Utah mother on trial for poisoning her husband, lawyer breaks down ‘very damaging’ evidence: Lexie Rigden
Criminal defense attorney Lexie Rigden analyzes how text and Google evidence could incriminate the Utah mom.
Kouri Richins, the Utah mother of three who wrote a children's book about grief after she allegedly killed her husband in 2022, wanted to show off her "accomplishments" and "status" as part of "an elaborate facade," according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors' assertions that Richins wanted to show off her "status" come as they argue to keep at least nine of the 11 charges filed against her as part of one murder case while her defense seeks to sever the counts into separate cases that would be tried separately.
Authorities in 2023 charged Richins, now 35, with her 39-year-old husband Eric Richins' poisoning death as a means to collect millions in life insurance funds.
The night Eric died on March 3, 2022, authorities say the couple was celebrating Kouri's recent closure of a $2 million mansion under construction that she wanted to flip and sell for a profit as part of her real-estate business, a warrant states. She then allegedly spiked Eric's cocktail with fentanyl, a deadly illicit drug, killing him in their bed.
Kouri Richins, a Utah mother of three who wrote a children's book about coping with grief after her husband's death and was later accused of fatally poisoning him, looks on during a court hearing, Aug. 27, 2024, in Park City, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, Pool)
Richins is facing 11 charges, which include attempted aggravated murder, aggravated murder, two counts of distribution of a controlled substance, two counts of mortgage fraud, two counts of fraudulent insurance claim, and three counts of forgery.
The murder suspect is asking a Summit County court to sever the attempted aggravated murder, mortgage fraud and related forgery charges from the rest of the charges, arguing that they stem from different criminal allegations.
UTAH CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR ACCUSED OF KILLING HUSBAND SPEAKS OUT FOR 1ST TIME: 'THIS MEANS WAR'
Utah prosecutors are accusing Kouri Richins of poisoning her husband, Eric, with fentanyl in 2022 at their home in Kamas outside of Park City while their three young sons were sleeping. (Facebook/ Kouri Richins)
Meanwhile, prosecutors have since moved to dismiss two counts of distribution of a controlled substance altogether.
The state is trying to keep the other nine charges together because they "are directly connected by the Defendant’s motive for financial gain and for the world to view her as an accomplished person of status," prosecutors said in a Nov. 8 filing.
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Kouri Richins, left, a Utah mother of three who authorities say fatally poisoned her husband, Eric, and then wrote a children's book about grieving, speaks with her attorney, Skye Lazaro, during a status hearing, Sept. 1, 2023, in Park City, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer/Pool)
"The offenses that the Defendant seeks to sever precipitated other offenses, and an arc of the Defendant’s increasingly aggressive parasitic behavior connects all nine offenses. Moreover, the Aggravated Murder and the Attempted Aggravated Murder are part 2 of a common scheme or plan," prosecutors said.
"[A]n arc of the Defendant’s increasingly aggressive parasitic behavior connects all nine offenses."
They added that Kouri "is not prejudiced by keeping the offenses joined because all the evidence involved is admissible in separate trials for noncharacter purposes."
UTAH CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR SENT DAMNING TEXT TO LOVER BEFORE HUBBY POISON PLOT: DOCS
Utah children's book author Kouri Richins had a contentious relationship with her husband wrought with financial disagreements before she allegedly killed him with fentanyl. (TownLift, Will Scadden / Facebook)
In their filing, prosecutors pointed to a text that Kouri allegedly sent her lover in November 2021.
"When I was little, I grew up scrubbing other people’s toilets in Park City at ‘rich’ people’s houses …"
"When I was little, I grew up scrubbing other people’s toilets in Park City at ‘rich’ people’s houses after school. Christmas breaks, all summer, I worked for my aunts (sic) company. I was just always look downed (sic) upon because your (sic) literally the person cleaning toilets," she wrote. "I always said to myself and my aunt.. ‘One day, Ill (sic) own properties in Park City like all these rich snooty people and I will never be like them.’"
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Utah author Kouri Richins allegedly tried to steal her husband's life insurance benefits before his death in March 2022. (KPCW via AP/ family handout)
Kouri added that she was about to "close on" three proprieties, including two in Park City.
"It’s never been about the money, it’s about being able to say I too can have properties in PC and your (sic) not better than anyone the way you treat people and I can prove it," she texted her lover. "Tomorrow is a really big deal for me self (sic) accomplishment wise.."
UTAH MAN ALLEGEDLY MURDERED BY AUTHOR WIFE TOOK ‘HIGHLY UNUSUAL' STEPS TO BOOT HER OUT OF WILL
A house where Kouri Richins and Eric Richins lived is shown, May 11, 2023, in Francis, Utah. Kouri Richins wrote a children’s book about grief after her husband’s death and was later arrested on accusations of killing him. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
But Kouri was apparently not good with money management, and prosecutors argue that ultimately drove her to kill her husband.
"The Defendant needed to cause Eric Richins’ death."
"By the end of 2021, the Defendant stood on the precipice of total financial collapse and exposure of her accomplishment and status façade," they wrote in the Nov. 8 filing. "To protect and perpetuate her façade, the Defendant needed Eric Richins’ $5 million Estate and $1.35 million from his life insurance proceeds. The Defendant needed to cause Eric Richins’ death."
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Kouri Richins, a Utah mother of three who authorities say fatally poisoned her husband then wrote a children's book about grieving, looks on during a bail hearing, June 12, 2023, in Park City, Utah. A judge ruled to keep her in custody for the duration of her trial. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer/Pool)
Previous court filings allege Kouri purchased four different life insurance policies on Eric's life totaling more than $1.9 million between 2015 and 2017.
On Jan. 1, 2022, months before Eric's death, Kouri "surreptitiously and without authorization changed the beneficiary for his $2 million life insurance policy to herself," documents state. Eric received a notification about the change and switched the beneficiary back to his business partner.
Charges filed against Kouri Richins are based on officers' interactions with Richins and an unnamed acquaintance who apparently told authorities that she sold fentanyl to the mother of three. (Facebook/ Kouri Richins)
Eric apparently had an idea that his life was in danger before his death. His family told authorities he had been in fear for his life after Kouri allegedly tried to poison him several years ago in Greece and again on Valentine's Day in 2022.
Richins has pleaded not guilty to all charges and continues to deny her involvement in her husband's death. Her trial is scheduled to begin at the end of April 2025.
