PARK CITY, Utah — A Utah mother who became a children’s book author following the death of her husband faces trial after being accused of his murder by poisoning, a judge determined Tuesday. Kouri Richins, 34, a mother of three from a small mountain town near Park City, allegedly administered a fatal dose of fentanyl to her husband, Eric Richins, 39, in March 2022.
During the conclusion of a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, state Judge Richard Mrazik found sufficient evidence presented by prosecutors to move forward with a jury trial, where Richins will face multiple felony charges including murder.
Prosecutors allege that Richins poisoned her husband by spiking his Moscow mule cocktail with five times the lethal dose of the synthetic opioid. The decision for trial followed unsettling details revealed about a previous attempt on Eric Richins’ life. According to authorities, earlier in February 2022, Kouri Richins supposedly attempted to poison her husband with fentanyl hidden in a sandwich, leading to a severe reaction but not death.
In courtroom testimonials, it emerged that after surviving the sandwich incident, Eric hypothesized to friends that his wife tried to poison him, following which he self-administered an EpiPen and consumed a significant amount of Benadryl. This claim surged after Carmen Lauber, the family’s housekeeper, reportedly acted as an intermediary for Kouri Richins to acquire stronger doses of fentanyl, as stated by Detective Jeff O’Driscoll.
Summit County prosecutor Brad Bloodworth elaborated that Kouri Richins seemed to have learned from the unsuccessful first attempt. He accused her of perfecting her method prior to succeeding in her fatal attempt, which took place just weeks later.
During these proceedings, defense attorneys Kathy Nester and Wendy Lewis contested the presence of fentanyl in the Richins’ residence and the connection of the purchased drugs to the ones in Eric Richins’ system. Nevertheless, Judge Mrazik expressed skepticism towards the impact of these arguments on the probable cause for the charges.
Notably, financial motives might have played a role in the alleged crime. Prosecutors highlighted that Kouri Richins might have believed she would inherit her husband’s estate under their prenuptial agreement and had taken out nearly $2 million in life insurance policies on him without his knowledge.
Before her arrest in May 2023, Kouri Richins published a children’s book titled “Are You with Me?” which features a story of a deceased father watching over his child. This publication could become a significant element of the prosecution’s case, potentially portrayed as an attempt to cover-up the true nature of her husband’s death.
As preparations for trial proceed, a pretrial conference has been scheduled for Sept. 23, dedicated to discussions on jury selection. The impending trial, set to commence on April 28, will determine if Kouri Richins’ steadfast declarations of innocence hold any weight against the heavy allegations of murder framed by the prosecutors.