ERIC RICHINS: Utah vs. Kouri Richins - Murder via fentanyl poisoning

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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.
 

MAY 19, 2023 / 7:10 AM / CBS/AP

A Utah woman who wrote a children's book about grief after her husband's death and was later arrested on accusations of killing him made changes to her husband's life insurance years before he was fatally poisoned, according to charging documents updated Thursday.

The additional allegations, which were previously mentioned in search warrants but not the charging documents, led to the postponement of a detention hearing scheduled for Friday that would have been the first time Kouri Richins was in court since her case became the latest true crime sensation earlier this month. The hearing has been rescheduled for June 12.

Prosecutors say Kouri Richins, 33, poisoned her husband, Eric Richins, 39, by slipping five times the lethal dose of fentanyl into a cocktail she made for him in March 2022. The mother of three later self-published a children's book titled "Are You with Me?" about an angel wing-clad deceased father watching over his sons. She promoted it on television and radio, describing the book as a way to help children grieve the loss of a loved one.

Years before, Kouri Richins bought four life insurance policies on her husband's life without his knowledge from 2015 to 2017 with benefits totaling nearly $2 million, prosecutors alleged in the documents updated Thursday.

The documents don't disclose when Eric Richins discovered the changes but do say he met with a divorce attorney and estate planner in October 2020, a month after he discovered his wife had carried out several other major financial moves without his knowledge.

Prosecutors said Eric Richins found out that his wife had taken out a $250,000 home equity line of credit and spent it, withdrawn $100,000 from his bank accounts, and spent more than $30,000 on his credit cards, according to the documents. Kouri Richins also stole about $134,000 from her husband's business meant for tax payments, the documents state.


She agreed to repay her husband when he confronted her, according to the documents.

<snip>

Skordas said Richins' three children are staying with an unnamed relative while their mother awaits trial. Katie Richins-Benson, Eric Richins' sister and the trustee to his estate, filed for guardianship over the children.

<snip>

Kouri Richins and her sister-in-law had a fight the day after Eric Richins' death at the family home, according to the documents. Kouri Richins subsequently sued for more than $3.6 million and to remove Katie Richins-Benson as trustee, arguing that a prenuptial agreement she and her husband signed entitled her to his assets if he died before they divorced.
 

by: Megan Pickett
Posted: May 18, 2023 / 05:40 PM MDT
Updated: May 19, 2023 / 05:03 PM MDT

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC4) — Kouri Richins’ detention hearing, which was scheduled for Friday, May 19, was postponed due to amended charges which included new insights into the case.

Richins was charged on May 8 with criminal homicide, aggravated murder, a first-degree felony, two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, second-degree felonies, and one possession of a controlled substance. The last charge was amended May 18 to include intent to distribute.

Her amended charges included all new information on the events leading up to the murder of Kouri’s husband, Eric Richins. Her detention hearing has been postponed to June 12.

<snip>

In December 2020, Eric consulted a divorce lawyer and estate planning lawyer. Unknown to Kouri Richins, Eric Richins changed his will and placed his estate under the control of his sister Kate Richins-Benson. He also formed the Eric Richins Living Trust in 2020 and designated the trust as the beneficiary $500,000 life insurance policy instead of Kouri. A living trust is a legal document that acts as a will so that money can be distributed after death.

C.L. stated that in order to fulfill Kouri Richins’ request for fentanyl, she messaged one of her acquaintances, who provided her with the phone number of a drug dealer. C.L. said she met with the drug dealer at the Maverick gas station in Draper on Feb 11, 2022, and purchased 15-30 round light green-blue pills, which she understood to be fentanyl. She said she delivered these pills to Kouri in the driveway of a home in Heber City.

Prior to March 1, 2022, Kouri Richins’ outstanding state and federal tax liability was $189,000 and she owed a hard money lender at least $1,847,760. She also owed Eric Richins at least $514,346.

In late February 2022, Kouri Richins said the fentanyl was not strong enough and asked for stronger fentanyl. Kouri Richins allegedly procured another $900 worth of fentanyl pills that C.L. at the outdoor firepit of the Midway House.

On March 6, 2023, Kouri Richins arranged for a locksmith to drill Eric Richins’ safe, which contained between $125,000 and $165,000 in cash. When Eric Richins’ sister Katie suggested Kouri Richins did not have the authority to open his safe because there was a trustee. Kouri Richins allegedly punched Katie in the face and neck. Deputies responded and called Eric Richins’ estate planning lawyer, and this is when Kouri learned of the existence of the Eric Richins Living Trust.
 

by KC Wildmoon
May 19, 2023

<snip>

Then, earlier this year, he discovered that she had changed the beneficiaries of a life insurance policy he and his business partner held jointly. The partners originally named each other as the beneficiaries, but Kouri Richins allegedly deleted that and made the sole beneficiary herself. The insurance company alerted the two men to the change, and they corrected it. Later, just days before his death, Eric Richins removed his wife as beneficiary of his will and from his power of attorney and in her place named his sister, Katie Richins-Benson.

<snip>

According to KPCW, Richins learned her husband had cut her out of his will two days after his death when she hired a locksmith to drill into her husband’s safe to access the $100,000 she believed was there. It was then that Richins-Benson told her that Eric had changed his will. Richins was charged with assault and ultimately pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor.
 
I posted about this one the other day, I think in the current crime news thread. I thought maybe should have a thread even though the whodunit part or whether it was murder is already solved. But it's a crazy one. Or I guess another nasty perp most definitely. Writing a children's book about grief to do with her husband's death when SHE killed him.
 
This sounds like the Vallow playback.
No children dead thank goodness but yes there are things that smack of Vallow/Daybell. The flat out coldness, the life insurance/money, an author oh go figure, her stealing from her husband so to speak... The EVIL.
 
Very similar to in that she changed his life insurance beneficiary. He like Charles in Vallow changed it to his sister without telling her. Also over a few years she took something like four policies out on him unbeknownst to him.

There really needs to be a life insurance database. I've thought this MANY a time in cases, etc. LE doesn't even have an easy way of determining if any existed.

This one covers these facts and more.

 
The above is worth a watch. He was also going to take her out of his will. She sued his family for millions after his death over assets she claimed were to be hers due to a prenup.

This man knew or so it seemed that she had tried to poison him before. No one can explain to me why someone would stay with someone in such a situation. I heard in another one that he was staying due to the kids. Well what good does that do if you end up dead and them fatherless anyhow? What was he thinking to stay with someone like this??
 
So apparently they found that despite the fact she claimed she left her phone in her son's room or some such, the phone was locked and unlocked several times and texts deleted around the time of his death or just after, etc. So WHO was she texting is what I am wondering...?

Much not know here yet imo. Is there another man? Where is her family, have they said anything? Where are her friends, what are they saying? Apparently she threw a party just after his death, JUST AFTER. (Another similarity to Lori Dumbbell) Hey we have two dumb women, Lori and Kouri, they rhyme too...
 
Hasn't always been my fave but she gets the docs, the recordings, and does a thorough job on cases, does FOIA requests, etc. This is a good recap of this case so far and what is known.

 
Holy crop, another one who was convinced to get away with murder. Another one who thinks she is smarter than anybody else...
Those kids can be glad to be alive. Wow:shocked:
No sh*t right? Even though I don't have much time, I was thinking as I tried to at least stay up with the culmination of cases I followed and cared about these last weeks, cases fpllowed for years, that now have ended or at least parts (Daybell will go forever), there would be a void and what to follow now... And then this...

I don't mean that in any way that it isn't tragic and horrible because that is exactly it, it IS. Darned right that those kids are fortunate to be alive because I know too early to judge BUT right out of the gate this woman is about self and money and not enough money ever is enough... And if out or needs more then who next...

Just the things already coming out are something else...

Lori is likely jealous that anyone else could maybe sway our attention away from HER.

Seriously though, those poor kids. Lost their dad, now mom is gone due to the fact she allegedly murdered dad.

I'm also waiting to find that there is another man in this one. Not that I think it was her motive, no way, her motives were pure self and money it seems so far, it is just that I think she is the type to play them or need one just in case she needs a helper, someone she has hoodwinked, etc. and to replace the hub until he is expendable next.
 

by: Elena Castro
Posted: Jun 2, 2023 / 07:00 AM MDT
Updated: Jun 2, 2023 / 07:01 AM MDT

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – Kouri Richins, a name now synonymous with fentanyl, and allegedly murdering her husband was due back in court on the 12th, but new court documents are calling her back in for a gag order hearing on June 2nd.

The motion for the gag order was filed by the prosecution in an attempt to minimize those involved in the case of talking with the press. The motion read, “This case should be tried in a court of law on the basis of relevant and admissible evidence, not in the court of public opinion on the basis of uninformed inaccurate sensation.”

Criminal defense attorney Clayton Simms broke down what this means for the trial.

“What they’re trying to do is limit the craziness around this. That won’t happen,” he said. “Is it an overdose or is it a murder? It touches on a lot of issues that are going on in society.”
 

by: Elena Castro
Posted: Jun 2, 2023 / 07:00 AM MDT
Updated: Jun 2, 2023 / 07:01 AM MDT

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – Kouri Richins, a name now synonymous with fentanyl, and allegedly murdering her husband was due back in court on the 12th, but new court documents are calling her back in for a gag order hearing on June 2nd.

The motion for the gag order was filed by the prosecution in an attempt to minimize those involved in the case of talking with the press. The motion read, “This case should be tried in a court of law on the basis of relevant and admissible evidence, not in the court of public opinion on the basis of uninformed inaccurate sensation.”

Criminal defense attorney Clayton Simms broke down what this means for the trial.

“What they’re trying to do is limit the craziness around this. That won’t happen,” he said. “Is it an overdose or is it a murder? It touches on a lot of issues that are going on in society.”
The criminal defense atty. would say that. I have not once thought of this as an overdose based on the FACTS out there. It touches on a lot of societal issues??? Murder of one's husband he means??

Jmo of course. Gag HIM. Just sayin'... Jmo.
 

KPCW | By Connor Thomas
Published June 2, 2023 at 6:56 PM MDT

Kouri Richins appeared in person at Third District Court Friday afternoon for a hearing on prosecutors’ request for a gag order in the multiple cases surrounding the death of her husband.

The state requested that everyone from attorneys to witnesses to law enforcement to the victim’s family be restrained from making public statements about the cases.

Judge Richard Mrazik denied that order, finding it too broad.

<snip>

Prosecutors have said four documentary teams and dozens of national news outlets have tried to talk to Kouri, members of Eric’s family and, in one case, followed a court clerk to a gas station.

In the end, Mrazik said the prosecution did not show that a gag order restraining speech before it happened would be constitutional.

“We have a First Amendment problem here,” the judge told prosecutors at the beginning of the hearing.

Kouri Richins is involved in multiple cases about Eric’s alleged murder, his property, his estate and the custody of their children.

Mrazik said the attorneys are still bound to state rules of professional conduct, which prevent them from making comments that would jeopardize a fair trial.

And he cautioned the attorneys, saying they may not “intentionally, knowingly or recklessly” let their witnesses or teams make statements violating those same rules of professional conduct.

But enforcement, he admitted, is loose. A violation would entail a long process with the state Office of Professional Conduct.

So for the foreseeable future, in the cases swirling around Eric Richins’ alleged murder, it will be up to the lawyers to keep their teams and witnesses in check.

But, Mrazik said, if circumstances change, the court may reconsider imposing a gag order.
 
Linda weighs in.

Of note to me for starters. LDS family. He was a philantropist. A few of them lately, that's what the brother keeps saying about the doctor from Missouri. A philanthropist. Both with money...

Not saying the two cases are connected, not at all. Just saying sadly a couple of rich philanthropists in these new to us cases, both likely murdered and by someone they knew.

It also smacks of Vallow/Daybell.

Here is Linda...

 

SAM METZ, Associated Press
June 12, 2023

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — A Utah woman who wrote a children’s book about coping with grief after her husband’s death, and was later accused of fatally poisoning him, is scheduled to appear in court Monday to determine whether she should remain detained or have an opportunity to post bail.

Kouri Richins, 33, is charged with murder and drug possession.
 
I can't get over this one. Kids grief author huh?. If I was on the jury, I would still be in shock. The case is what?. Oh good. Just wow. It's so awful.
Jon Stewart What GIF
 

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