ERIC RICHINS: Utah vs. Kouri Richins - Murder via fentanyl poisoning *TRIAL IN PROGRESS* (1 Viewer)

Utah mom accused of killing husband with fentanyl in drink tried to poison him multiple times before, family says

Despite the suspicions, Eric Richins stayed in the marriage with Kouri Richins because of his children, his family's spokesperson said.

www.nbcnews.com

May 10, 2023, 6:16 PM EDT / Updated May 11, 2023, 9:18 AM EDT
By Minyvonne Burke, Antonio Planas and Andrew Blankstein

A Utah man who died after his wife allegedly spiked his drink with fentanyl — and then wrote a children's book about grief — had suspected she tried to poison him multiple times and said “she was to blame” if anything happened to him, according to court records.

Despite the suspicions, a family spokesperson told NBC News on Wednesday that Eric Richins stayed in the marriage with Kouri Richins because of his children.


Eric Richins, 39, died March 4, 2022, at his home in Kamas, about 40 miles southeast of Salt Lake City, after he was found unresponsive in his bedroom. Kouri Richins, 33, was arrested Monday on charges of aggravated murder and three counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

An attorney for Kouri Richins, Skye Lazaro, declined to comment Wednesday.

According to affidavits for search warrants obtained Wednesday from the Summit County Sheriff's Office, relatives of Eric Richins told investigators to look into his wife's involvement.

"They advised he warned them that if anything happened to him she was to blame," the records said. Eric Richins, according to the records, suspected his wife had tried to poison him on multiple occasions.

"According to a sister, Eric and his wife went to Greece a few years ago and after his wife gave him a drink he became violently ill and called his sister saying he believed his wife had tried to kill him," the records said.

"On Valentine’s Day of 2022, his wife brought him a sandwich, which after one bite Eric broke into hives and couldn’t breathe. He used his son’s epi-pen as well as Benadryl before passing out for several hours," according to the records.

He was looking into a divorce and had changed his power of attorney, his will and the beneficiary of his life insurance policy from his wife to his sister, the records said.

Two family members said Eric Richins told them he was worried “Kouri would kill him for money and he wanted to make sure the kids were taken care of financially,” the records said.

<snip>

The medical examiner said that he had five times the lethal dosage of fentanyl in his system and that it was "illicit" fentanyl, not medical-grade. It is also believed he ingested the drugs orally, according to the statement.

It appears she never performed CPR on him as she claimed, the search warrant records said, because of the large amount of blood that came from his mouth.

His family said that Eric Richins never told his wife he had “cut her out of the will” and that the couple were also arguing over buying a $2 million home that she wanted to flip, according to the records.

The family said he was planning to tell her he wasn’t going to sign the papers, but the day after his death, she signed the closing papers on the home, the records said.

After she closed on the home, she invited her friends over for a large party at her home where she was drinking and celebrating, an affidavit for a search warrant said.

 

[Kimster]

Is Nate doing recaps on this trial at the end of the day? I didn't see any pop up last night and just now wondered.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Is Nate doing recaps on this trial at the end of the day? I didn't see any pop up last night and just now wondered.

I believe so. I've watched someone else's even though I've seen basically all of the trial so far, the recaps help too. I'm not sure if he's doing them at night or in morning? I haven't looked. I do know he's got a source who is attending the trial that tells him what some exhibits show, etc. that he then shares during his day time things I think because when they were showing exhibits we weren't seeing on the live feed I am watching, people in chat were saying Nate said these three pics showed these things, etc. He IS livestream it and I believe doing recaps.

Actually now that I think about it, I think I did see one pop up last night. It was just over an hour long but I'd already watched another that was much shorter. And just did not have another HOUR in me yesterday. So yes, I did see one. He tends to be somewhat late at night, I know that. Compared to others. Time zone and life I guess.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I do have to say with the last witness today they are starting to lead up to something... Was interesting... FOUR cell phones they did Cellebrite on...Defense to me seems to be worried... THey also opened some of the evidence of pill bottles for what reason is so far unclear... The prosecution did finish with her but it was long and interesting... Defense will start with her tomorrow, but they are building towards something. Everything has been very methodical in order, building the story imo.

 

[GrandmaBear]

@Kimster If you want a shorter recap and to not spend so much time, try Gigi's, Pretty Lies and Alibis, she is doing them daily. She makes me think of Linda, these women can pack a LOT into a very short time frame. Nate I love too but his are longer, may include more though. I do his if I haven't watched the trial but I've already watched two days of the trial so just need the highlights and things maybe I missed and not another hour. She's one anyhow Several are doing recaps though. Prof Jo, STS, CC, I can't even think of all of them. Nate of course. Gigi. I think LYK is and LL. I believe.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Here is Gigi's recap for today already put out two hours ago. I think she is doing them on breaks as the live goes on and so they are out almost immediately after the day of trial. Just 18 minutes I think. She can really pack it into a short time frame, so for anyone who does not have the time or just aren't into this trial or case a lot but want to kind of know about it, it would be a good one. She has one yesterday too.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Here is Gigi's recap for today already put out two hours ago. I think she is doing them on breaks as the live goes on and so they are out almost immediately after the day of trial. Just 18 minutes I think. She can really pack it into a short time frame, so for anyone who does not have the time or just aren't into this trial or case a lot but want to kind of know about it, it would be a good one. She has one yesterday too.

Okay I do need to point out, I now watched this and it's good, but she did not get up to and through the last witness on it. I'm trying to ercall what she said she is doing in this trial but I think she's like at noon break or so getting one done on the witnesses through a good part of the day and then at the end of this one she says she will do another later tonight getting the last parts of trial for the day in. I think she may join the two after, that, not sure, but to be up to date look for her other one too.

The witness in this one, well a couple, are good and leading up to more. The one at the end of the day is really leading up to something but that one isn't on here. Every single witness seems to be leading somewhere in order. The first ones through yesterday and today were a lot of people who were at the scene but now we are getting towards search warrant searches that came after and evidence found and more. Oh and of all things a pair of tweezers seem to be a big deal.

Gigi has said there is going to be a lot in this trial she feels that is new to us for digital trails, and more. Texts. More.

I wasn't going to share a lot here but if a few are interested I'll do some basic takes and I will respond to people.

Cathy Nestor, who is supposed to be so good, and I suppose she is somewhat for a defense atty and she's oh so friendly to the witnesses and even jokes some but don't trust it, she pulls all the tricks and she continues her disrespectful, almost knows more than him attitude toward the judge. Well most of us all love this judge and I'm guessing the jury does too so seems not so wise to me... But they seem to be worried at the defense table with the last witnesses for sure... You'd think they'd know where it is going but I'm not so sure they do and they and Kouri seem a bit worried. She of course had to make some again ridiculous imo arguments.

Something else going on has been hard to understand for me Defense seems to be going way beyond scope in cross. No channel I've touched quite understood it or could give answers either but tonight I hard Prof Jo who felt bad for not knowing had looked into it and I guess in some jurisdictions and some trials they can do that, it's called something scope, can't remember the word for something. To me it's like there is almost no scope to stay in. And even more irritating defense is often getting the last word with the P witnesses. Can't remember seeing that much either. Usually P gets last word on their redirect on their side of the case.

I do NOT like that SH*T.

BUT I don't think they are loved for their behavior, the male defense atty shaped up today, he was rude as heck to the officer yesterday and he came in nicer today. People think he or they are reading online comments and looking at memes about him and who knows...

So those are some of my takes. I'm not going to do them if no interest but anyhow mostly wanted to say Gig's that I linked is not the full day.

 

[GrandmaBear]

@Kimster Here is nate's for tonight/today if you prefer his.

 

[GrandmaBear]

And here is the rest of Gigi's, for the afternoon today, just 7 and 1/2 minutes about.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Boy I missed a bit of the last witness. As to dates, etc. So they went in with a warrant (they did many) about a month after Eric died and having had prevously found no gummies or drug paraphanalia, now they find tons of gummies and chocolate bars, tweezers in her pocket with a small bit of plastic, Eric's cell phone is all of a sudden present, a document or two, etc. A month later they did another and found an orange hidden notebook, an I phone, and a document found they took, etc. Another search a few months down the line in November, they find a timeline,, and Christmas coupons that were handwritten. Outside of the home they seize two cell phones, from Kouri's handyman lover. She explains that back in 2022 sheriff's office did not have the software to download the contents of the phone but in 2023 they did get Cellebrite to download it. She assisted in downloading the phones. They also took one from the housekeeper Carmen Lauber (this is the housekeeper Kouri had get the fentanyl from her dealer.

This is just one witness Gigi covered in 7.5 minutes so there's more than all that I just detailed! She packs it IN.

It ended there with direct. Tomorrow will be cross. This is GOOD stuff and is leading somewhere. Cross will be I'm sure forever and a lot to watch and antagonize most. Guessing it will be Nestor herself but not sure yet. They have several D attys. 3 for sure I know of.

I watched today but I missed some of these details. Gigi's are good ones to watch imo.

 

[Kimster]

I watched Gigi’s 2 recaps from yesterday, and then Nate Eaton. I prefer Nate and let me explain why.

Gigi’s was factual, and to the point. If this case was one that I had followed from the beginning and knew the ins and outs of, I would prefer her updates. However, after I stopped watching, I really didn’t understand the big picture of the case at all. When I watch Nate, he had more visuals and he explained the ins and outs. Little bit longer to watch, but it helped me get caught up with what’s going on.

 

[Kimster]

My big takeout from this trial so far it was Kouri’s response. Watching her in the video where she’s got her head buried and her leg shaking made me think more of someone who was thinking “Oh, what have I done? What have I done?”

Also, if he was one that used fentanyl, why wasn’t there any other fentanyl in the house? Or evidence of where fentanyl was stored or anything else? People that use drugs usually have some kind of paraphernalia around.

I had other thoughts, but those were the two predominant ones that I took from the trial so far.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Well it wasn't going long and all of a sudden judge had a schedule conflict so court had to be delayed for an hour break. Messed up day already.

Nestor is questioning the last witness which I expect to take up a fair amount of time. She got in trouble for constantly using the term y'all. Lol. Intentional I'm sure and she says she will try but due to her southern thing, it is part of her vocabulary so it's hard to do. When she says y'all she is talking the whole sheriff's dept, medical examiners, detectives, etc., she keeps trying to make it this bad "group"... She doesn't say they are bad but if you get my gist, anytime she questions their procedures, it is y'all to the witness. So did y'all do this, or that and is that how it should be done.

Anyhow, expect her to continue in the same vein, but I wonder where the P is going next with this... Things are starting to bubble and heat up imo. Lol.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I watched Gigi’s 2 recaps from yesterday, and then Nate Eaton. I prefer Nate and let me explain why.

Gigi’s was factual, and to the point. If this case was one that I had followed from the beginning and knew the ins and outs of, I would prefer her updates. However, after I stopped watching, I really didn’t understand the big picture of the case at all. When I watch Nate, he had more visuals and he explained the ins and outs. Little bit longer to watch, but it helped me get caught up with what’s going on.

Oh I get it. I know the case and have been watching the full trial thus far and so her recaps do it for me, in fact, I probably wouldn't even need to watch one but it's impossible not to miss something when watching one, I have gotten phone calls every day since the trial started, had an appt., etc. so I did miss some things.

Nate does do a fuller one.

I offered her as a good option/alternative to anyone with not enough time for Nate's. If one knows the case, she pulls the key stuff and keeps them short.

They both have great channels, great live feeds for the trial, and friendly chats. I am bouncing around a bit as to who I watch during the day. I support others as well. Scott has it, CC does, all friendly chats too, no trolls in any of these. Love a friendly chat.

 

[GrandmaBear]

My big takeout from this trial so far it was Kouri’s response. Watching her in the video where she’s got her head buried and her leg shaking made me think more of someone who was thinking “Oh, what have I done? What have I done?”

Also, if he was one that used fentanyl, why wasn’t there any other fentanyl in the house? Or evidence of where fentanyl was stored or anything else? People that use drugs usually have some kind of paraphernalia around.

I had other thoughts, but those were the two predominant ones that I took from the trial so far.

Yep seemed to be more drug stuff around when they came back with a warrant a month later. Kouri might be the one with the problem...

See now to me she isn't "what have I done"? To me it's all fake. She hid her face for hours because she had no real tears or grief and knew it might show imo. The shaking is put on too. I know someone in my life who does the shaking thing a lot, and it's put on in her case too. Boy do people fall for it though, are you OKAY they ask her? What's wrong. One day I caught onto it and also to how she does it. Hers is far more convincing than Kouri's lol.

I DO think she might not have expected quite the reaction she got the night she killed him. Maybe she thought they'd just call it this or that with info she told them and that would be it. Think Chad Daybell and Tammy for instance... He had them out of there in no time, no questions to speak of... He supplied the answers and they bought it...

 

[GrandmaBear]

Watching her in previous hearings too, one gets a good glimpse of how she is. She smirks and can hardly control it and she is trying to at trial really hard. She wrote the Walk the Dog Letter telling her brother and mom what to say to help her out. She pulled all sorts of stunts.

She's as cold and evil as they come and she was happy about Eric's death and there's evidence of that too. And there's motive/s all over the place.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Not sure what is going on here but judge just sent the jury home for the day!! First he had a conflict and some other court matter to handle, hearing, we don't know. They finally come back, late, and should proceed but everyone got sent home the minute they were back!!

I think something's up, let's hope it isn't something that will cause a mistrial. WTH?

 

[GrandmaBear]

There was almost no trial today, very short. But here is Nate's. And it was interesting in the time there was...

When Nestor (D atty) is telling the witness to be careful and try to match her language, it is clear that something shouldn't be said by all parties imo. But she led her into by saying was there a time she was downloading recorded phone calls between Kouri and her family... She doesn't make it clear what she means over a couple of questions and then the witness says are you talking about jail calls? And Nestor moves to strike because it is not to be known Kouri is in jail I suppose, or was, or whatever jury might think. Duh. Jurors aren't dumb, she's charged with murder. But a bit of an uproar. Nestor saying y'all. Just one example of today, the brief bit of testimony there was pretty impactful They also want the 911 call in in its entirety and I believe it contains things that Kouri tried to plant as fact... Then a beef frig and liquore "store" downstairs in the house...

This is getting interesting but today it ended like bam.

 

[GrandmaBear]

So for the very short bit of testimony there was, it was something... And Nate points those things out...

Short show, just 1/2 hour but you'd think it would be 10 minutes for almost no testimony but it was again an active bit of testimony/activity.

Worth watching.

 

[Kimster]

I watched it, and for those who wonder about what they might see, they had a gal who collects the evidence. And they made it clear that she never went into the kitchen.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Defense called out (finally) on trying to get expert fact witnesses to go with hypothetical b.s. We've seen a few witnesses this morning and they are trying to get them to say things like Eric must have used fentanyl prior. Witnesses have refused to be led but the D keeps trying. It's sickening. Prosecution finally called it out.

Been a lot of breaks already and a long lunch today now which is not typical.

Judge made a BIG point to say to the attorneys if they saw any witnesses out and about they are to STAY AWAY from them. That struck me quite odd, a pretty big emphasis on it (of course jury did not hear this part). They've made it look like yesterday had nothing to do with this trial (the abrupt shutting down early) but that made me wonder again...

They are leading up to the cell phone evidence is where it is right now...

For anyone interested.