Utah mother of 3 and self-published children’s book author Kouri Richins will stand trial after being arrested for the death by poisoning of her husband, Eric Richins. Before getting married, the two had both signed a prenup agreeing that their current and future assets were separate unless Eric passed away. In that case, his business and masonry would become Kouri’s. Marrying in 2013, Kouri and Eric had 5 children together but had a rocky marriage; however, their families assumed the couple was in the best spot they had ever been until Eric was found dead in the middle of the night on March 4, 2022.
A year after her husband’s death, Kouri Richins self-published a children’s book that discussed how to cope with grief, which was meant to help her children process their father’s death. Two months after she published her book, she was arrested and accused of poisoning her husband with a lethal dose of fentanyl.
Charges Filed
The days following Eric’s death were eventful. The day after, Kouri Richins closed on a multimillion dollar home from her real estate business. She originally purchased the home to fix and sell it for a large profit. Though she claimed that Eric was on board, his family claimed he was unhappy, and the couple and the family argued about it often. The day after the home closing, Kouri allegedly fought with Eric’s sister, becoming angry and physically aggressive. Later, she was charged with assault, to which she pleaded no contest.
The month following Eric’s death, an autopsy revealed that he overdosed on fentanyl. It was reported that he had 15 ng/mL in his system, which is five times the lethal dose. No charges were filed then, however. In March of 2023, a year later, Kouri Richins published her children’s book, Are You With Me? Two months later, on May 8, 2023, Kouri Richins was arrested for the murder of her husband. She is facing 11 charges, including first-degree murder, attempted murder, possession of controlled substances, and multiple counts of fraud.
The Upcoming Trial
The main person of interest in Eric Richins’ death was Kouri. The detective on his case did not interview anyone else, though they did question a witness, the Richins’ cleaning lady. The prosecution claims that Kouri bought drugs from the cleaning lady, specifically the fentanyl that killed him. They claim it is not the first time Kouri has bought drugs to poison her husband. On Valentine’s Day in 2022, Eric thought he was poisoned after eating a sandwich, but it was not a lethal amount. After that poisoning attempt, there is alleged evidence Kouri asked her cleaning lady for stronger stuff.
Kouri Richins’ preliminary hearing began on August 26, 2024 and lasted a few days. It is alleged she spiked her husband’s Moscow Mule the night he died. Kouri has maintained her innocence and pleaded not guilty to all 11 charges. A trial date has yet to be scheduled, although it is expected to start in 2025. The prosecution and defense will meet on September 26 for jury selection.
Final Thoughts
Kouri Richins, mother of three and children’s book author, is being held for the murder of her husband. The book she published after his death is expected to be used as key evidence against her during her trial. She requested bail after being arrested in May 2023 and had her first public hearing on June 12, 2023. After four hours of the prosecution questioning several witnesses and presenting their evidence, Kouri was denied bail. She has been held in jail since and will continue to be held until her trial.
