54,194 --> 00:34:56,328 LONELIER AS THE TIME GOES ON? IS THAT HOW YOU SAW IT? 681 00:34:56,329 --> 00:35:02,901 YEAH. I-- YOU KNOW, I THINK SO. 682 00:35:02,902 --> 00:35:04,503 I THINK, YOU KNOW, NOT AS MANY PEOPLE WERE REACHING OUT OR 683 00:35:04,504 --> 00:35:05,637 CHECKING ON HER. SHE WAS JUST FEELING, YOU KNOW, 684 00:35:05,638 --> 00:35:08,207 LONELY. Reporter: TRUTH WAS, WHILE 685 00:35:08,208 --> 00:35:11,043 ASHTON HAD REMAINED CLOSE WITH KARINA, OTHER FRIENDS, LIKE 686 00:35:11,044 --> 00:35:13,045 KIRSTIE AND CARMEN, HAD DRIFTED AWAY. 687 00:35:13,046 --> 00:35:16,682 WE DID SOMETHING TOGETHER AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK AND-- 688 00:35:16,683 --> 00:35:18,617 Reporter: MM-HM. >>-- WE'D TALK ALMOST EVERY DAY 689 00:35:18,618 --> 00:35:24,390 UNTIL OUR RELATIONSHIP REALLY KINDA WENT SOUTH. 690 00:35:24,391 --> 00:35:26,058 Reporter: THE BREAKDOWN STARTED BEFORE THE MURDER, 691 00:35:26,059 --> 00:35:29,161 BECAUSE BEING A REAL HOUSEWIFE OF TAMA COUNTY, ALONGSIDE 692 00:35:29,162 --> 00:35:31,063 KARINA, MEANT REAL DRAMA SOMETIMES FOLLOWED. 693 00:35:31,064 --> 00:35:33,499 KARINA HAD A NICKNAME WHEN SHE WAS DRINKING? 694 00:35:33,500 --> 00:35:35,768 YEP, WE CALLED HER KAREN. Reporter: KAREN? 695 00:35:35,769 --> 00:35:37,436 YEAH, KAREN. BUT IT WAS KAREN BEFORE THERE 696 00:35:37,437 --> 00:35:38,771 WAS ALL THE KARENS OF THE WORLD. Reporter: RIGHT. 697 00:35:38,772 --> 00:35:40,906 YEAH. SO WE SHOULD HAVE COPYRIGHTED 698 00:35:40,907 --> 00:35:47,446 THAT ACTUALLY. IT STARTED OFF AS A VERY FUN, 699 00:35:47,447 --> 00:35:51,383 JUST GENERAL NICKNAME FOR HER. Reporter: TURNS OUT KARINA'S 700 00:35:51,384 --> 00:35:52,751 ALTER EGO WASN'T ALWAYS SO FUNNY. 701 00:35:52,752 --> 00:35:58,090 SOMETIMES KAREN COULD DRIFT INTO BAD KAREN? 702 00:35:58,091 --> 00:36:01,160 UH, YEAH, WHEN SHE HAD WAY TOO MUCH TO DRINK, AND SHE WOULD 703 00:36:01,161 --> 00:36:03,696 USE THAT AS THE EXCUSE. Reporter: KIRSTIE REMEMBERS 704 00:36:03,697 --> 00:36:08,500 ONE PARTICULAR INCIDENT AFTER A GOLF TOURNAMENT. 705 00:36:08,501 --> 00:36:10,869 THERE WAS MANY DRINKS TO BE HAD, AND, UH, SHE JUST KIND OF 706 00:36:10,870 --> 00:36:13,839 TURNED VILE. SHE WOULD GO OUTSIDE THE 707 00:36:13,840 --> 00:36:16,375 CLUBHOUSE AND SCREAM, LIKE PEOPLE COULD HEAR HER FROM 708 00:36:16,376 --> 00:36:22,614 EVERYWHERE. Reporter: WHAT IS EVERYONE 709 00:36:22,615 --> 00:36:24,149 THINKING WHEN THIS IS HAPPENING? EVERYBODY THOUGHT, WHAT IS 710 00:36:24,150 --> 00:36:25,417 GOING ON, LIKE-- 711 00:36:25,418 --> 00:36:26,885 WE WERE LIKE, "RYAN, DO YOU THINK IT'S TIME TO TAKE HER 712 00:36:26,886 --> 00:36:29,188 HOME?" HE'S LIKE, "SHE AIN'T GONNA 713 00:36:29,189 --> 00:36:32,391 LISTEN TO ME." Reporter: JAMIE AND CARMEN 714 00:36:32,392 --> 00:36:36,061 SAY THOSE DRUNKEN OUTBURSTS WERE OFTEN DIRECTED AT RYAN. 715 00:36:36,062 --> 00:36:39,398 IT COULD BE JUST THE SMALLEST THING THAT WOULD-- 716 00:36:39,399 --> 00:36:46,805 YEAH. >>-- JUST SET HER OFF. 717 00:36:46,806 --> 00:36:50,376 LIKE, "WHY'D YOU WEAR THOSE BOOTS? 718 00:36:50,377 --> 00:36:51,877 WHY DON'T YOU WEAR THESE OTHER BOOTS TONIGHT," OR SO, I MEAN, 719 00:36:51,878 --> 00:36:53,846 JUST, UH, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. Reporter: MMM. 720 00:36:53,847 --> 00:36:55,547 HOW DID RYAN TAKE IT? UH, HE JUST KINDA WATER ON A 721 00:36:55,548 --> 00:36:57,082 DUCK'S BACK. Reporter: THE FRIENDS HADN'T 722 00:36:57,083 --> 00:36:59,251 TOLD POLICE ABOUT KARINA'S BELLIGERENT SIDE, BUT 723 00:36:59,252 --> 00:37:04,289 INVESTIGATORS HAD THEIR OWN CONCERNS ABOUT HER BEHAVIOR. 724 00:37:04,290 --> 00:37:05,591 DESPITE THAT COLD CASE DESIGNATION, DETECTIVES WERE 725 00:37:05,592 --> 00:37:06,925 STILL FOLLOWING UP ON LEADS. AND THEY COULDN'T SHAKE THE IDEA 726 00:37:06,926 --> 00:37:08,527 THAT SOME OF THE THINGS KARINA DID SEEMED OFF, STARTING THE 727 00:37:08,528 --> 00:37:09,795 MORNING OF THE MURDER. KARINA, INSTEAD OF CALLING 728 00:37:09,796 --> 00:37:11,764 9-1-1, CALLS AARON, HER BROTHER-IN-LAW. 729 00:37:11,765 --> 00:37:16,068 YEAH. THAT-- THAT, TO ME, SEEMS VERY 730 00:37:16,069 --> 00:37:17,703 ODD IN-- IN THIS CASE. YOU CALL 9-1-1 IF SOMEONE IS 731 00:37:17,704 --> 00:37:22,775 HURT. IF YOU NEED THE POLICE, YOU NEED 732 00:37:22,776 --> 00:37:24,743 THE AMBULANCE, YOU NEED THE FIRE, YOU-- YOU CALL 9-1-1. 733 00:37:24,744 --> 00:37:27,746 Reporter: ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY, GENEVA WILLIAMS, SAYS 734 00:37:27,747 --> 00:37:29,481 INVESTIGATORS WERE ALSO SCRUTINIZING HOW KARINA ACTED 735 00:37:29,482 --> 00:37:35,220 WHEN THE FIRST RESPONDERS DID ARRIVE. 736 00:37:35,221 --> 00:37:39,792 IT SEEMED VERY UNUSUAL FOR HER TO BE SITTING ON HIS BODY, 737 00:37:39,793 --> 00:37:44,329 NOT TRYING TO RENDER ANY KIND OF AID, NOT ALLOWING OTHERS TO COME 738 00:37:44,330 --> 00:37:50,302 AND RENDER ANY AID. EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT PEOPLE 739 00:37:50,303 --> 00:37:53,138 HAVE DIFFERENT TRAUMA RESPONSES, BUT IT JUST SEEMED OVERBOARD. 740 00:37:53,139 --> 00:37:55,307 Reporter: SHE ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS ODD THAT KARINA WASN'T MORE 741 00:37:55,308 --> 00:38:02,047 ATTENTIVE TO HER CHILDREN IN THAT MOMENT. 742 00:38:02,048 --> 00:38:06,385 I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FROM THE VANTAGE POINT OF A MOTHER, AND I 743 00:38:06,386 --> 00:38:12,358 JUST COULD NOT UNDERSTAND, AND I COULD NOT WRAP MY MIND AROUND 744 00:38:12,359 --> 00:38:17,763 WHY SHE WASN'T INITIALLY RUNNING TO PROTECT HER CHILDREN, AND SHE 745 00:38:17,764 --> 00:38:22,501 SEEMED TO BE TOO WRAPPED UP IN HER OWN EMOTIONAL DISPLAY. 746 00:38:22,502 --> 00:38:25,137 Reporter: AND THERE WERE THINGS ABOUT KARINA'S STORY THAT 747 00:38:25,138 --> 00:38:28,073 DIDN'T ADD UP. LIKE WHEN SHE TOLD ONE OF THE 748 00:38:28,074 --> 00:38:31,377 DEPUTIES SHE TRIED TO GET A GUN TO PROTECT HERSELF BUT COULDN'T 749 00:38:31,378 --> 00:38:35,080 OPEN HER SAFE. I COULDN'T GET MY 750 00:38:35,081 --> 00:38:37,783 GUN OUT OF THE SAFE. YOU COULDN'T GET YOUR GUN OUT 751 00:38:37,784 --> 00:38:40,452 OF THE SAFE? Reporter: BECAUSE WHEN THE 752 00:38:40,453 --> 00:38:42,354 DEPUTY TRIED TO DO IT HIMSELF-- HE WAS ABLE TO OPEN UP THE 753 00:38:42,355 --> 00:38:44,056 SAFE, WHICH THEN HE GOES, "WELL, THIS IS REALLY WEIRD. 754 00:38:44,057 --> 00:38:46,892 SHE SAID SHE COULDN'T GET HER SAFE OPEN, BUT I JUST WALKED 755 00:38:46,893 --> 00:38:52,765 OVER AND OPENED IT." Reporter: DETECTIVE KILLIAN 756 00:38:52,766 --> 00:38:54,667 ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE THAT KARINA'S 100-POUND ROTTWEILER, 757 00:38:54,668 --> 00:38:58,537 RANSOM, HAD SOMEHOW SLEPT THROUGH THE ATTACK. 758 00:38:58,538 --> 00:39:01,106 EVEN KARINA TOLD US THAT THE DOG PATROLS THE HOUSE AT NIGHT, 759 00:39:01,107 --> 00:39:03,275 AND GOES AND CHECKS ON THE KIDS IN THEIR BEDROOMS AND MAKES SURE 760 00:39:03,276 --> 00:39:06,178 THAT EVERYBODY IS SAFE. Reporter: BUT THE DOG WAS 761 00:39:06,179 --> 00:39:08,313 ASLEEP AT THE FOOT OF THE BED DURING-- 762 00:39:08,314 --> 00:39:13,018 IT WAS IN HER BEDROOM AT THE FOOT OF THE BED. 763 00:39:13,019 --> 00:39:16,321 NEVER GOT UP, NEVER WOKE UP. Reporter: BUT FOR ALL THE 764 00:39:16,322 --> 00:39:19,391 THINGS ABOUT THAT FIRST DAY THAT RAISED RED FLAGS, IT WAS WHAT 765 00:39:19,392 --> 00:39:22,561 KARINA DIDN'T DO IN THE MONTHS THAT FOLLOWED THAT REALLY STRUCK 766 00:39:22,562 --> 00:39:26,031 DETECTIVE KILLIAN. SO KARINA COOPER NEVER 767 00:39:26,032 --> 00:39:28,634 CONTACTED US AND ASKED WHERE THE INVESTIGATION STOOD. 768 00:39:28,635 --> 00:39:31,170 Reporter: THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD THINK 769 00:39:31,171 --> 00:39:32,705 SOMEONE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN. YOU KNOW, WHO'S TAKEN YOUR 770 00:39:32,706 --> 00:39:35,207 HUSBAND? YEAH. 771 00:39:35,208 --> 00:39:38,143 YOU WOULD THINK THAT SHE WOULD WANNA KNOW, LIKE SHE WOULD BE 772 00:39:38,144 --> 00:39:42,114 DEMANDING, LIKE, "WHY IS THIS TAKING SO LONG?" 773 00:39:42,115 --> 00:39:45,317 AND SHE NEVER CONTACTED US. Reporter: KARINA DIDN'T CALL 774 00:39:45,318 --> 00:39:47,753 THEM, AND INVESTIGATORS HAD NOT TALKED TO HER SINCE ABOUT A 775 00:39:47,754 --> 00:39:49,955 MONTH AFTER THE MURDER. HER BROTHER KURT SAID SHE HAD 776 00:39:49,956 --> 00:39:54,059 GOOD REASON TO KEEP HER DISTANCE. 777 00:39:54,060 --> 00:39:57,129 KARINA WOULD GET UPSET WHEN SHE WAS ASKED QUESTIONS. 778 00:39:57,130 --> 00:40:00,132 SHE FELT LIKE SHE WAS BEING ACCUSED. 779 00:40:00,133 --> 00:40:03,068 SHE FELT LIKE THEY THOUGHT SHE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT. 780 00:40:03,069 --> 00:40:06,372 Reporter: INVESTIGATORS CERTAINLY HAD THEIR SUSPICIONS. 781 00:40:06,373 --> 00:40:12,444 AND THE PEOPLE OF TRAER, IOWA, HAD SOME AS WELL. 782 00:40:12,445 --> 00:40:13,879 THAT'S A HOT POTATO RIGHT THERE, THAT YOU NOW HAVE IN THE PALM OF 783 00:40:13,880 --> 00:40:22,354 YOUR HAND. I SAT ON THAT FOR QUITE SOME 784 00:40:22,355 --> 00:40:23,756 TIME. ONE OF THE DCI AGENTS SLIDES 785 00:40:23,757 --> 00:40:26,692 THE SNAPCHAT CONVERSATION FORWARD UP ON THE DASH, AND 786 00:40:26,693 --> 00:40:29,161 THERE'S JUST THIS PAUSE. Reporter: THERE WAS ANOTHER 787 00:40:29,162 --> 00:40:31,497 TWIST IN ALL OF THIS THAT YOU DID NOT SEE COMING. 788 00:40:31,498 --> 00:40:33,932 RIGHT. WE THOUGHT THAT THE BOOK WAS 789 00:40:33,933 --> 00:40:35,300 CLOSED. Reporter: AND THEN-- 790 00:40:35,301 --> 00:40:38,270 THEY UNCOVERED ANOTHER 791 00:40:38,271 --> 00:40:38,471 CHAPTER. 792 00:40:39,706 --> 00:40:40,239 THEY UNCOVERED ANOTHER 793 00:40:40,240 --> 00:40:56,722 CHAPTER. Reporter: RYAN COOPER'S 794 00:40:56,723 --> 00:40:58,357 FAMILY WAS NOT SURPRISED TO LEARN INVESTIGATORS SUSPECTED 795 00:40:58,358 --> 00:41:01,260 KARINA WAS INVOLVED IN HIS MURDER. 796 00:41:01,261 --> 00:41:03,829 THEY WONDERED IT THEMSELVES. SISTER MICHELLE AGREED THAT 797 00:41:03,830 --> 00:41:06,498 SOMETHING ABOUT KARINA'S REACTIONS SEEMED OFF FROM THE 798 00:41:06,499 --> 00:41:08,834 START. YOU DON'T KNOW HOW ANYONE IS 799 00:41:08,835 --> 00:41:12,538 GONNA RESPOND IN THOSE KINDS OF SITUATIONS, BUT JUST SOMETHING 800 00:41:12,539 --> 00:41:16,675 DIDN'T SEEM TO MESH WITH THE EVENTS OF THE DAY. 801 00:41:16,676 --> 00:41:20,913 DO YOU WANT TO STAND UP? YEAH. 802 00:41:20,914 --> 00:41:26,685 I NEED AIR. LIKE, SHE WAS VERY BROKEN UP 803 00:41:26,686 --> 00:41:30,289 AND VERY, UM, EMOTIONAL, BUT JUST NOT AS GENUINE AS YOU WOULD 804 00:41:30,290 --> 00:41:31,957 THINK. Reporter: YOU FELT LIKE SHE 805 00:41:31,958 --> 00:41:35,227 WAS ACTING MAYBE? MAYBE A LITTLE. 806 00:41:35,228 --> 00:41:38,697 Reporter: AND AS TIME WENT ON, THEY COULD SEE SHE WASN'T 807 00:41:38,698 --> 00:41:41,100 HOUNDING POLICE FOR ANSWERS. LIKE, SHE NEVER HAD CONTACT 808 00:41:41,101 --> 00:41:46,271 WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGAIN. Reporter: SHE DID TALK TO 809 00:41:46,272 --> 00:41:49,508 AARON ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION. ONE MORNING SHE CALLED, AND I 810 00:41:49,509 --> 00:41:52,811 THINK SHE SAW THEY HAD FOUND A SHELL CASING, AND SHE WANTED TO 811 00:41:52,812 --> 00:41:56,882 KNOW WHAT THAT MEANT, WHICH SEEMED ODD TO ME JUST 'CAUSE 812 00:41:56,883 --> 00:41:58,250 SHE-- I WOULD THINK SHE WOULD KNOW WHAT A SHELL CASING IS, 813 00:41:58,251 --> 00:42:00,619 BECAUSE WE'VE SHOT GUNS. Reporter: AARON THOUGHT SHE 814 00:42:00,620 --> 00:42:03,856 WAS PLAYING DUMB. WHILE NEITHER SIBLING WANTED TO 815 00:42:03,857 --> 00:42:07,593 BELIEVE KARINA WAS CAPABLE OF KILLING THEIR BROTHER, THEY WERE 816 00:42:07,594 --> 00:42:12,598 GROWING MORE AND MORE SUSPCIOUS. SHE'S NOT BEHAVING IN A WAY 817 00:42:12,599 --> 00:42:14,133 OF SOMEONE WHO'S INNOCENT AND WANTS THEIR HUSBAND'S MURDER TO 818 00:42:14,134 --> 00:42:17,236 BE FOUND. Reporter: BUT AUTHORITIES 819 00:42:17,237 --> 00:42:19,104 URGED THEM TO KEEP KARINA AND THE KIDS IN THEIR LIVES. 820 00:42:19,105 --> 00:42:22,741 SO THEY CELEBRATED HOLIDAYS TOGETHER AND INVITED THEM ON 821 00:42:22,742 --> 00:42:23,842 FAMILY VACATIONS. IF YOU THINK THAT THIS WOMAN 822 00:42:23,843 --> 00:42:25,210 KILLED YOUR BROTHER-- RIGHT, RIGHT. 823 00:42:25,211 --> 00:42:26,645 Reporter:-- AND THEN YOU HAVE TO BE NICE TO HER? 824 00:42:26,646 --> 00:42:28,113 I-- RIGHT. 825 00:42:28,114 --> 00:42:29,181 Reporter:-- DON'T EVEN KNOW. RIGHT. 826 00:42:29,182 --> 00:42:30,582 Reporter: IS THE STRATEGY JUST TO KEEP HER SORT OF, YOU 827 00:42:30,583 --> 00:42:33,919 KNOW, OFF HER GUARD? YEAH. 828 00:42:33,920 --> 00:42:37,756 SO IT WAS, DON'T SHUN HER OUT OF-- OUT OF THE FAMILY, AND 829 00:42:37,757 --> 00:42:39,525 MAYBE SOMETHING WILL COME-- COME ABOUT THAT, THAT SHE'LL LET 830 00:42:39,526 --> 00:42:42,795 HER GUARD DOWN AND LET SOMETHING SLIP. 831 00:42:42,796 --> 00:42:45,664 Reporter: SHE NEVER DID. MORE MONTHS PASSED. 832 00:42:45,665 --> 00:42:48,734 DETECTIVES KEPT WORKING AND COLLECTED DIGITIAL EVIDENCE 833 00:42:48,735 --> 00:42:52,104 USING AN INVESTIGATIVE TOOL CALLED GEOFENCING. 834 00:42:52,105 --> 00:42:54,840 THEY ANALYZED THE CELL PHONE AND GPS DATA FROM TRAFFIC AROUND THE 835 00:42:54,841 --> 00:42:58,744 COOPER FARMHOUSE IN THE HOURS BEFORE AND AFTER THE MURDER. 836 00:42:58,745 --> 00:43:04,316 IT'S AN IMAGINARY FENCE THAT WOULD GO OVER THE PROPERTY. 837 00:43:04,317 --> 00:43:07,886 WE WERE LOOKING FOR DEVICES TO-- DID ANYBODY COME THERE, 838 00:43:07,887 --> 00:43:12,491 AND DID ANYBODY LEAVE? Reporter: THE GEOFENCING DATA 839 00:43:12,492 --> 00:43:13,659 LED TO A MAJOR DISCOVERY, WHAT THEY DIDN'T SEE. 840 00:43:13,660 --> 00:43:15,661 SO WE HAD NO DEVICES OR ANYTHING COMING AND GOING FROM 841 00:43:15,662 --> 00:43:18,564 THE RESIDENCE. Reporter: WHAT WAS A 842 00:43:18,565 --> 00:43:21,700 POSSIBILITY BASED ON THAT? THAT POTENTIALLY KARINA HAD 843 00:43:21,701 --> 00:43:23,235 MURDERED HER HUSBAND. Reporter: THAT THE KILLER WAS 844 00:43:23,236 --> 00:43:25,237 INSIDE THE HOUSE. SHE WAS. 845 00:43:25,238 --> 00:43:29,875 Reporter: THAT WAS THE THEORY ANYWAY. 846 00:43:29,876 --> 00:43:31,944 THEY WERE EAGER TO CONFRONT KARINA WITH THIS NEW EVIDENCE, 847 00:43:31,945 --> 00:43:34,747 BUT IT HAD BEEN ALMOST TWO YEARS SINCE SHE LAST SPOKE WITH 848 00:43:34,748 --> 00:43:37,282 INVESTIGATORS, AND THEY WERE WORRIED SHE WOULDN'T AGREE TO A 849 00:43:37,283 --> 00:43:41,153 MEETING. THAT'S WHEN THE FAMILY KEEPING 850 00:43:41,154 --> 00:43:43,956 KARINA CLOSE PAID OFF. SHE'D ALWAYS TRUSTED RYAN'S 851 00:43:43,957 --> 00:43:46,158 BROTHER AARON, AND HE ASKED HER TO SIT DOWN WITH DETECTIVES 852 00:43:46,159 --> 00:43:49,762 AGAIN. I'M LIKE, ALL RIGHT, HERE'S 853 00:43:49,763 --> 00:43:51,263 YOUR TIME TO TALK TO 'EM AND SETTLE ANYTHING THAT THEY HAVE 854 00:43:51,264 --> 00:43:56,301 TO TALK ABOUT. Reporter: AND SHE SAID YES. 855 00:43:56,302 --> 00:43:58,270 AND SHE SAID YEAH. Reporter: IT WAS MAY 2023. 856 00:43:58,271 --> 00:44:01,540 A DCI SPECIAL AGENT MET KARINA AT THE FARM. 857 00:44:01,541 --> 00:44:04,877 THIS WILL BE AN INTERVIEW WITH KARINA COOPER. 858 00:44:04,878 --> 00:44:06,111 Reporter: HE ASKED HER TO TAKE HIM BACK TO THAT JUNE 859 00:44:06,112 --> 00:44:10,082 MORNING WHEN SHE FOUND HER HUSBAND RYAN SHOT IN HIS 860 00:44:10,083 --> 00:44:15,788 RECLINER. I GOT UP AND KIND OF-- JUST 861 00:44:15,789 --> 00:44:17,189 TO LOOK AND FIND THAT NOISE AND FIND RYAN, WHY-- WHY DIDN'T HE 862 00:44:17,190 --> 00:44:20,092 WAKE UP TO THAT? YEAH. 863 00:44:20,093 --> 00:44:22,761 WHEN I WENT IN THE LIVING ROOM, I SAID HIS NAME A COUPLE 864 00:44:22,762 --> 00:44:26,065 OF TIMES 'CAUSE IT LOOKED LIKE HE WAS SLEEPING. 865 00:44:26,066 --> 00:44:28,934 Reporter: SHE AGAIN DESCRIBED THE CHAOTIC SCENE WHEN AARON AND 866 00:44:28,935 --> 00:44:35,074 FIRST RESPONDERS ARRIVED AND FOUND HER WAILING ON RYAN'S LAP. 867 00:44:35,075 --> 00:44:36,809 AND I REMEMBER AARON OVER MY SHOULDER TOOK HIS PULSE, AND HE 868 00:44:36,810 --> 00:44:39,812 WAS ON THE PHONE WITH 9-1-1 'CAUSE I REMEMBER HIM 869 00:44:39,813 --> 00:44:41,847 SAYING, "NO, THERE'S NO PULSE" OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. 870 00:44:41,848 --> 00:44:45,451 I SCREAMED AND SCREAMED. I KNOW THAT. 871 00:44:45,452 --> 00:44:53,692 AND I'M EMBARRASSED THAT I DID EVERYTHING WRONG. 872 00:44:53,693 --> 00:44:54,960 I JUST REMEMBER SCREAMING. I THOUGHT SOMEBODY WAS HERE. 873 00:44:54,961 --> 00:44:56,495 Reporter: THE INVESTIGATOR DRILLED DOWN ON THE DETAILS FROM 874 00:44:56,496 --> 00:44:58,897 THAT MORNING. AND WAS RANSOM IN THE BED OR 875 00:44:58,898 --> 00:45:00,532 IS HE AT-- WHERE'S HE SLEEP AT? NO, AT-- HE WAS AT THE FOOT 876 00:45:00,533 --> 00:45:02,034 OF THE BED. 'CAUSE YOU SAID YOU ALMOST 877 00:45:02,035 --> 00:45:03,035 TRIPPED OVER HIM. I DID TRIP OVER HIM. 878 00:45:03,036 --> 00:45:05,504 YOU DID. Reporter: BUT KARINA GREW 879 00:45:05,505 --> 00:45:08,040 IMPATIENT WITH THE INTERVIEW. I NEED TO BE FINISHING UP 880 00:45:08,041 --> 00:45:10,042 SOON, SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO DO YET-- 881 00:45:10,043 --> 00:45:12,311 YEAH, YEAH. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. 882 00:45:12,312 --> 00:45:14,146 THANK YOU SO MUCH. Reporter: THE INVESTIGATOR 883 00:45:14,147 --> 00:45:18,217 HAD ONE MORE THING TO ASK HER ABOUT. 884 00:45:18,218 --> 00:45:20,953 SO, KARINA, AT-- I MEAN AT THIS POINT, UM, THE CASE FACTS 885 00:45:20,954 --> 00:45:22,354 SHOW US THAT-- THAT-- THAT NOBODY DID COME INTO THE HOUSE 886 00:45:22,355 --> 00:45:26,792 THAT NIGHT. SOMEBODY DID. 887 00:45:26,793 --> 00:45:30,062 SOMEBODY OBVIOUSLY CAME IN HERE. MY HUSBAND'S DEAD. 888 00:45:30,063 --> 00:45:34,566 HE IS, KARINA, AND WE--, WE BOTH KNOW AT THIS POINT WHY THAT 889 00:45:34,567 --> 00:45:36,168 IS. KARINA, WE KNOW THAT IT WASN'T 890 00:45:36,169 --> 00:45:38,537 SOMEONE COMING INSIDE THE HOUSE. YOU'RE LEAVING MY PROPERTY 891 00:45:38,538 --> 00:45:40,873 NOW. SOMEBODY CAME INTO MY HOUSE AND 892 00:45:40,874 --> 00:45:44,743 KILLED MY HUSBAND. GO FIGURE OUT WHO KILLED MY 893 00:45:44,744 --> 00:45:48,347 HUSBAND. YEAH, WELL, WE DID, WE DID. 894 00:45:48,348 --> 00:45:50,749 NO, YOU OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T. Reporter: KARINA STORMED 895 00:45:50,750 --> 00:45:53,085 OUTSIDE. THE INVESTIGATOR FOLLOWED. 896 00:45:53,086 --> 00:45:57,823 LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT. NO, GET OFF MY PROPERTY. 897 00:45:57,824 --> 00:45:59,291 YOU WANT TO TALK, YOU TALK TO MY LAWYER. 898 00:45:59,292 --> 00:46:00,893 WELL, I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOUR-- I JUST WANT TO TALK TO 899 00:46:00,894 --> 00:46:02,561 YOU 'CAUSE YOU'RE THE ONE THAT KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED TO RYAN THAT 900 00:46:02,562 --> 00:46:06,498 NIGHT. NO, I DON'T. 901 00:46:06,499 --> 00:46:10,436 IF I KNEW WHAT HAPPENED TO MY HUSBAND, I'D BE IN JAIL BECAUSE 902 00:46:10,437 --> 00:46:14,773 THE [ BLEEP ] WOULD BE DEAD. KARINA? 903 00:46:14,774 --> 00:46:17,576 GET OFF MY PROPERTY. I TALKED TO THE INVESTIGATOR 904 00:46:17,577 --> 00:46:22,381 RIGHT AFTER THAT. HE SAID IT DIDN'T END WELL, AND 905 00:46:22,382 --> 00:46:23,582 HE GOT KICKED OFF THEIR PROPERTY, AND SHE WAS NOT-- 906 00:46:23,583 --> 00:46:26,485 Reporter: OH. >>-- GOING TO TALK TO THEM 907 00:46:26,486 --> 00:46:28,320 AGAIN. Reporter: THE SITDOWN DIDN'T 908 00:46:28,321 --> 00:46:29,855 YIELD ANYTHING USEFUL, EXCEPT MAYBE A GLIMPSE AT KARINA'S 909 00:46:29,856 --> 00:46:33,092 FAMOUS TEMPER. DETECTIVE KILLIAN FELT THEY HAD 910 00:46:33,093 --> 00:46:36,862 A STRONG ENOUGH CASE AGAINST HER, BUT IT WAS UP TO THE IOWA 911 00:46:36,863 --> 00:46:39,365 ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE TO FILE CHARGES, AND HE SAYS THE 912 00:46:39,366 --> 00:46:42,601 ASSISTANT AG ASSIGNED TO THE CASE WASN'T RECEPTIVE. 913 00:46:42,602 --> 00:46:46,205 MORE MONTHS PASSED UNTIL A CHANCE ENCOUNTER WITH THE AG 914 00:46:46,206 --> 00:46:49,575 HERSELF ALLOWED THE DETECTIVE TO MAKE HIS CASE. 915 00:46:49,576 --> 00:46:53,512 I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH HER THAT I FEEL SHE'S GOT THIS BIG 916 00:46:53,513 --> 00:46:55,214 MOMENTUM OF REALLY PURSUING IOWA COLD CASES. 917 00:46:55,215 --> 00:46:59,218 Reporter: MM-HMM. THIS IS A COLD CASE. 918 00:46:59,219 --> 00:47:03,155 I FELT LIKE YOUR OFFICE MAYBE WASN'T GIVING THE ASSISTANCE 919 00:47:03,156 --> 00:47:05,591 THAT WE NEEDED, AND SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS NOT AWARE OF THAT. 920 00:47:05,592 --> 00:47:09,495 Reporter: SOON AFTER THAT MEETING, A NEW PROSECUTOR FROM 921 00:47:09,496 --> 00:47:11,497 THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE CASE. 922 00:47:11,498 --> 00:47:18,037 BUT IT WASN'T JUST A FRESH SET OF EYES THAT WOULD FINALLY BREAK 923 00:47:18,038 --> 00:47:19,405 IT OPEN. THERE WOULD ALSO BE A FRESH SET 924 00:47:19,406 --> 00:47:22,508 OF REVELATIONS. WE TOOK HIS PHONE AND LOOKED 925 00:47:22,509 --> 00:47:25,444 AT ALL THE MESSAGES, AND IT WAS JUST TONS OF MESSAGES OF, "I 926 00:47:25,445 --> 00:47:27,346 LOVE YOU." Reporter: OH, MY GOSH. 927 00:47:27,347 --> 00:47:29,915 SO IT WAS LIKE-- Reporter: THIS ON HIS PHONE? 928 00:47:29,916 --> 00:47:30,383 >>-- CLEARLY AN AFFAIR. 929 00:47:31,284 --> 00:47:31,917 Reporter: THIS ON HIS PHONE? 930 00:47:31,918 --> 00:47:48,133 >>-- CLEARLY AN AFFAIR. Reporter: IT WAS FALL 2023. 931 00:47:48,134 --> 00:47:50,602 A NEW PROSECUTOR WAS ASSIGNED TO REVIEW THE RYAN COOPER CASE, 932 00:47:50,603 --> 00:47:55,574 ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL MICHAEL RINGLE. 933 00:47:55,575 --> 00:47:57,076 IT'S ONE OF THOSE CASES WHERE I LOOK AT IT, AND WE'RE NOT AT A 934 00:47:57,077 --> 00:47:58,577 STANDSTILL, WE'RE NOT DEAD IN THE WATER, THERE'S THINGS THAT 935 00:47:58,578 --> 00:48:05,017 WE CAN DO. Reporter: RINGLE SPENT THREE 936 00:48:05,018 --> 00:48:06,585 THE LOCAL PROSECUTOR LOOKING AT THE CASE FROM EVERY ANGLE, 937 00:48:06,586 --> 00:48:08,153 REVIEWING WITNESS STATEMENTS AND ELIMINATING ALL OTHER 938 00:48:08,154 --> 00:48:10,356 POSSIBILITIES BEFORE COMING TO THE SAME CONCLUSION AS DETECTIVE 939 00:48:10,357 --> 00:48:13,359 KILLIAN. WE THOUGHT THERE WAS ENOUGH 940 00:48:13,360 --> 00:48:14,727 EVIDENCE TO PROCEED. MIKE COMES IN AND SAYS, "I 941 00:48:14,728 --> 00:48:18,330 THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH FOR THE ARREST." 942 00:48:18,331 --> 00:48:20,899 Reporter: ON FEBRUARY 16, 2024, DETECTIVE KILLIAN ROLLED 943 00:48:20,900 --> 00:48:22,901 ONTO THE COOPER FARM WITH A TEAM OF DEPUTIES. 944 00:48:22,902 --> 00:48:25,738 KARINA WALKED OUTSIDE TO GREET THEM. 945 00:48:25,739 --> 00:48:28,540 ALL RIGHT. WE GOT SOME PAPERWORK FOR YOU. 946 00:48:28,541 --> 00:48:30,542 DO YOU HAVE NEWS ABOUT RYAN? WELL, YOU'RE UNDER ARREST. 947 00:48:30,543 --> 00:48:32,111 WHAT? YEP. 948 00:48:32,112 --> 00:48:34,747 SO, WE'RE PLACING YOU UNDER ARREST. 949 00:48:34,748 --> 00:48:37,583 THERE'S GONNA BE SOME PEOPLE AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE THAT ARE 950 00:48:37,584 --> 00:48:39,084 GONNA BE TALKING TO YOU DOWN THERE. 951 00:48:39,085 --> 00:48:40,386 WHY AM I UNDER ARREST? IF YOU'LL LET ME, MY CHILDREN, 952 00:48:40,387 --> 00:48:44,490 YOU GUYS, MY CHILDREN. WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE? 953 00:48:44,491 --> 00:48:46,792 WHAT IS HAPPENING? SO, WE HAVE A COPY OF YOUR 954 00:48:46,793 --> 00:48:50,329 WARRANT FOR YOU. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. 955 00:48:50,330 --> 00:48:56,835 WHAT? THIS IS INSANE. 956 00:48:56,836 --> 00:49:07,413 MY KIDS ARE GONNA BE SO SCARED. HOW IS THIS HAPPENING? 957 00:49:07,414 --> 00:49:10,349 THIS IS INSANE. I GOT A CALL FROM 958 00:49:10,350 --> 00:49:12,818 TREVOR KILLIAN IN THE MORNING AND SAID, "WE JUST ARRESTED 959 00:49:12,819 --> 00:49:14,520 KARINA. CAN YOU COME OVER AND GET THE 960 00:49:14,521 --> 00:49:22,394 KIDS?" Reporter: WHAT'S THAT LIKE? 961 00:49:22,395 --> 00:49:23,896 MM, IT WAS A LOT OF EMOTION. SICK TO YOUR STOMACH TYPE OF 962 00:49:23,897 --> 00:49:25,531 FEELING. NOT A-- IT WASN'T A GOOD 963 00:49:25,532 --> 00:49:27,499 FEELING. Reporter: ASHTON GOT A 964 00:49:27,500 --> 00:49:29,768 FRANTIC PHONE CALL FROM ONE OF KARINA'S SONS. 965 00:49:29,769 --> 00:49:32,905 THE COPS ARE HERE ARRESTING MOM. 966 00:49:32,906 --> 00:49:35,107 AND SO MY-- Reporter: WHAT GOES THROUGH 967 00:49:35,108 --> 00:49:36,909 YOUR MIND WHEN YOU HEAR THAT? UNBELIEVABLE, YOU KNOW, WHAT 968 00:49:36,910 --> 00:49:40,479 IS HAPPENING? YEAH, I JUST DID NOT BELIEVE IT. 969 00:49:40,480 --> 00:49:42,848 THEY'RE OUT OF LEADS, AND THIS IS THEIR NEXT ONE. 970 00:49:42,849 --> 00:49:46,518 Reporter: ASHTON WAS SURE KARINA WAS INNOCENT. 971 00:49:46,519 --> 00:49:49,888 SO WAS KARINA'S BROTHER KURT WHO VISITED HER IN JAIL SOON AFTER 972 00:49:49,889 --> 00:49:53,492 THE ARREST. I DO REMEMBER SHE SAYING TO 973 00:49:53,493 --> 00:49:55,260 ME, "YOU DON'T BELIEVE ANY OF THIS, DO YOU?" 974 00:49:55,261 --> 00:49:58,397 AND I TOLD HER, "ABSOLUTELY NOT. NO, YOU DIDN'T DO IT. 975 00:49:58,398 --> 00:50:02,267 THEY'RE MISTAKEN." Reporter: HE FOUND HIS SISTER 976 00:50:02,268 --> 00:50:04,303 TWO DEFENSE ATTORNEYS, AARON HAWBAKER AND NICHOLE WATT. 977 00:50:04,304 --> 00:50:08,874 AND WHAT WERE YOUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS? 978 00:50:08,875 --> 00:50:11,276 MY FIRST IMPRESSION WAS THAT SHE WAS POSSIBLY A VICTIM HERE 979 00:50:11,277 --> 00:50:12,444 OF A WRONGFUL PROSECUTION. Reporter: WHY DID YOU THINK 980 00:50:12,445 --> 00:50:13,879 THAT? BECAUSE IT DIDN'T SOUND LIKE 981 00:50:13,880 --> 00:50:15,547 THERE WAS ANY EVIDENCE AGAINST HER AT ALL. 982 00:50:15,548 --> 00:50:17,049 Reporter: THEY'RE LOOKING AT KARINA-- 983 00:50:17,050 --> 00:50:19,251 MM-HMM. Reporter:-- AS THE-- THE 984 00:50:19,252 --> 00:50:23,455 SOLE KILLER IN THIS. RIGHT. 985 00:50:23,456 --> 00:50:25,257 Reporter: AND YET YOU HAVE THIS SHOE PRINT COMING OUT OF 986 00:50:25,258 --> 00:50:27,593 THE HOUSE. RIGHT. 987 00:50:27,594 --> 00:50:30,763 THE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE DID NOT LINE UP WITH HER BEING 988 00:50:30,764 --> 00:50:37,169 RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. Reporter: LIKE THE FACT THAT 989 00:50:37,170 --> 00:50:39,138 NO MURDER WEAPON HAD BEEN FOUND, AND ANOTHER GAPING HOLE, NO 990 00:50:39,139 --> 00:50:41,774 PROOF OF ANY MOTIVE. INVESTIGATORS WERE WORKING ON 991 00:50:41,775 --> 00:50:43,242 THAT. AND RIGHT AFTER THE ARREST, THEY 992 00:50:43,243 --> 00:50:46,745 REACHED OUT TO KARINA'S CLOSE CIRCLE OF GIRLFRIENDS, INCLUDING 993 00:50:46,746 --> 00:50:50,416 KIRSTIE. AND THEY CALLED AND SAID, "I 994 00:50:50,417 --> 00:50:52,785 DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, BUT KARINA IS BEING ARRESTED, AND WE 995 00:50:52,786 --> 00:50:55,487 WOULD LIKE YOU TO COME DOWN AND FOR US TO TALK TO YOU." 996 00:50:55,488 --> 00:50:57,589 Reporter: I MEAN, YOU MUST HAVE BEEN SHAKING. 997 00:50:57,590 --> 00:51:00,359 I STILL AM. Reporter: LIKE, YOU'RE 998 00:51:00,360 --> 00:51:01,827 SHAKING NOW. I MEAN, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE-- 999 00:51:01,828 --> 00:51:03,228 I KNOW, I'M LIKE-- Reporter:-- IN THE MOMENT. 1000 00:51:03,229 --> 00:51:09,134 YEAH. Reporter: WHAT ARE THEY 1001 00:51:09,135 --> 00:51:10,269 HOPING THAT YOU CAN OFFER? I THINK JUST WHAT KIND OF 1002 00:51:10,270 --> 00:51:11,637 PERSON SHE WAS, IF THERE WAS ANYTHING GOING ON. 1003 00:51:11,638 --> 00:51:13,138 Reporter: IT WAS THE FIRST TIME KIRSTIE SPOKE WITH 1004 00:51:13,139 --> 00:51:16,408 INVESTIGATORS. THEY HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT 1005 00:51:16,409 --> 00:51:18,744 HUSTON DANKER, THE YOUNG WOMANIZER WHO JOKINGLY CALLED 1006 00:51:18,745 --> 00:51:22,114 HIMSELF KARINA'S GAY BEST FRIEND. 1007 00:51:22,115 --> 00:51:24,717 RUMORS OF AN AFFAIR BETWEEN THE TWO HAD NOT DIED DOWN, AND 1008 00:51:24,718 --> 00:51:28,721 DETECTIVES WANTED TO SEE WHAT KIRSTIE KNEW. 1009 00:51:28,722 --> 00:51:32,358 TURNED OUT A LOT. I HAD HEARD SOME THINGS THAT 1010 00:51:32,359 --> 00:51:35,961 REALLY STARTED TO KIND OF CONCERN ME. 1011 00:51:35,962 --> 00:51:38,197 Reporter: IT WAS SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE THE MURDER. 1012 00:51:38,198 --> 00:51:41,967 KIRSTIE WAS HANGING OUT WITH SOME OTHER MOMS. 1013 00:51:41,968 --> 00:51:44,169 ANOTHER FRIEND CAME AND SAID THAT SHE WAS WITH HUSTON DANKER 1014 00:51:44,170 --> 00:51:48,240 ALL DAY. THERE WAS JUST LIKE HUNDREDS OF 1015 00:51:48,241 --> 00:51:49,408 MESSAGES COMING THROUGH BETWEEN HIM AND KARINA. 1016 00:51:49,409 --> 00:51:52,244 Reporter: WHAT KIND OF MESSAGES? 1017 00:51:52,245 --> 00:51:57,016 AND THAT'S WHERE WE WERE LIKE, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? 1018 00:51:57,017 --> 00:51:59,118 HE WAS ONLY A COUPLE YEARS OLDER THAN MY SON. 1019 00:51:59,119 --> 00:52:03,889 Reporter: THEN HUSTON HIMSELF SHOWED UP AT THE HOUSE. 1020 00:52:03,890 --> 00:52:06,058 US GIRLS ARE VERY INQUISITIVE, SO WE TOOK HIS 1021 00:52:06,059 --> 00:52:07,626 PHONE. Reporter: THE REAL HOUSEWIVES 1022 00:52:07,627 --> 00:52:12,564 OF TAMA COUNTY. YEAH. 1023 00:52:12,565 --> 00:52:16,935 UM, WE TOOK HIS PHONE AND LOOKED AT ALL THE MESSAGES, AND IT WAS 1024 00:52:16,936 --> 00:52:20,372 JUST TONS OF MESSAGES OF, "I LOVE YOU." 1025 00:52:20,373 --> 00:52:24,243 Reporter: OH, MY GOSH. AND MESSAGES OF-- 1026 00:52:24,244 --> 00:52:25,611 SO, IT WAS LIKE-- Reporter: THIS ON HIS PHONE? 1027 00:52:25,612 --> 00:52:28,380 >>-- CLEARLY AN AFFAIR. Reporter: I MEAN, HERE SHE 1028 00:52:28,381 --> 00:52:30,783 IS, SHE HAS THIS GREAT HUSBAND, CHILDREN, BUSINESS FARM, FRIENDS 1029 00:52:30,784 --> 00:52:34,620 AND THEN NOW SHE'S WITH THIS GUY HALF HER AGE. 1030 00:52:34,621 --> 00:52:36,422 YEAH, I JUST COULDN'T EVEN WRAP MY HEAD AROUND AND 1031 00:52:36,423 --> 00:52:39,792 UNDERSTAND THAT. Reporter: I MEAN, THAT'S-- 1032 00:52:39,793 --> 00:52:42,961 THAT'S A HOT POTATO RIGHT THERE THAT YOU'RE-- THAT YOU NOW HAVE 1033 00:52:42,962 --> 00:52:50,102 IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND. I SAT ON THAT FOR QUITE SOME 1034 00:52:50,103 --> 00:52:53,272 TIME, AND I REGRET THAT PROBABLY TO THIS DAY. 1035 00:52:53,273 --> 00:52:57,509 Reporter: BUT NOW SHE TOLD INVESTIGATORS EVERYTHING. 1036 00:52:57,510 --> 00:53:00,879 DID THAT FEEL AT ALL CATHARTIC TO YOU THAT YOU'D HELD THIS IN 1037 00:53:00,880 --> 00:53:05,584 FOR SO LONG, AND THEN NOW IT'S FINALLY OUT IN THE OPEN? 1038 00:53:05,585 --> 00:53:12,491 YES AND NO. LIKE, I WANNA HELP BRING JUSTICE 1039 00:53:12,492 --> 00:53:14,693 TO RYAN, BUT ALSO THERE'S THOSE YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP. 1040 00:53:14,694 --> 00:53:16,395 Reporter: DID YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WERE IN A WAY BETRAYING 1041 00:53:16,396 --> 00:53:20,432 KARINA? YEAH. 1042 00:53:20,433 --> 00:53:23,369 Reporter: BUT KIRSTIE'S STORY WASN'T HARD EVIDENCE. 1043 00:53:23,370 --> 00:53:26,271 THE MESSAGES SHE SAW WERE ON SNAPCHAT AND LONG GONE. 1044 00:53:26,272 --> 00:53:29,208 THAT'S BECAUSE SNAPCHAT IS DESIGNED TO DELETE MOST 1045 00:53:29,209 --> 00:53:32,411 COMMUNICATIONS 24 HOURS AFTER THEY'RE SEEN. 1046 00:53:32,412 --> 00:53:34,813 AUTHORITIES HAD BEEN IN POSSESSION OF KARINA'S PHONE 1047 00:53:34,814 --> 00:53:37,316 SINCE THE DAY OF THE MURDER AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF AN AFFAIR 1048 00:53:37,317 --> 00:53:41,220 WITH HUSTON. NOW THE NEW PROSECUTOR WANTED A 1049 00:53:41,221 --> 00:53:42,788 SECOND LOOK. DID YOU SORT OF FEEL LIKE IT WAS 1050 00:53:42,789 --> 00:53:46,992 A BIT OF A HAIL MARY SINCE IT HAD ALREADY BEEN LOOKED AT? 1051 00:53:46,993 --> 00:53:48,627 TO SOME DEGREE, YES. Reporter: HE REACHED OUT TO A 1052 00:53:48,628 --> 00:53:51,330 FORENSIC INVESTIGATOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA AND ASKED HER 1053 00:53:51,331 --> 00:53:55,567 TO TRY TO EXTRACT ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE FROM THE PHONE. 1054 00:53:55,568 --> 00:53:57,236 SHE HIT PAY DIRT. TURNS OUT DELETED SNAPCHATS 1055 00:53:57,237 --> 00:54:00,673 SOMETIMES DON'T COMPLETELY DISAPPEAR. 1056 00:54:00,674 --> 00:54:04,810 THE EXPERT WAS ABLE TO RECOVER A TROVE OF MESSAGES BETWEEN KARINA 1057 00:54:04,811 --> 00:54:07,846 AND HUSTON DANKER. WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU READING ON 1058 00:54:07,847 --> 00:54:12,051 THESE MESSAGES? THE SNAPCHAT MESSAGES MADE 1059 00:54:12,052 --> 00:54:14,420 CLEAR THAT KARINA COOPER AND HUSTON DANKER WERE ENGAGED IN 1060 00:54:14,421 --> 00:54:17,790 SOME SORT OF AN AFFAIR. Reporter: THE GAY BEST FRIEND 1061 00:54:17,791 --> 00:54:20,225 IS HAVING SEX WITH HIS FEMALE-- YES. 1062 00:54:20,226 --> 00:54:22,861 Reporter:-- FRIEND. IT WAS ALL THERE ON KARINA'S 1063 00:54:22,862 --> 00:54:28,300 PHONE. MESSAGES LIKE THIS ONE FROM 1064 00:54:28,301 --> 00:54:29,968 HUSTON, "YOU GOT TO SEE ME IN MY UNDERWEAR THIS MORNING, AND I 1065 00:54:29,969 --> 00:54:33,238 HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO SEE YOU!!!!" IN ANOTHER, KARINA TELLS HUSTON, 1066 00:54:33,239 --> 00:54:36,442 "JUST FELL EVEN HARDER FOR YOU." THEY EVEN DISCUSSED HAVING A 1067 00:54:36,443 --> 00:54:40,612 BABY THROUGH IVF. THERE WERE DISCUSSIONS OF 1068 00:54:40,613 --> 00:54:43,549 ESSENTIALLY HUSTON DANKER ASSUMING RYAN COOPER'S ROLE IN 1069 00:54:43,550 --> 00:54:46,085 KARINA'S LIFE. CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HAVING THEIR 1070 00:54:46,086 --> 00:54:48,854 OWN CHILDREN TOGETHER, ESSENTIALLY PLANS FOR THE 1071 00:54:48,855 --> 00:54:50,889 FUTURE. Reporter: IT WAS TIME TO TALK 1072 00:54:50,890 --> 00:54:53,158 TO HUSTON DANKER AGAIN. WHAT WOULD THE YOUNG MAN HAVE TO 1073 00:54:53,159 --> 00:54:55,694 SAY NOW? ARE YOU GUYS TELLING ME THAT 1074 00:54:55,695 --> 00:54:56,162 I'M THE ONE THAT DID IT? 1075 00:54:57,097 --> 00:54:57,663 ARE YOU GUYS TELLING ME THAT 1076 00:54:57,664 --> 00:55:14,780 I'M THE ONE THAT DID IT? WANTED ANOTHER INTERVIEW WITH 1077 00:55:14,781 --> 00:55:16,782 HUSTON DANKER, THE YOUNG MAN THEY'D JUST CONFIRMED WAS HAVING 1078 00:55:16,783 --> 00:55:20,552 AN AFFAIR WITH KARINA WHEN HER HUSBAND WAS MURDERED. 1079 00:55:20,553 --> 00:55:23,489 HE ENDED UP BEING IN CEDAR RAPIDS AND AGREES TO MEET THE 1080 00:55:23,490 --> 00:55:33,532 DCI AGENTS IN MENARDS PARKING LOT. 1081 00:55:33,533 --> 00:55:35,801 THANKS FOR TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY WORK DAY. 1082 00:55:35,802 --> 00:55:38,103 OBVIOUSLY, AT THIS POINT, UM, KARINA HAS BEEN ARRESTED. 1083 00:55:38,104 --> 00:55:40,072 YEAH. AS THINGS HAVE MOVED ALONG, 1084 00:55:40,073 --> 00:55:43,442 THERE'S A-- STILL A FEW GAPS IN OUR KNOWLEDGE. 1085 00:55:43,443 --> 00:55:45,411 Reporter: THEY TOLD HUSTON THEY KNEW ALL ABOUT THE AFFAIR, 1086 00:55:45,412 --> 00:55:47,946 AND NOW HE READILY ADMITTED TO IT. 1087 00:55:47,947 --> 00:55:50,082 YOU BECOME ROMANTICALLY ATTRACTED TO HER. 1088 00:55:50,083 --> 00:55:51,617 YEAH. THAT RIGHT? 1089 00:55:51,618 --> 00:55:54,086 AND THINGS HAD PROGRESSED? YEAH. 1090 00:55:54,087 --> 00:55:58,624 Reporter: HUSTON TOLD THEM LIED HIS WAY OUT OF IT. 1091 00:55:58,625 --> 00:56:00,826 DID HE BASICALLY ASK YOU IF THERE WAS SOMETHING GOING ON 1092 00:56:00,827 --> 00:56:02,895 BETWEEN YOU AND KARINA? PRETTY MUCH. 1093 00:56:02,896 --> 00:56:04,329 AND-- AND YOU JUST STRAIGHT UP SAID NO. 1094 00:56:04,330 --> 00:56:06,799 YEAH. WHEN HE GOT AHOLD OF ME ABOUT 1095 00:56:06,800 --> 00:56:10,336 THAT, I MEAN, THAT MADE ME FEEL PRETTY LOW AS A PER-- I MEAN, 1096 00:56:10,337 --> 00:56:14,206 IT-- TO CALL A SPADE A SPADE, I FELT BAD FOR KIND OF PISSING IN 1097 00:56:14,207 --> 00:56:18,477 HIS CHEERIOS. OKAY. 1098 00:56:18,478 --> 00:56:20,179 DID YOU GUYS EVER TALK ABOUT, UM, A PLAN TO, UH, RELOCATE 1099 00:56:20,180 --> 00:56:23,282 TOGETHER OR LIVE TOGETHER AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE? 1100 00:56:23,283 --> 00:56:27,086 NO, NO. ONE OF THE DCI AGENTS SLIDES 1101 00:56:27,087 --> 00:56:34,159 THE SNAPCHAT CONVERSATION FORWARD UP ON THE DASH, AND 1102 00:56:34,160 --> 00:56:37,296 THERE'S JUST THIS PAUSE. Reporter: AND THEY UPPED THE 1103 00:56:37,297 --> 00:56:40,833 PRESSURE EVEN MORE. IT WASN'T TRUE, BUT THEY TOLD 1104 00:56:40,834 --> 00:56:47,973 HUSTON THAT KARINA WAS COOPERATING FROM JAIL AND WAS 1105 00:56:47,974 --> 00:56:50,075 POINTING THE FINGER AT HIM. KARINA HAS A WAY OF-- OF 1106 00:56:50,076 --> 00:56:53,812 EXPLAINING THIS. MM-HM. 1107 00:56:53,813 --> 00:56:58,250 AND IT'S HUSTON, WHO IS THE LOVE-CRAZED PERSON WHO JUST 1108 00:56:58,251 --> 00:57:03,822 HATED RYAN, AND-- AND THAT WILL BE THE STORY THAT GETS TOLD, 1109 00:57:03,823 --> 00:57:05,090 AND-- AND THAT'S NOT TRUE? NO. 1110 00:57:05,091 --> 00:57:07,593 IT'S NOT TRUE. TELL ME ABOUT THAT NIGHT. 1111 00:57:07,594 --> 00:57:11,330 SO, I MEAN, JUST TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, KARINA WANTED ME TO GO 1112 00:57:11,331 --> 00:57:15,200 OVER THERE AND DO IT. YEAH, LET'S START OVER, UH, 1113 00:57:15,201 --> 00:57:18,871 AND TALK ABOUT THESE EARLY MORNING HOURS, RIGHT? 1114 00:57:18,872 --> 00:57:21,273 I GUESS WHAT I'M GONNA ASK YOU, GUYS, RIGHT NOW, ARE YOU 1115 00:57:21,274 --> 00:57:27,846 GUYS TELLING ME THAT I'M THE ONE THAT DID IT? 1116 00:57:27,847 --> 00:57:30,916 Reporter: THEN IT ALL CAME SPILLING OUT, HIS VERSION OF 1117 00:57:30,917 --> 00:57:33,318 EVENTS ANYWAY. WHO FIRST PUT THE IDEA 1118 00:57:33,319 --> 00:57:36,055 FORWARD TO-- TO END HIS LIFE? KARINA. 1119 00:57:36,056 --> 00:57:39,825 WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT THING THEN THAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THE 1120 00:57:39,826 --> 00:57:48,767 PLAN? WAS TO, I GUESS, BE TOGETHER 1121 00:57:48,768 --> 00:57:50,102 AND LIVE LIFE TOGETHER WHERE THAT WOULD'VE NEVER HAPPENED. 1122 00:57:50,103 --> 00:57:54,073 WAS THIS 50/50, WOULD YOU SAY? 1123 00:57:54,074 --> 00:57:56,709 I WOULD FEEL LIKE I WAS FORCED INTO A LOT OF THAT STUFF. 1124 00:57:56,710 --> 00:57:58,510 Reporter: HUSTON SAID THE PLAN WAS FOR HIM TO BE THE 1125 00:57:58,511 --> 00:58:02,014 SHOOTER, BUT THEN HE CHANGED HIS MIND. 1126 00:58:02,015 --> 00:58:04,116 HOW DID SHE RECEIVE THAT WHEN YOU'RE LIKE, "I-- I DON'T WANT 1127 00:58:04,117 --> 00:58:12,024 TO DO THIS?" NOT VERY GOOD. 1128 00:58:12,025 --> 00:58:13,525 UM, CALLS ME A [ BLEEP ], UM, YOU KNOW, "THOUGHT YOU WERE 1129 00:58:13,526 --> 00:58:15,227 GONNA TAKE CARE OF US," UH, THINGS LIKE THAT. 1130 00:58:15,228 --> 00:58:18,097 Reporter: HUSTON SAID HE DID AGREE TO HELP. 1131 00:58:18,098 --> 00:58:22,134 HE LENT KARINA HIS GUN. OKAY. 1132 00:58:22,135 --> 00:58:26,205 RYAN GOT SHOT WITH A .22 THAT I OWN. 1133 00:58:26,206 --> 00:58:30,642 WHO SHOT HIM? KARINA. 1134 00:58:30,643 --> 00:58:33,946 WHERE WERE YOU AT? AT HOME. 1135 00:58:33,947 --> 00:58:37,049 Reporter: HE SAID THAT AFTER KARINA KILLED RYAN, HE DROVE TO 1136 00:58:37,050 --> 00:58:39,284 THE FARM TO RETRIEVE THE WEAPON. HE WAS CAREFUL TO LEAVE HIS 1137 00:58:39,285 --> 00:58:40,919 PHONE AT HOME. WHERE WAS IT AT WHEN YOU 1138 00:58:40,920 --> 00:58:43,489 PICKED IT UP? IN THE DRIVEWAY. 1139 00:58:43,490 --> 00:58:50,329 WHAT VEHICLE DID YOU DRIVE OVER THERE TO PICK THE GUN UP? 1140 00:58:50,330 --> 00:58:52,698 A FOUR-WHEELER KIND OF BE UNDER THE RADAR, I SUPPOSE. 1141 00:58:52,699 --> 00:58:54,667 Reporter: HUSTON DANKER IS DENYING HAVING ANYTHING TO DO 1142 00:58:54,668 --> 00:58:58,437 WITH THE SHOOTING. CORRECT. 1143 00:58:58,438 --> 00:59:00,439 Reporter: BUT HE'S IMPLICATING HIMSELF. 1144 00:59:00,440 --> 00:59:03,876 HE THINKS THAT HE DID NOTHING WRONG. 1145 00:59:03,877 --> 00:59:06,845 Reporter: HE SAID IT WAS ALL KARINA, AN OLDER WOMAN WHO 1146 00:59:06,846 --> 00:59:10,582 MANIPULATED HIM. SHE'S A PRETTY DOMINANT 1147 00:59:10,583 --> 00:59:13,786 PERSON. IT WAS SO FORCED UPON ME WITH-- 1148 00:59:13,787 --> 00:59:15,754 AND, LIKE I SAID, ONCE AGAIN, SHOULD HAVE JUST BEEN A BIGGER 1149 00:59:15,755 --> 00:59:17,289 PERSON, SAID, "KARINA, YOU, THIS IS STUPID. 1150 00:59:17,290 --> 00:59:19,591 THIS IS [ BLEEP ] DUMB. WHAT ARE WE DOING?" 1151 00:59:19,592 --> 00:59:22,027 Reporter: INVESTIGATORS DIDN'T BELIEVE ALL OF HUSTON'S 1152 00:59:22,028 --> 00:59:27,099 STORY. THEY SUSPECTED HE WAS IN THE 1153 00:59:27,100 --> 00:59:29,902 HOUSE WHEN RYAN WAS KILLED. THAT BLOODY SHOEPRINT FOUND AT 1154 00:59:29,903 --> 00:59:33,439 THE CRIME SCENE TURNED OUT TO BE FROM A VANS SNEAKER, WHICH 1155 00:59:33,440 --> 00:59:36,809 MATCHED HIS SHOES. ARE YOU GUYS ARRESTING ME? 1156 00:59:36,810 --> 00:59:39,278 JUST BE HONEST WITH ME. AT THIS POINT, UM, BASED ON 1157 00:59:39,279 --> 00:59:43,082 WHAT YOU JUST SHARED WITH ME, WE DO NEED TO PLACE YOU UNDER 1158 00:59:43,083 --> 00:59:44,783 ARREST. Reporter: LIKE KARINA, 1159 00:59:44,784 --> 00:59:53,058 HUSTON DANKER WAS CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER. 1160 00:59:53,059 --> 00:59:56,228 THAT WAS A BIG SHOCK, 'CAUSE WE WERE TOLD EARLY ON THAT 1161 00:59:56,229 --> 01:00:00,666 THEY'D TALKED TO HIM SEVERAL TIMES, AND HE WASN'T A SUSPECT 1162 01:00:00,667 --> 01:00:03,002 ANYMORE, THAT HE HAD AN ALIBI, AND THERE'S NOTHING THEY HAD ON 1163 01:00:03,003 --> 01:00:04,870 HIM, SO. Reporter: IT TURNS OUT THAT 1164 01:00:04,871 --> 01:00:07,706 WAS NOT THE CASE. YEAH, THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. 1165 01:00:07,707 --> 01:00:11,076 Reporter: ASHTON AT FIRST THOUGHT HUSTON'S ARREST MEANT 1166 01:00:11,077 --> 01:00:16,215 KARINA WAS INNOCENT. I FELT RELIEF BECAUSE I 1167 01:00:16,216 --> 01:00:19,785 THOUGHT, I TOLD YOU GUYS, I TOLD YOU SHE DIDN'T DO THIS. 1168 01:00:19,786 --> 01:00:21,186 I KNEW SHE COULDN'T DO THIS, AND THEN IT TOOK ABOUT FIVE 1169 01:00:21,187 --> 01:00:22,955 MINUTES FOR IT TO KIND OF HIT ME THAT THEY DID THIS TOGETHER. 1170 01:00:22,956 --> 01:00:27,226 Reporter: THAT'S A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW. 1171 01:00:27,227 --> 01:00:29,328 YEAH. Reporter: BUT WAS THAT THE 1172 01:00:29,329 --> 01:00:31,497 WHOLE STORY? A JURY WAS ABOUT TO HEAR TWO 1173 01:00:31,498 --> 01:00:35,300 VERY DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF EVENTS. 1174 01:00:35,301 --> 01:00:37,903 SHE TELLS HUSTON DANKER, "GO, NOW'S THE TIME." 1175 01:00:37,904 --> 01:00:39,839 SHE'S WRAPPED UP IN SOMETHING, DOESN'T THINK THIS IS 1176 01:00:41,241 --> 01:00:41,874 SOMETHING, DOESN'T THINK THIS IS 1177 01:00:41,875 --> 01:01:03,228 ACTUALLY GOING TO HAENPP Reporter: KARINA COOPER AND 1178 01:01:03,229 --> 01:01:04,363 HER MUCH YOUNGER LOVER, HUSTON DANKER, WERE EACH FACING 1179 01:01:04,364 --> 01:01:06,131 LIFE BEHIND BARS FOR KILLING KARINA'S HUSBAND RYAN. 1180 01:01:06,132 --> 01:01:08,934 THERE WOULD BE TWO SEPARATE TRIALS. 1181 01:01:08,935 --> 01:01:11,870 KARINA'S WOULD COME FIRST. THE PROSECUTOR KNEW THERE WERE 1182 01:01:11,871 --> 01:01:15,974 CHALLENGES. I MEAN, THIS IS A FARMER'S WIFE, 1183 01:01:15,975 --> 01:01:21,146 HER CHILDREN ARE IN THE HOUSE. SHE'S A HAIRDRESSER. 1184 01:01:21,147 --> 01:01:24,450 SHE'S, YOU KNOW, A MEMBER OF THIS-- THIS TIGHT-KNIT 1185 01:01:24,451 --> 01:01:26,485 COMMUNITY. DID YOU WORRY THAT JURORS WOULD 1186 01:01:26,486 --> 01:01:28,354 HAVE A HARD TIME SEEING HER AS A COLDBLOODED KILLER? 1187 01:01:28,355 --> 01:01:29,722 YES. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S 1188 01:01:29,723 --> 01:01:31,790 REALLY HARD FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND. 1189 01:01:31,791 --> 01:01:35,094 WE HAD A CONCERN THAT JURORS MAYBE WOULDN'T ALLOW THEMSELVES 1190 01:01:35,095 --> 01:01:37,162 TO BELIEVE IT. Reporter: THE PROSECUTION 1191 01:01:37,163 --> 01:01:41,533 TEAM WAS A TRIO. JOINING MICHAEL RINGLE AND 1192 01:01:41,534 --> 01:01:46,772 GENEVA WILLIAMS WAS ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL ISRAEL KODIAGA. 1193 01:01:46,773 --> 01:01:49,441 THE EVIDENCE WILL SHOW THAT SHE IS A MURDRERER. 1194 01:01:49,442 --> 01:01:53,679 THE EVIDENCE IN THIS CASE WILL PROVE BEYOND A REASONABE DOUBT 1195 01:01:53,680 --> 01:01:56,782 THAT SHE IS GUILTY. Reporter: THEY TOLD THE JURY 1196 01:01:56,783 --> 01:01:59,318 THAT KARINA AND HUSTON PLANNED THE MURDER TOGETHER, EXECUTING 1197 01:01:59,319 --> 01:02:01,186 RYAN WHILE HE SLEPT. AND THE STATE SAID THE TWO HAD A 1198 01:02:01,187 --> 01:02:05,057 PLAN FOR FINANCING THEIR FUTURE TOGETHER. 1199 01:02:05,058 --> 01:02:07,459 Reporter: THERE WAS ALSO A LOT OF MONEY INVOLVED IN THIS AS 1200 01:02:07,460 --> 01:02:11,163 FAR AS LIFE INSURANCE THAT KARINA WAS SET TO COLLECT. 1201 01:02:11,164 --> 01:02:15,234 CORRECT. WE WERE ABLE TO FIND OUT THAT 1202 01:02:15,235 --> 01:02:18,837 THERE WAS AN INSURANCE POLICY IN THE AMOUNT OF $500,000 OF WHICH 1203 01:02:18,838 --> 01:02:25,077 KARINA WAS THE BENEFICIARY. Reporter: PROSECUTORS SHOWED 1204 01:02:25,078 --> 01:02:28,113 JURORS FOOTAGE OF THE CHAOTIC SCENE AT THE FARMHOUSE, 1205 01:02:28,114 --> 01:02:29,682 INCLUDING KARINA SITTING ON HER HUSBAND'S BLOODY BODY. 1206 01:02:29,683 --> 01:02:34,086 THEY SAID SHE DID THAT FOR A REASON. 1207 01:02:34,087 --> 01:02:39,758 SHE JUMPS ON RYAN. SHE PUTS HER FACE, FOREHEAD, 1208 01:02:39,759 --> 01:02:46,465 HAIR INTO THE BLOOD COMING FROM RYAN'S FACE. 1209 01:02:46,466 --> 01:02:49,401 WHY IS HER FACE ON THE LEFT SIDE WHERE THE BULLET HOLES ARE? 1210 01:02:49,402 --> 01:02:53,205 BECAUSE SHE'S CONCEALING EVIDENCE. 1211 01:02:53,206 --> 01:02:56,675 I BELIEVE THAT SHE PULLED THE TRIGGER, UM, AND THAT CAUSED 1212 01:02:56,676 --> 01:03:00,045 BACK SPATTER OR BLOOD TO SPRAY ONTO HER FACE, WHICH EXPLAINS 1213 01:03:00,046 --> 01:03:02,748 WHY SHE WAS SITTING ON RYAN COOPER WHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT 1214 01:03:02,749 --> 01:03:07,119 ARRIVED, RUBBING HER FACE ESSENTIALLY ON THE WOUND 1215 01:03:07,120 --> 01:03:09,555 COVERING HER OWN FACE IN BLOOD. Reporter: THAT'S WHAT RYAN'S 1216 01:03:09,556 --> 01:03:12,391 BROTHER AARON WALKED INTO THAT MORNING. 1217 01:03:12,392 --> 01:03:14,193 AARON HAS FIRST RESPONDER TRAINING AND TESTIFIED THAT HE 1218 01:03:14,194 --> 01:03:17,062 NOTICED SOMETHING ODD ABOUT THE BLOOD. 1219 01:03:17,063 --> 01:03:20,366 AT THAT POINT IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS DARKENING. 1220 01:03:20,367 --> 01:03:23,135 IT WASN'T BRIGHT RED. WHAT DID THAT MEAN TO YOU? 1221 01:03:23,136 --> 01:03:27,306 THAT IT WASN'T IMMEDIATELY FRESH. 1222 01:03:27,307 --> 01:03:31,210 Reporter: PROSECUTORS ARGUED THAT MEANT RYAN HAD BEEN SHOT 1223 01:03:31,211 --> 01:03:33,479 EARLIER THAN KARINA CLAIMED, AND THEY SAID HER PHONE BACKED 1224 01:03:33,480 --> 01:03:37,983 THAT UP. YOU EXTRACTED SOME HEALTH DATA 1225 01:03:37,984 --> 01:03:41,320 FROM KARINA'S PHONE THAT SHOWED SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS TO YOU 1226 01:03:41,321 --> 01:03:43,489 ABOUT HER MOVEMENTS. YES. 1227 01:03:43,490 --> 01:03:46,692 IT SHOWED THAT SHE WAS UP AND WAS MOVING AROUND THE HOUSE 1228 01:03:46,693 --> 01:03:49,762 DURING A PERIOD OF TIME THAT SHE SAID SHE WAS ASLEEP. 1229 01:03:49,763 --> 01:03:58,103 Reporter: A FULL TEN MINUTES BEFORE SHE CALLED FOR HELP. 1230 01:03:58,104 --> 01:04:03,475 THE PHONE SHOWS THAT SHE WAS WALKING BETWEEN 4:23 AND 4:33, 1231 01:04:03,476 --> 01:04:08,814 170 STEPS. Reporter: THE STATE CALLED 1232 01:04:08,815 --> 01:04:10,249 THE COOPERS' ELDEST SON, CAYD, TO THE STAND. 1233 01:04:10,250 --> 01:04:11,817 WITH CAMERAS BARRED FOR HIS TESTIMONY, THE NOW 15-YEAR-OLD 1234 01:04:11,818 --> 01:04:15,421 TOLD THE JURY THAT ON THE NIGHT OF THE MURDER, HIS MOTHER 1235 01:04:15,422 --> 01:04:19,491 INSTRUCTED HIM TO SLEEP IN HIS OWN BED INSTEAD OF HIS USUAL 1236 01:04:19,492 --> 01:04:23,162 SPOT ON THE COUCH NEAR HIS DAD. IT WAS A CRITICAL PIECE OF 1237 01:04:23,163 --> 01:04:25,764 INFORMATION. THAT SHOWS THE LEVEL OF PLANNING 1238 01:04:25,765 --> 01:04:28,467 AND CALCULATION ON HER PART. Reporter: IS IT POSSIBLE THAT 1239 01:04:28,468 --> 01:04:31,203 SHE'S JUST A MOM, YOU KNOW, SAYING, HEY, YOU'RE NOT GETTING 1240 01:04:31,204 --> 01:04:33,772 A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP. I-- I WANT YOU TO START 1241 01:04:33,773 --> 01:04:36,842 SLEEPING IN YOUR OWN BED. IT'S ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE IN 1242 01:04:36,843 --> 01:04:41,980 ISOLATION, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FULL CONSTELLATION OF 1243 01:04:41,981 --> 01:04:43,849 EVIDENCE, EVERY PIECE TOGETHER, IS IT PROBABLE OR LIKELY THAT 1244 01:04:43,850 --> 01:04:47,386 THIS WAS AN INNOCENT ACT? IT'S NOT. 1245 01:04:47,387 --> 01:04:51,323 Reporter: THE STATE ALSO CALLED FRIENDS, INCLUDING 1246 01:04:51,324 --> 01:04:53,926 CARMEN ERHARDT, WHO TOLD THE JURY ABOUT FIGHTS SHE SAW 1247 01:04:53,927 --> 01:04:59,598 BETWEEN RYAN AND KARINA. SHE WAS ARGUING WITH RYAN. 1248 01:04:59,599 --> 01:05:00,833 ANOTHER FRIEND TRIED TO STEP IN AND KIND OF LIKE DISSOLVE THE 1249 01:05:00,834 --> 01:05:05,337 SITUATION. SHE EVEN GRABBED THAT PERSON BY 1250 01:05:05,338 --> 01:05:06,905 THE HAIR AND RIPPED THEM BACK OUT OF THE ARGUMENT. 1251 01:05:06,906 --> 01:05:09,908 SO IT-- IT-- YOU COULD PHYSICALLY TELL THAT SHE WAS 1252 01:05:09,909 --> 01:05:12,444 VERY UPSET. Reporter: ANOTHER FRIEND, 1253 01:05:12,445 --> 01:05:15,381 TERESA McBRIDE, TESITIFED SHE HEARD THIS THREAT DIRECTED AT 1254 01:05:15,382 --> 01:05:21,553 RYAN. WELL, THE ONE THAT STANDS OUT 1255 01:05:21,554 --> 01:05:25,057 IN MY MIND IS THE NIGHT THAT SHE YELLED AT HIM AND SAID THAT SHE 1256 01:05:25,058 --> 01:05:27,493 HATED HIM AND WOULD SHOOT HIM IN THE FACE. 1257 01:05:27,494 --> 01:05:29,695 Reporter: BUT THE STATE'S STRONGEST EVIDENCE APPEARED TO 1258 01:05:29,696 --> 01:05:33,198 BE KARINA AND HUSTON'S OWN WORDS. 1259 01:05:33,199 --> 01:05:37,636 THOSE SNAPCHAT MESSAGES RECOVERED BY THE PROSECUTION'S 1260 01:05:37,637 --> 01:05:40,639 EXPERT. AND THOSE MESSAGES REVEALED A 1261 01:05:40,640 --> 01:05:44,143 LOT MORE THAN JUST PILLOW TALK. IN ONE, SHE BELITTLED RYAN AS 1262 01:05:44,144 --> 01:05:46,278 JUST HER "SPERM DONOR." IN ANOTHER, SHE SEEMED TO WISH 1263 01:05:46,279 --> 01:05:50,449 HE WAS DEAD. Reporter: YOU FOUND ONE OF 1264 01:05:50,450 --> 01:05:53,419 HER SNAPCHAT MESSAGES TO HUSTON DANKER SAID, "I'M WISHING 1265 01:05:53,420 --> 01:05:56,088 FOR A ROGUE SEMI ACCIDENT, NO SURVIVORS." 1266 01:05:56,089 --> 01:05:58,824 AND RYAN DROVE A TRUCK. HE DID. 1267 01:05:58,825 --> 01:06:02,628 HE DROVE A SEMI WITH SOME REGULARITY FOR HIS FARM DUTIES. 1268 01:06:02,629 --> 01:06:06,398 AND, YES, SHE SENT THAT MESSAGE TO HUSTON DANKER, WHICH CLEARLY 1269 01:06:06,399 --> 01:06:09,034 INDICATES FROM THE STATE'S PERSPECTIVE MALICE. 1270 01:06:09,035 --> 01:06:14,406 Reporter: BUT THE MOST DAMNING WERE MESSAGES ABOUT THE 1271 01:06:14,407 --> 01:06:15,774 MURDER ITSELF. THEY CERTAINLY THINK THEY'VE 1272 01:06:15,775 --> 01:06:18,377 DONE A GOOD JOB OF DELETING THE MOST INCRIMINATING SNAPS. 1273 01:06:18,378 --> 01:06:23,048 AND A LOT OF WHAT THEY DID WAS PRETTY STUPID AND PRETTY EASILY 1274 01:06:23,049 --> 01:06:28,320 DISCOVERED. Reporter: ROUGHLY AN HOUR 1275 01:06:28,321 --> 01:06:30,055 BEFORE THE 9-1-1 CALL, HUSTON MESSAGED KARINA, "OKAY, BABE. 1276 01:06:30,056 --> 01:06:32,524 SERIOUSLY PUTTING THE PHONE DOWN. 1277 01:06:32,525 --> 01:06:34,626 HAVE TO GET THIS "EXPLETIVE" DONE. 1278 01:06:34,627 --> 01:06:40,432 I LOVE YOU." KARINA REPLIED, "GO." 1279 01:06:40,433 --> 01:06:44,603 SHE TELLS HUSTON DANKER, "GO," WHICH WAS THE SIGN THAT 1280 01:06:44,604 --> 01:06:45,938 THE COAST WAS CLEAR FOR HIM TO COME INTO THE HOUSE AND FOR THE 1281 01:06:45,939 --> 01:06:48,273 TWO OF THEM TO COMMIT THIS MURDER. 1282 01:06:48,274 --> 01:06:52,077 Reporter: AND THE STATE SAID IF THERE WAS ANY DOUBT ABOUT 1283 01:06:52,078 --> 01:06:55,147 WHAT THEY WERE DISCUSSING, LOOK AT WHAT ELSE HUSTON SAID, 1284 01:06:55,148 --> 01:06:57,483 "REMEMBER THOSE CASINGS." KARINA'S REPLY? 1285 01:06:57,484 --> 01:07:03,022 "ABSOLUTELY. 100 PERCENT." 1286 01:07:03,023 --> 01:07:05,224 THEY SHOOT RYAN. THE PLAN IS FOR HUSTON TO GET 1287 01:07:05,225 --> 01:07:07,593 OUT OF THERE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE OUT THAT DOOR, WHICH IS EXACTLY 1288 01:07:07,594 --> 01:07:09,895 WHAT HAPPENED. KARINA'S JOB IS TO FIND SHELL 1289 01:07:09,896 --> 01:07:12,164 CASINGS. SHE USES HER CELL PHONE 1290 01:07:12,165 --> 01:07:19,104 FLASHLIGHT TO SEARCH AROUND. SHE FINDS ONE. 1291 01:07:19,105 --> 01:07:20,439 SHE DOESN'T FIND THE OTHER. Reporter: KARINA'S BROTHER 1292 01:07:20,440 --> 01:07:24,176 KURT HAD STOOD BY HER SIDE SINCE HER ARREST. 1293 01:07:24,177 --> 01:07:26,378 NOW, AS HE SAT IN COURT, THE FULL WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE SUNK 1294 01:07:26,379 --> 01:07:31,417 IN. I WAS DISGUSTED. 1295 01:07:31,418 --> 01:07:34,353 IT WAS JUST DISGUSTING. COMING HOME FROM THE TRIAL THAT 1296 01:07:34,354 --> 01:07:39,591 MY MOM MUTTERED SOMETHING LIKE, "WHERE DID I GO WRONG?" 1297 01:07:39,592 --> 01:07:42,194 I MEAN, IT'S LIKE, IT'S NOT SOMETHING SHE DID, OBVIOUSLY. 1298 01:07:42,195 --> 01:07:46,665 Reporter: HOW COULD KARINA POSSIBLY RECOVER FROM THIS? 1299 01:07:46,666 --> 01:07:51,070 SHE WAS ABOUT TO TRY, BY TELLING HER STORY DIRECTLY TO THE JURY. 1300 01:07:51,071 --> 01:07:54,573 I WAS DISGUSTED AND SCARED OF 1301 01:07:54,574 --> 01:07:54,941 LOSING MY HUSBAND. 1302 01:07:55,909 --> 01:07:56,542 I WAS DISGUSTED AND SCARED OF 1303 01:07:56,543 --> 01:08:12,725 LOSING MY HUSBAND. Reporter: OVER AND OVER, 1304 01:08:12,726 --> 01:08:15,027 KARINA COOPER TOLD FRIENDS AND FAMILY SHE DID NOT KILL HER 1305 01:08:15,028 --> 01:08:18,097 HUSBAND RYAN. NOW, HER DEFENSE WAS ABOUT TO 1306 01:08:18,098 --> 01:08:21,200 EXPLAIN WHAT REALLY HAPPENED. HUSTON DANKER KILLED 1307 01:08:21,201 --> 01:08:24,303 RYAN COOPER. HUSTON DANKER SHOT RYAN COOPER 1308 01:08:24,304 --> 01:08:27,373 IN THE FACE. Reporter: THE STRATEGY WAS 1309 01:08:27,374 --> 01:08:31,543 POINT THE FINGER AT HUSTON DANKER, THAT-- 1310 01:08:31,544 --> 01:08:33,045 THAT HE'S YOUR GUY THAT YOU WANNA BE FOCUSING ON HERE. 1311 01:08:33,046 --> 01:08:34,680 HE IS. AND THAT IT'S LIKE, SHE'S 1312 01:08:34,681 --> 01:08:37,049 WRAPPED UP IN SOMETHING, DOESN'T THINK THIS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO 1313 01:08:37,050 --> 01:08:38,517 HAPPEN, AND THEN IT DOES. Reporter: KARINA'S STORY WAS 1314 01:08:38,518 --> 01:08:42,521 THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT HUSTON TOLD POLICE. 1315 01:08:42,522 --> 01:08:45,357 IN HER VERSION, THE YOUNGER MAN COERCED HER INTO TAKING PART IN 1316 01:08:45,358 --> 01:08:47,893 THE MURDER. HUSTON DANKER SOLICITED 1317 01:08:47,894 --> 01:08:52,164 KARINA. HUSTON DANKER MANIPULATED 1318 01:08:52,165 --> 01:08:58,070 KARINA. KARINA COOPER WAS IN A DREAM 1319 01:08:58,071 --> 01:09:00,205 WORLD, AND THEN IT BECAME REAL, AND THEN SHE WAS IN TOO DEEP. 1320 01:09:00,206 --> 01:09:02,541 Reporter: AND NO ONE COULD EXPLAIN THAT BETTER THAN KARINA. 1321 01:09:02,542 --> 01:09:04,376 YOU SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT THE TESTIMONY YOU'LL BE GIVING IN 1322 01:09:04,377 --> 01:09:05,778 THESE PROCEEDINGS WILL BE THE TRUTH? 1323 01:09:05,779 --> 01:09:07,179 I DO, YOUR HONOR. Reporter: YOU DECIDED TO PUT 1324 01:09:07,180 --> 01:09:09,548 KARINA ON THE STAND. YES. 1325 01:09:09,549 --> 01:09:11,016 Reporter: WHY? BECAUSE IT'S-- YOU KNOW, THAT'S 1326 01:09:11,017 --> 01:09:13,719 SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T SEE VERY OFTEN. 1327 01:09:13,720 --> 01:09:16,822 'CAUSE THE JURY NEEDED TO HEAR THAT SHE'S A REGULAR 1328 01:09:16,823 --> 01:09:20,526 PERSON, A GOOD MOTHER, SOMEBODY WHO LOVES HER CHILDREN, AND WHO 1329 01:09:20,527 --> 01:09:23,162 WOULD NOT DO THIS. AND SO SHE HAD TO TAKE THE STAND 1330 01:09:23,163 --> 01:09:27,032 SO THAT JURY COULD SEE MORE THAN JUST HER SITTING NEXT TO US AT 1331 01:09:27,033 --> 01:09:31,036 THE TABLE SILENTLY. Reporter: FROM THE WITNESS 1332 01:09:31,037 --> 01:09:33,038 CHAIR, KARINA DESCRIBED HOW, AS A MARRIED MOTHER OF THREE, SHE 1333 01:09:33,039 --> 01:09:36,842 ENDED UP IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH A MAN 20 YEARS YOUNGER. 1334 01:09:36,843 --> 01:09:40,713 HOW DID YOU MEET HIM? I KNEW OF HIM FOR YEARS, BUT 1335 01:09:40,714 --> 01:09:44,283 I STARTED CUTTING HIS HAIR IS HOW I MET HIM. 1336 01:09:44,284 --> 01:09:48,053 AND I WAS BEING SHOWERED WITH ATTENTION BY HIM BEING TOLD I 1337 01:09:48,054 --> 01:09:50,222 WAS BEAUTIFUL AND FUNNY. "WHY CAN'T I FIND A WOMAN LIKE 1338 01:09:50,223 --> 01:09:54,093 THAT?" AND IT BECAME VERY FLATTERING TO 1339 01:09:54,094 --> 01:09:57,663 ME. Reporter: KARINA TESTIFIED 1340 01:09:57,664 --> 01:10:00,532 THAT THE ROMANCE WAS MOSTLY A FANTASY THAT PLAYED OUT ON 1341 01:10:00,533 --> 01:10:03,602 SNAPCHAT. IT'S ODD BECAUSE WHEN I WOULD 1342 01:10:03,603 --> 01:10:05,070 CUT HIS HAIR, WE WOULD TALK ABOUT THE SAME THINGS THAT I 1343 01:10:05,071 --> 01:10:10,409 WOULD TALK ABOUT WITH ANY OTHER CUSTOMERS. 1344 01:10:10,410 --> 01:10:17,750 IT WASN'T LEWD. IT WASN'T FLIRTATIOUS. 1345 01:10:17,751 --> 01:10:19,651 UM, THAT WAS WHEN WE SNAPCHATTED AT NIGHT THAT THAT WAS LIKE, WE 1346 01:10:19,652 --> 01:10:22,121 WERE SHY IN PERSON BUT BECAME OTHER PEOPLE WHEN WE WERE 1347 01:10:22,122 --> 01:10:24,023 TEXTING EACH OTHER. AT ONE POINT, DID IT BECOME 1348 01:10:24,024 --> 01:10:28,260 PHYSICAL? THERE WAS ONE PHYSICAL 1349 01:10:28,261 --> 01:10:31,530 ENCOUNTER, YES. THE LAST TIME I CUT HIS HAIR 1350 01:10:31,531 --> 01:10:37,169 BEFORE HE KILLED RYAN, IT WOULD'VE BEEN IN FEBRUARY I CUT 1351 01:10:37,170 --> 01:10:38,804 HIS HAIR, AND WE HAD SEX. Reporter: AFTER THAT, SHE 1352 01:10:38,805 --> 01:10:40,973 TOLD HUSTON TO STOP COMING TO THE SALON. 1353 01:10:40,974 --> 01:10:44,276 WHY DID YOU STOP CUTTING HIS HAIR? 1354 01:10:44,277 --> 01:10:47,946 Reporter: BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT THAT CHANCE OF THAT 1355 01:10:47,947 --> 01:10:55,788 HAPPENING EVER AGAIN. IT WAS AN ONLINE FANTASY THING, 1356 01:10:55,789 --> 01:11:01,126 AND WHEN IT BECAME A PHYSICAL IN-PERSON THING, I WAS DISGUSTED 1357 01:11:01,127 --> 01:11:02,461 AND SCARED OF LOSING MY HUSBAND. Reporter: BUT KARINA SAID 1358 01:11:02,462 --> 01:11:05,964 HUSTON REFUSED TO BACK OFF. HUSTON ACTED LIKE HE WAS MY 1359 01:11:05,965 --> 01:11:08,767 HUSBAND, AND RYAN WAS MY BOYFRIEND. 1360 01:11:08,768 --> 01:11:11,637 Reporter: KARINA TOLD THE COURT THAT HUSTON WAS THE ONE 1361 01:11:11,638 --> 01:11:14,206 WHO WANTED RYAN DEAD. DID HUSTON TALK ABOUT KILLING 1362 01:11:14,207 --> 01:11:17,076 RYAN? SEVERAL TIMES. 1363 01:11:17,077 --> 01:11:20,913 DID YOU EVER TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY? 1364 01:11:20,914 --> 01:11:24,950 NO. I THOUGHT HE WAS FULL OF CRAP. 1365 01:11:24,951 --> 01:11:27,753 HE'S GOT QUITE A REPUTATION AROUND TOWN WITH WOMEN AND 1366 01:11:27,754 --> 01:11:30,622 TELLING TALL TALES. Reporter: SHE INSISTED SHE 1367 01:11:30,623 --> 01:11:33,692 HAD NO IDEA WHAT HUSTON WAS PLANNING TO DO UNTIL THE WORST 1368 01:11:33,693 --> 01:11:35,127 HAD ALREADY HAPPENED. YOU GET TO THE LIVING ROOM, 1369 01:11:35,128 --> 01:11:40,165 YOU TURN ON THE LAMP, WHAT HAPPENS? 1370 01:11:40,166 --> 01:11:46,638 I SEE RYAN, AND THEN I SEE A LARGE POOL OF BLOOD. 1371 01:11:46,639 --> 01:11:51,110 I SHOOK HIS FOOT. OKAY. 1372 01:11:51,111 --> 01:11:52,644 AND THEN I JUST STARTED SCREAMING. 1373 01:11:52,645 --> 01:11:55,614 CAN YOU TELL US WHY YOU CALLED AARON INSTEAD OF 1374 01:11:55,615 --> 01:11:58,183 9-1-1 FIRST? AARON LIVES LESS THAN A MILE 1375 01:11:58,184 --> 01:12:02,755 FROM US. AARON IS A FIRST RESPONDER. 1376 01:12:02,756 --> 01:12:06,225 AARON IS THE PERSON CLOSEST TO US THAT I WOULD TRUST IN A TIME 1377 01:12:06,226 --> 01:12:09,061 OF EMERGENCY. I CALLED HIM BECAUSE I WAS 1378 01:12:09,062 --> 01:12:13,766 PANICKING. THREE CHILDREN HOME. 1379 01:12:13,767 --> 01:12:16,168 WOULD YOU EVER ORCHESTRATE THE MURDER OF YOUR HUSBAND WITH YOUR 1380 01:12:16,169 --> 01:12:18,303 THREE KIDS HOME? NEVER. 1381 01:12:18,304 --> 01:12:22,808 Reporter: ONE OF THE POINTS THAT YOU WANTED TO MAKE FOR THE 1382 01:12:22,809 --> 01:12:26,912 JURY WAS THAT WHAT KIND OF MOTHER WOULD KILL HER HUSBAND IN 1383 01:12:26,913 --> 01:12:30,482 THIS SMALL FARMHOUSE WITH THE CHILDREN HOME? 1384 01:12:30,483 --> 01:12:34,853 THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS I BELIEVED THAT-- THAT SHE WAS 1385 01:12:34,854 --> 01:12:38,390 INNOCENT, BECAUSE FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, SHE SEEMED 1386 01:12:38,391 --> 01:12:40,092 LIKE A VERY GOOD MOTHER. Reporter: KARINA SAID 1387 01:12:40,093 --> 01:12:43,862 ALTHOUGH SHE NEVER SAW HUSTON IN THE HOUSE, SHE KNEW NO ONE ELSE 1388 01:12:43,863 --> 01:12:48,701 COULD HAVE KILLED RYAN. THEN WHEN THE POLICE GET 1389 01:12:48,702 --> 01:12:52,805 THERE, WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL THEM HUSTON SHOT MY HUSBAND? 1390 01:12:52,806 --> 01:12:57,643 I WAS SO SCARED. I INSTANTLY THOUGHT I WAS BEING 1391 01:12:57,644 --> 01:13:03,048 SET UP IN SOME-- ONE OF HIS PLOTS THAT HE LAID OUT ALL THE 1392 01:13:03,049 --> 01:13:06,952 TIME THROUGH SNAPCHAT. I-- I PANICKED. 1393 01:13:06,953 --> 01:13:11,357 AND THEN DID-- DID YOU CONTINUE TO LIE TO LAW 1394 01:13:11,358 --> 01:13:16,295 ENFORCEMENT FOR YEARS? I DID. 1395 01:13:16,296 --> 01:13:19,164 ONCE SHE COMMITTED TO A PATH, WHICH WASN'T COMING CLEAN ABOUT 1396 01:13:19,165 --> 01:13:22,401 HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HUSTON DANKER, IT WAS TOO LATE. 1397 01:13:22,402 --> 01:13:24,737 YOU KNOW, IF SHE WOULD'VE COME FORWARD AND SAID, "THIS IS 1398 01:13:24,738 --> 01:13:27,373 WHAT WAS GOING ON," THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT RESULT. 1399 01:13:27,374 --> 01:13:30,576 Reporter: FROM THE BEGINNING, THE DEFENSE UNDERSTOOD THE 1400 01:13:30,577 --> 01:13:33,579 IMPORTANCE OF ADDRESSING SOME OF THE MOST DAMAGING EVIDENCE. 1401 01:13:33,580 --> 01:13:35,681 Reporter: THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM? 1402 01:13:35,682 --> 01:13:37,249 WHICH IS THE SNAPCHATS? Reporter: THE SNAPCHAT? 1403 01:13:37,250 --> 01:13:39,184 THERE'S A MESSAGE ABOUT A ROGUE SEMI-ACCIDENT THAT WE SAW 1404 01:13:39,185 --> 01:13:43,589 ON THE SNAPCHAT. DID YOU WANT YOUR HUSBAND DEAD? 1405 01:13:43,590 --> 01:13:48,360 NO. WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT? 1406 01:13:48,361 --> 01:13:54,800 'CAUSE I HAVE A REALLY SICK SENSE OF HUMOR SOMETIMES, 1407 01:13:54,801 --> 01:13:58,170 INAPPROPRIATE HUMOR, AND I WAS PROBABLY ANGRY. 1408 01:13:58,171 --> 01:14:00,939 LIKE PEOPLE HAVE SAID, ESPECIALLY WHEN I DRINK, I CAN 1409 01:14:00,940 --> 01:14:03,242 SAY I HAVE A SHARP TONGUE SOMETIMES AND CAN SAY NASTY 1410 01:14:03,243 --> 01:14:06,111 THINGS. Reporter: AND WHAT ABOUT THAT 1411 01:14:06,112 --> 01:14:09,114 MESSAGE SHE SENT JUST BEFORE RYAN WAS KILLED, THE ONE 1412 01:14:09,115 --> 01:14:11,250 PROSECUTORS SAID SIMPLY READ, "GO"? 1413 01:14:11,251 --> 01:14:14,453 SHE TESTIFIED THERE WAS MORE TO IT. 1414 01:14:14,454 --> 01:14:17,756 I KNOW I SAID MORE. I SENT THREE MESSAGES IN A ROW. 1415 01:14:17,757 --> 01:14:20,793 WHAT DID THEY SAY? GO TO SLEEP. 1416 01:14:20,794 --> 01:14:23,262 THREE MESSAGES, LIKE PUTTING PERIODS IN BETWEEN THE WORDS TO 1417 01:14:23,263 --> 01:14:30,636 EMPHASIZE. GO TO SLEEP. 1418 01:14:30,637 --> 01:14:32,071 Reporter: IN OTHER WORDS, SHE WAS TELLING HUSTON, "GOOD 1419 01:14:32,072 --> 01:14:33,339 NIGHT," NOT "COME OVER AND HELP ME KILL MY HUSBAND." 1420 01:14:33,340 --> 01:14:36,208 THE DEFENSE SAID THE PROSECUTION'S EXPERT HAD 1421 01:14:36,209 --> 01:14:38,844 ESSENTIALLY HACKED INTO KARINA'S PHONE AND DIDN'T RECOVER 1422 01:14:38,845 --> 01:14:40,579 EVERYTHING. SHE CLAIMS SHE SAID, "GO TO 1423 01:14:40,580 --> 01:14:42,147 SLEEP." THAT THERE WERE THREE MESSAGES 1424 01:14:42,148 --> 01:14:45,084 AND THE DATA DIDN'T RETRIEVE COMPLETELY. 1425 01:14:45,085 --> 01:14:51,490 AND WE FOUGHT A LOT ABOUT DATA LOSS FROM PHONE INFORMATION AND 1426 01:14:51,491 --> 01:14:53,092 PHONE DUMPS. IT'S ESSENTIALLY A HACK. 1427 01:14:53,093 --> 01:14:54,460 THE SOFTWARE IS THEN KIND OF GETTING THEM THROUGH THE BACK 1428 01:14:54,461 --> 01:14:56,395 DOOR AND BEING ABLE TO EXPOSE SOME INFORMATION, BUT THEY CAN'T 1429 01:14:56,396 --> 01:14:57,329 ANSWER-- THEY CAN'T FIGURE EVERYTHING OUT. 1430 01:14:57,330 --> 01:15:00,399 Reporter: BUT ONE THING WAS CLEAR IN THOSE DIGITAL 1431 01:15:00,400 --> 01:15:03,669 CONVERSATIONS. ACCORDING TO THE DEFENSE, ONCE 1432 01:15:03,670 --> 01:15:06,839 RYAN WAS KILLED, COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE LOVERS ABRUPTLY 1433 01:15:06,840 --> 01:15:09,575 ENDED. NOBODY TESTIFIED TO ANY 1434 01:15:09,576 --> 01:15:12,378 INDICATION OF A CONTINUED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN KARINA AND 1435 01:15:12,379 --> 01:15:17,583 HUSTON. SO WHY DOES IT END? 1436 01:15:17,584 --> 01:15:20,753 IT ENDS BECAUSE IT BECAME REAL, AND HE ACTUALLY KILLED HER 1437 01:15:20,754 --> 01:15:23,555 HUSBAND. HUSTON DANKER ON THIS EVENING 1438 01:15:23,556 --> 01:15:27,860 WENT ROGUE, AND HE ACTUALLY DID IT. 1439 01:15:27,861 --> 01:15:30,462 Reporter: AMONG THOSE LISTENING IN COURT WAS ASHTON, 1440 01:15:30,463 --> 01:15:34,400 STILL STRUGGLING TO MAKE SENSE OF IT ALL. 1441 01:15:34,401 --> 01:15:41,573 YOU WATCHED HER UP THERE. HOW DID THAT FEEL? 1442 01:15:41,574 --> 01:15:43,542 I MEAN, THERE WAS PARTS OF HER STORY THAT BECAME 1443 01:15:43,543 --> 01:15:45,844 BELIEVABLE. MAYBE SHE WAS MANIPULATED INTO 1444 01:15:45,845 --> 01:15:48,213 THIS. Reporter: WOULD THE JURY FEEL 1445 01:15:48,214 --> 01:15:48,515 THE SAME WAY? 1446 01:15:49,549 --> 01:15:50,182 Reporter: WOULD THE JURY FEEL 1447 01:15:50,183 --> 01:16:07,266 THE SAME WAY? GIVING IN THESE PROCEEDINGS-- 1448 01:16:07,267 --> 01:16:10,469 Reporter: KARINA COOPER HAD JUST TOLD THE JURY SHE WAS 1449 01:16:10,470 --> 01:16:11,904 MANIPULTED BY HUSTON DANKER, AND HE WAS THE ONE WHO SHOT HER 1450 01:16:11,905 --> 01:16:13,038 HUSBAND. YOU STATE YOU LOVED 1451 01:16:13,039 --> 01:16:14,206 RYAN COOPER? YES. 1452 01:16:14,207 --> 01:16:15,507 YOU LOVED HIM? YES. 1453 01:16:15,508 --> 01:16:18,544 VERY MUCH? YES. 1454 01:16:18,545 --> 01:16:20,112 Reporter: NOW, PROSECUTOR ISRAEL KODIAGA MADE IT HIS 1455 01:16:20,113 --> 01:16:23,315 MISSION TO POKE HOLES IN HER STORY. 1456 01:16:23,316 --> 01:16:25,317 YOU HAD A LOVER. THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL HIM. 1457 01:16:25,318 --> 01:16:29,755 YES. WHAT DO YOU CALL HIM? 1458 01:16:29,756 --> 01:16:35,094 I CALLED HIM AN ONLINE INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP. 1459 01:16:35,095 --> 01:16:37,796 WE FELT CONFIDENT THAT EVEN IF PEOPLE DID HAVE SYMPATHY FOR 1460 01:16:37,797 --> 01:16:44,636 HER, WE COULD REMIND THEM OF THE EVIDENCE THAT THEY'D SEEN. 1461 01:16:44,637 --> 01:16:46,138 THE PERSON YOU JUST REFERRED TO AS A SPERM DONOR, THAT'S YOUR 1462 01:16:46,139 --> 01:16:49,908 HUSBAND. YES. 1463 01:16:49,909 --> 01:16:52,711 RYAN COOPER, WHO YOU TELL THIS JURY YOU LOVED SO DEARLY. 1464 01:16:52,712 --> 01:16:55,314 I THINK WE ALL CALLED PEOPLE THAT WE LOVE NAMES AT TIMES. 1465 01:16:55,315 --> 01:17:00,252 Reporter: HE THEN ASKED KARINA TO READ HER OWN LOVING 1466 01:17:00,253 --> 01:17:03,122 WORDS TO HUSTON. "I SWEAR, HEART EMOJI, AND 1467 01:17:03,123 --> 01:17:05,391 JUST FELL EVEN HARDER FOR YOU, WHICH I DON'T THINK I COULD HAVE 1468 01:17:05,392 --> 01:17:07,359 BEEN ANY MORE CRAZY OVER YOU THAN I ALREADY WAS." 1469 01:17:07,360 --> 01:17:10,429 Reporter: AND THE EXCHANGES GOT MORE EXPLICIT. 1470 01:17:10,430 --> 01:17:13,766 THE PROSECUTOR WANTED THE JURY TO HEAR IT ALL. 1471 01:17:13,767 --> 01:17:17,036 "GOOD MORNING, BABY. YOU WOULD HAVE WOKE UP TO YOUR 1472 01:17:17,037 --> 01:17:18,504 HORNY WIFE'S HAND WRAPPED AROUND YOUR [ BLEEP ] THIS MORNING. 1473 01:17:18,505 --> 01:17:21,440 Reporter: HE ASKED ABOUT SUGGESTIVE PHOTOS THE PAIR 1474 01:17:21,441 --> 01:17:25,778 SWAPPED. HE WROTE, "YOU GOT TO SEE ME 1475 01:17:25,779 --> 01:17:27,046 IN MY UNDERWEAR THIS MORNING, AND I HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO SEE 1476 01:17:27,047 --> 01:17:30,382 YOU." YOU GOT TO SEE HIM IN HIS 1477 01:17:30,383 --> 01:17:32,818 UNDERWEAR THAT MORNING? HE SENT A SNAPCHAT OF IT. 1478 01:17:32,819 --> 01:17:36,555 YES. Reporter: THE PROSECUTION 1479 01:17:36,556 --> 01:17:39,892 ALSO WANTED TO KNOW THIS. IF KARINA WAS SO INNOCENT, HOW 1480 01:17:39,893 --> 01:17:43,228 COULD SHE POSSIBLY EXPLAIN THAT TEXT EXCHANGE ABOUT PICKING UP 1481 01:17:43,229 --> 01:17:50,269 THE SHELL CASINGS? THEN HE SAYS, "REMEMBER THOSE 1482 01:17:50,270 --> 01:17:55,074 CASINGS, [ BLEEP ] REMEMBER THOSE, NO IFS, ANDS OR BUTS." 1483 01:17:55,075 --> 01:17:59,712 THAT'S WHAT HE SAID. YOU SAY, "ABSOLUTELY, 1484 01:17:59,713 --> 01:18:02,381 100 PERCENT?" THAT WAS THE SNAPCHAT I SENT, 1485 01:18:02,382 --> 01:18:04,516 YES. Reporter: YOU WATCHED KARINA 1486 01:18:04,517 --> 01:18:07,252 TESTIFY? YEP. 1487 01:18:07,253 --> 01:18:10,589 Reporter: YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT YOU WERE SEEING AND 1488 01:18:10,590 --> 01:18:15,794 HEARING. LIES, ALL LIES. 1489 01:18:15,795 --> 01:18:17,763 AND IT ACTUALLY MADE ME GO BACK AND THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING, 1490 01:18:17,764 --> 01:18:19,198 EVERY CONVERSATION I'D EVER HAD WITH HER, HOW MUCH I THOUGHT SHE 1491 01:18:19,199 --> 01:18:22,634 PROBABLY LIED DURING ALL OF THOSE ALSO. 1492 01:18:22,635 --> 01:18:25,471 Reporter: EVEN HER OWN ATTORNEYS HAD TO ADMIT, KARINA'S 1493 01:18:25,472 --> 01:18:28,640 CROSS-EXAMINATION DID NOT GO WELL. 1494 01:18:28,641 --> 01:18:32,745 CROSS-EXAMINATION WAS PRETTY BRUTAL, BUT IT WAS MORE JUST A 1495 01:18:32,746 --> 01:18:34,279 SHOCK EFFECT OF EMBARRASSING HER, AND THAT'S WHAT THE STATE 1496 01:18:34,280 --> 01:18:35,748 DID. THEY SUCCEEDED. 1497 01:18:35,749 --> 01:18:39,818 Reporter: AFTER THAT, THE CASE WENT TO THE JURY. 1498 01:18:39,819 --> 01:18:44,723 IT WAS NOT A LONG WAIT. 3 1/2 HOURS LATER-- 1499 01:18:44,724 --> 01:18:48,093 HAS THE JURY, IN FACT, REACHED A VERDICT? 1500 01:18:48,094 --> 01:18:49,695 WE HAVE, YOUR HONOR. WE, THE JURY, FIND THE 1501 01:18:49,696 --> 01:18:51,230 DEFENDANT, KARINA COOPER, GUILTY OF THE OFFENSE OF MURDER IN THE 1502 01:18:51,231 --> 01:18:52,865 FIRST DEGREE. I FELT A LOT DIFFERENT THAN I 1503 01:18:52,866 --> 01:18:55,734 THOUGHT I WOULD FEEL. IT WASN'T-- 1504 01:18:55,735 --> 01:18:59,638 Reporter: HOW SO? IT WASN'T RELIEF, IT WASN'T 1505 01:18:59,639 --> 01:19:01,674 HAPPINESS. IT WAS JUST-- I WANNA SAY IT 1506 01:19:01,675 --> 01:19:03,809 WAS SAD HOW IT WENT DOWN AND-- Reporter: YEAH. 1507 01:19:03,810 --> 01:19:08,247 I MEAN, WE LOST ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER. 1508 01:19:08,248 --> 01:19:09,648 Reporter: MM-HMM, AND IT DOESN'T BRING BACK RYAN. 1509 01:19:09,649 --> 01:19:12,017 AND IT DOESN'T BRING RYAN BACK. 1510 01:19:12,018 --> 01:19:14,086 Reporter: THE WOMEN WHO ONCE CONSIDERED KARINA A CLOSE FRIEND 1511 01:19:14,087 --> 01:19:16,255 FELT THE SAME SENSE OF EMPTINESS. 1512 01:19:16,256 --> 01:19:20,826 YEAH. NOBODY IN THEIR WILDEST DREAMS 1513 01:19:20,827 --> 01:19:23,629 WOULD EVER THINK THAT YOU WOULD HAVE A FRIEND THAT COULD DO 1514 01:19:23,630 --> 01:19:29,034 THIS. AND IT GIVES YOU A LOT OF TRUST 1515 01:19:29,035 --> 01:19:32,805 ISSUES WITH PEOPLE FROM NOW ON. Reporter: BUT FEW FELT AS 1516 01:19:32,806 --> 01:19:38,210 WOUNDED AS KARINA'S OWN BROTHER. THIS IS HARD FOR ME TO SAY. 1517 01:19:38,211 --> 01:19:40,079 I DON'T, I THINK AS KARINA AGED, SHE WASN'T MENTALLY STABLE, I 1518 01:19:40,080 --> 01:19:43,449 GUESS. I THINK SHE BELIEVED SHE WAS 1519 01:19:43,450 --> 01:19:46,485 SMARTER THAN SHE ACTUALLY WAS. NOW, DON'T GET ME WRONG. 1520 01:19:46,486 --> 01:19:49,555 SHE WAS A SMART WOMAN, BUT I BELIEVE SHE THOUGHT SHE COULD 1521 01:19:49,556 --> 01:19:53,258 ACTUALLY GET AWAY WITH THIS. Reporter: AS EXCRUCIATING AS 1522 01:19:53,259 --> 01:19:56,061 IT WAS TO SIT THROUGH THE TRIAL, RYAN'S FAMILY PREPARED TO GO 1523 01:19:56,062 --> 01:19:58,931 THROUGH IT ALL AGAIN WITH HUSTON DANKER SET TO GO ON TRIAL 1524 01:19:58,932 --> 01:20:02,301 A MONTH LATER. AFTER HIS LAST INTERVIEW WITH 1525 01:20:02,302 --> 01:20:05,404 POLICE, PROSECUTORS EXPECTED DANKER TO BLAME KARINA FOR THE 1526 01:20:05,405 --> 01:20:09,341 MURDER SCHEME. BUT BY NOW, THEY'D ALSO DONE A 1527 01:20:09,342 --> 01:20:12,111 DEEP DIVE INTO HIS ELECTONICS. AND IT TURNED OUT, HE WASN'T THE 1528 01:20:12,112 --> 01:20:14,947 MOST CLEVER CRIMINAL WHEN IT CAME TO SEARCHING THE WEB. 1529 01:20:14,948 --> 01:20:17,616 TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS HE WAS SEARCHING FOR. 1530 01:20:17,617 --> 01:20:20,252 UH, CONSIDERING DIFFERENT POTENTIAL POISONS. 1531 01:20:20,253 --> 01:20:23,522 THE BEST GUN TO USE TO KILL SOMEONE. 1532 01:20:23,523 --> 01:20:26,725 Reporter: THE QUESTIONS INCLUDED, "HOW DO PEOPLE GET 1533 01:20:26,726 --> 01:20:30,496 CAUGHT FOR SHOOTING" AND "THE BEST WAY TO KILL SOMEBODY WITH 1534 01:20:30,497 --> 01:20:33,465 NO EVIDENCE." MAYBE THAT'S WHY HE CHANGED HIS 1535 01:20:33,466 --> 01:20:38,037 MIND AS THE TRIAL WAS BEGINNING. THAT MORNING OF JURY 1536 01:20:38,038 --> 01:20:40,773 SELECTION, I GOT CALLED FROM MIKE RINGLE, THE PROSECUTOR, 1537 01:20:40,774 --> 01:20:43,108 AND-- "HEY, ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AGO HE PLED GUILTY." 1538 01:20:43,109 --> 01:20:47,646 Reporter: WOW. EVERYTHING CAME TO A SCREECHING 1539 01:20:47,647 --> 01:20:50,649 HALT. IT DID, AND THAT WAS A GOOD 1540 01:20:50,650 --> 01:20:55,421 FEELING, JUST NOT HAVING TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN WAS GOOD. 1541 01:20:55,422 --> 01:21:02,428 Reporter: BOTH KARINA AND HUSTON DANKER WERE AUTOMATICALLY 1542 01:21:02,429 --> 01:21:07,099 SENTENCED TO LIFE BEHIND BARS. RYAN'S CHILDREN NOW LIVE WITH 1543 01:21:07,100 --> 01:21:09,535 THEIR UNCLE AARON AND HIS WIFE. AND THEIR UNCLE KURT HAS FOUND A 1544 01:21:09,536 --> 01:21:12,905 WAY TO STAY IN THEIR LIVES, DESPITE THE HORRIBLE THINGS HIS 1545 01:21:12,906 --> 01:21:15,307 SISTER DID. I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S AWKWARD 1546 01:21:15,308 --> 01:21:18,077 ANYMORE. UM, IT WAS IN THE BEGINNING, YOU 1547 01:21:18,078 --> 01:21:22,214 KNOW. BUT IT'S JUST NOT ANYMORE 1548 01:21:22,215 --> 01:21:28,487 BECAUSE THEY'RE SO GREAT. THEY'RE ANOTHER GOOD FAMILY. 1549 01:21:28,488 --> 01:21:31,857 Reporter: LIFE ON THE FAMILY FARM CHURNS ON THROUGH SEASONS 1550 01:21:31,858 --> 01:21:34,827 OF PLANTING AND HARVESTS. AARON BUILT A NEW, BIGGER HOUSE 1551 01:21:34,828 --> 01:21:39,198 ON THE LAND WHERE THE KIDS CAN GROW UP WITH THEIR COUSINS, WHO 1552 01:21:39,199 --> 01:21:41,367 ARE REALLY LIKE SIBLINGS NOW. WHAT'S LIFE LIKE ON THE FARM NOW 1553 01:21:41,368 --> 01:21:42,634 THAT YOU'VE DOUBLED-- YEAH. 1554 01:21:42,635 --> 01:21:43,936 Reporter:-- YOUR CHILDREN, THREE TO SIX. 1555 01:21:43,937 --> 01:21:47,506 YEAH. IT'S BUSY. 1556 01:21:47,507 --> 01:21:49,308 THERE'S USUALLY SOMETHING GOING ON AT ALL TIMES. 1557 01:21:49,309 --> 01:21:51,343 SO IT'S-- Reporter: YEAH. 1558 01:21:51,344 --> 01:21:57,449 >>-- SOMEWHAT OUT OF CONTROL CHAOS. 1559 01:21:57,450 --> 01:22:01,553 IT'S A RIDE. Reporter: A RIDE. 1560 01:22:01,554 --> 01:22:03,055 JUST LIKE RYAN, A MAN WHO LOVED FARM AND FAMILY, WOULD HAVE 1561 01:22:03,056 --> 01:22:12,064 WANTED. OF "DATELINE." 1562 01:22:12,065 --> 01:22:14,933 AND DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT OUR "TALKING DATELINE" PODCAST 1563 01:22:14,934 --> 01:22:21,106 IN WHICH WE'LL GO BEHIND THE SCENES OF TONIGHT'S EPISODE, 1564 01:22:21,107 --> 01:22:22,675 AVAILABLE WEDNESDAY IN THE "DATELINE" FEED WHEREVER YOU GET 1565 01:22:22,676 --> 01:22:24,376 YOUR PODCASTS. WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT FRIDAY 1566 01:22:24,377 --> 01:22:26,612 AT 9:00/8:00 CENTRAL. I'M LESTER HOLT. 1567 01:22:26,613 --> 01:22:33,086 FOR ALL OF US AT NBC NEWS,