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In a gripping courtroom drama unfolding in Utah, Kouri Richins stands accused of a heinous act: the murder of her husband, Eric Richins. This case has garnered significant attention, not only due to the nature of the accusations but also because Richins later penned a children’s book on dealing with grief, seemingly in the wake of her husband’s death.
The Salt Lake Tribune highlights that Richins is confronting a multitude of charges. Allegations against her go beyond the act of murder. Prosecutors assert that she engaged in an extramarital affair, fraudulently altered a life insurance policy, and ultimately poisoned her husband by lacing his Moscow Mule cocktail with fentanyl.
- Aggravated murder
- Attempted aggravated murder
- Insurance fraud
- Forgery
Her defense team paints a different picture, portraying Richins as a devoted mother anxious to return to her children. However, the prosecution, led by chief prosecutor Bradley Bloodworth, presented a starkly different narrative during the trial’s opening statements. Bloodworth argued that evidence would show Richins killed Eric Richins for financial gain and to carve out a new life, as reported by NBC News.
Further insights from CrimeOnline reveal that tensions in the Richins’ marriage began to surface around 2020. It was during this time that Eric reportedly discovered that his finances were being misused, with allegations pointing towards his wife as the perpetrator. This revelation is said to have marked the beginning of a turbulent period that culminated in the tragic events currently being scrutinized in court.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, charging documents indicated that the marriage ran into trouble in 2020, when Eric said he had discovered “ongoing abuse and misuse of his finances” at the hands of the defendant.
Eric subsequently removed Kouri Richins as the beneficiary from his life insurance policy, and transferred the trust to his company interest and residence to his sister.
Kouri Richins later allegedly falsified court documents in an attempt to get a loan, according to prosecutors.
In 2022, she applied for a life insurance policy for Eric, and allegedly forged his signature. Also that year, she obtained fentanyl from an acquaintance, according to the charging documents.
Days later,while speaking to a friend, Eric Richins asserted that the defendant “tried to poison me.”
Months after acquiring the synthetic opioid, Richins allegedly paid the same acquaintance for additional fentanyl.
On March 4, 2022, Kouri Richins contacted 911 and said her husband had stopped breathing. He was pronounced dead at pronounced dead at 4:58 a.m. that morning.
The defendant later self-published a children’s book titled “Are You with Me?” about a father, depicted with angel wings, watching over his young son after his death.
Kouri Richins’ attorney Kathryn Nester, told the court that Eric did not finish the Moscow Mule drink on the night in question and that investigators never tested the cup for evidence.
A medical examiner, however, stated that Eric had “illicit” fentanyl in his system, at five times the lethal dosage.
Police arrested Kouri Richins in May 2023.
Additional charges filed accused her of a previous attempt to kill Eric by spiking his sandwich on Valentine’s Day 2022.
“After one bite, Eric broke into hives and couldn’t breathe,” an arrest affidavit read. “He used his son’s EpiPen and Benadryl “before passing out for several hours.”
Richins, a mother of three children, has maintained her innocence.
Check back for updates.
[Feature Photo: Kouri and Eric Richins/Facebook]