Utah Mom Wrote Grief Book After Poisoning Husband: Trial 2026
Photo of Eric Richins
TRIAL DAY 1:
Day 1 - Monday, Feb 23, 2026: Opening Statements & Testimony from Eric’s Father, Sister, and a First Responder
After opening statements this morning, where prosecutors detailed the alleged murder-for-hire plot and the defense portrayed Kouri as a loving wife, the first witnesses took the stand. The prosecution's first witnesses were Eric Richins' father, Eugene Richins, and his sister, Katie Richins-Benson (and his trustee of his living trust).
Eugene Richins gave emotional testimony about his son, describing him as a loving father and a pillar of the community. He also testified that Kouri had told him that the medical examiner had determined Eric died from the same thing his mother died, which was a lung fungus, a claim that was later proven to be false.
Katie Richins-Benson's testimony was equally powerful and emotional. She described Kouri's behavior in the hours and days after Eric's death as "business-like" and "dumbfounding." She recounted a conversation where Kouri was focused on a real estate closing just hours after her husband's death, saying, "Yeah, absolutely. He has nothing to do with it. The money’s already gone through. It’s all my business. I’m going to.” This was a move that left the family shocked.
The jury also saw the bodycam footage from the scene. Kouri appeared in the footage covering her face almost the entire time. The day ended with the testimony of the first responding officer.
Personal Take
After today, I feel like the prosecution had a pretty strong opening statement, ending with memes that Kouri looked up very quickly after her husband’s death. They also gave us more information about the “boyfriend” Kouri had at the time of her husband’s death. It was compelling, for sure.
The defense has been pretty aggressive (in my opinion), but I think they have to be. There’s a lot working against Kouri, so it very much feels like all hands on deck.
Come back tomorrow for more updates on the case.
Who Are Kouri and Eric Richins?
Eric Eugene Richins, born May 13, 1982, was a beloved figure in his community. Raised in a close-knit ranching family, he was known for his adventurous spirit, loyalty, and successful stone masonry business, C&E Stone Masonry, which he co-owned with his partner, Cody Wright. He was a devoted father to his three sons.
Kouri Richins, born April 20, 1990, met Eric in 2009 and they married on June 15, 2013. While friends described her as a hardworking and capable real estate agent, prosecutors paint a very different picture—one of a woman buried in debt and motivated by greed.
A Marriage in Turmoil
According to court documents and family statements, the Richins' marriage was fraught with financial conflict. The couple signed a prenuptial agreement, but prosecutors allege Kouri's financial desperation led her to take extreme measures.
Key financial disputes include:
•Secret Financial Dealings: Between 2019 and 2022, Kouri was involved in numerous questionable financial activities, including secretly taking money from Eric's accounts, securing a $250,000 home equity line of credit without his knowledge, and amassing over $1.8 million in debt to hard money lenders.
•The Unfinished Mansion: Kouri purchased a massive, unfinished 20,000-square-foot mansion for $3.9 million, a project Eric's family claims he vehemently opposed. The closing for this property took place the day after Eric's death.
•Life Insurance Policies: Unbeknownst to Eric, Kouri had purchased at least four life insurance policies on him totaling approximately $2 million. She also attempted to change the beneficiary on his business life insurance policy to herself.
Fearing for his life, Eric had taken steps to protect his assets and his children. He changed his will and living trust, placing his sister, Katie Richins-Benson, in charge of his estate and removing Kouri as a beneficiary from a significant life insurance policy. He reportedly told his family, "If I die, you need to look at her, because I think she's trying to kill me."
The Night of Eric's Death
On the night of March 3, 2022, Kouri claims she made Eric a Moscow Mule cocktail to celebrate a house closing. She told investigators she went to sleep in one of their children's rooms and awoke around 3 a.m. to find Eric cold to the touch at the foot of their bed. He was pronounced dead shortly after.
However, investigators found inconsistencies in her story. Phone records show that during the time Kouri claimed to be asleep, her phone was locked and unlocked multiple times and moved around. An autopsy later revealed that Eric died from a fentanyl overdose, with a level in his system approximately five times the lethal dose. The death was ruled a homicide.
The Investigation and the Grief Book
The investigation led police to a contact listed in Kouri's phone as "C.L.," a housekeeper who admitted to procuring fentanyl for Kouri on two separate occasions. The first purchase was hydrocodone pills, but Kouri allegedly asked for something stronger, "some of the Michael Jackson stuff," a clear reference to powerful opioids. The second purchase, just six days before Eric's death, was for fentanyl pills.
In a bizarre twist, a year after her husband's death, Kouri Richins published a children's book titled "Are You With Me?" The book, intended to help children cope with the loss of a loved one, became a central and chilling piece of the case against her.
The Trial Ahead
Kouri Richins was arrested in May 2023 and has been jailed without bail. She has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder and numerous financial crime charges. Her five-week trial is scheduled to begin on February 23, 2026, in Summit County, Utah.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the public is left to grapple with the disturbing image of a woman who allegedly poisoned her husband and then attempted to profit from a story about grief and loss.
Listen to our episode on the murder of Eric Richins. Out now.
