Author Charged in Husband’s Poisoning Death Returns to Court

A Utah woman, Kouri Richins, is set to appear in court this Monday for the beginning of a multi-day hearing to determine whether there is sufficient evidence for prosecutors to proceed with a trial. Authorities allege that Richins fatally poisoned her husband, Eric Richins, and subsequently authored a children’s book focused on dealing with grief.

Kouri Richins, 34, faces several felony charges related to the alleged murder of her husband with a lethal dose of fentanyl in March 2022. Prosecutors claim that she unlawfully administered five times the lethal dosage of the synthetic opioid into a Moscow mule cocktail that her husband consumed. Furthermore, she faces additional charges stemming from an alleged prior attempt to poison him with a tainted sandwich on Valentine’s Day.

Throughout this process, Richins has consistently maintained her innocence. Judge Richard Mrazik delayed the hearing in May after prosecutors indicated they would need three consecutive days to present their evidence. Complications arose when Richins’ private attorneys withdrew from the case. After determining that she could no longer afford private representation, public defenders Wendy Lewis and Kathy Nester were appointed to represent her.

Prior to her arrest in May 2023, Richins published a book titled “Are You with Me?” which tells the story of a father with angel wings watching over his son after his death. This book may play a crucial role in the prosecution’s case, portraying Eric Richins’ death as a premeditated crime with attempts to cover it up. Prosecutors argue that Kouri Richins was making undisclosed financial arrangements and purchasing illegal drugs as her husband began to suspect her motives.

Both the defense and prosecution will present witnesses and evidence to support their respective narratives. After the hearing, Judge Mrazik is expected to decide if there is enough evidence to move forward with the trial.

Potential witnesses include relatives of both Kouri and Eric Richins, a housekeeper who allegedly sold Kouri the drug in question, as well as friends of Eric who claimed to have had conversations with him on the day he was reportedly poisoned.

Police documents detail an alleged interaction between Kouri Richins and her housekeeper, in which Kouri purportedly expressed dissatisfaction with the strength of previous fentanyl pills and requested “some of the Michael Jackson stuff.”

Richins’ former lead attorney, Skye Lazaro, has argued that the housekeeper may have motivations to fabricate her testimony, especially given her own legal troubles related to drugs. Lazaro also pointed out that Eric Richins’ sisters might hold biases against Kouri due to ongoing disputes regarding Eric’s estate.

A petition from his sister, Katie Richins, presents claims that Kouri had financial incentives for her husband’s death, citing her opening of life insurance policies worth nearly $2 million without his knowledge, coupled with a misunderstanding of her inheritance rights under their prenuptial agreement.

In May, Kouri Richins was found guilty of misdemeanor assault against her other sister-in-law shortly after Eric’s death. During the argument, which was reportedly about access to her late husband’s safe, Kouri allegedly struck Amy Richins in the face.

In addition to aggravated murder, Kouri Richins is also facing charges of assault, drug-related offenses, mortgage fraud, forgery, and insurance fraud, having been accused of deceiving lenders and claiming insurance benefits after her husband’s death.

A day after Eric Richins passed away, Kouri closed on a significant acquisition for her house flipping business—a $3.9 million mansion in Heber City, Utah. Family members indicated that Eric was initially supportive of Kouri’s business venture, believing they could profit substantially if managed correctly.

However, a search warrant revealed that Eric’s family conveyed to investigators that he had reservations about the property purchase and that disagreements about it had arisen prior to his death. “He was on board with supporting his wife,” said Greg Skordas, a family spokesman, “but that doesn’t mean he agreed with it.”