A woman who authored a children’s book about dealing with loss following her spouse’s passing has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering her husband. Kouri Richins, aged 35, was convicted of poisoning her 39-year-old husband Eric Richins with a fentanyl-laced drink at their residence near Park City, Utah, in March 2022. The court found her guilty of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, fraud, and forgery. Prosecutors revealed that Richins, a real estate agent, had previously attempted to poison her husband with a fentanyl-laced sandwich on Valentine’s Day before ultimately administering a lethal dose of the opioid in his drink.
Evidence presented in court showed that Richins, facing significant debt in her house-flipping business, had ambitions of starting a new life with another man. She had secretly taken out multiple life insurance policies on her husband and had hoped to inherit his estate, valued at over $4 million. On what would have been Eric Richins’ 44th birthday, Kouri Richins received a life sentence without the possibility of parole at the Summit County Courthouse.
Richins was apprehended in May 2023 while promoting her children’s book ‘Are You with Me?’ about a boy navigating the loss of his father. Throughout the trial, family members of Mr. Richins fondly remembered him as an adept outdoorsman, dedicated businessman, and loving father to his three young sons, aged five, seven, and nine at the time of his death.
Text messages between Richins and her lover, internet searches on lethal doses of fentanyl, and other incriminating evidence were presented during the trial. Witnesses testified to Richins’ previous attempt to poison her husband on Valentine’s Day, resulting in a severe allergic reaction. The court heard that Richins had purchased fentanyl pills around the same time as the poisoning attempt.
Despite Richins choosing not to testify, a jury of eight individuals deliberated for under three hours before finding her guilty on all charges. In response to the conviction, Eric Richins’ sister expressed relief at the justice served for her brother and emphasized the focus on supporting his children. Richins, addressing the court for the first time during her sentencing, asserted her innocence to her sons, whom she has been separated from since early 2024.
Prosecutors recommended a life sentence without parole for Richins to protect the interests of her sons and ensure closure for them. The couple’s eldest son expressed fear of his mother potentially harming their family if released.
