Utah Mom Accused Of Poisioning Husband
There was a lot to celebrate for the married Utah couple Valentine’s Day 2022. Love’s holiday was a great time to celebrate closing on a house for realtor wife, Kouri Richins. A dinner and Moscow Mule cocktail treated the night for Eric Richins, her husband. Shortly after dinner, Kouri went upstairs to check on their son. When she returned, she found Eric lying on the floor unresponsive. A fatal ending for the couple eventually found Kouri responsible a little over a year later — with a different story too.
Alleged Poisoning Suspected Before Death
Currently, Kouri is charged with aggravated murder and three counts of possession of controlled substance with intent to distribute. Investigators found detailed accounts of illicit fentanyl purchases made by Kouri leading up to Eric’s death. Weeks before his death, Kouri allegedly bought drugs from an acquaintance identified as C.L. in court documents.
In addition, an extra court document identified Eric telling a friend that Kouri was trying to poison him. Law enforcement learned Eric told his family if something were to happen to him, ‘Kouri is to blame’. Eric Richins’ sister told the detective the couple had vacationed in Greece a few years earlier. There was a moment “after his wife gave him a drink, he became violently ill.” When the vacation was over, Eric called her saying he believed his wife had tried to kill him.
Storytelling In Utah
What didn’t add up when Eric died was the overdose of fentanyl in his system. Not to mention, Kouri’s version of the story entails she left him in their room to go sleep with their son. A key part of that story is that Kouri left her phone plugged and did not have it with her. However, court documents say she “locked and unlocked her phone multiple times” to send messages. Once an investigator seized her phone March of 2022, she deleted the messages.
Kouri’s book, “Are You With Me?” helped her to articulate her feeling of loss. Just last month, she appeared on “Good Things Utah,” a local show, to talk about the book. Kouri’s bail is non-existent, but she will have a hearing May 19th.
Featured Image by KPCW.org