The Kouri Richins Case: Everything We Know About the Utah Grief Book Murder

January 15, 2026

Photo of Eric Richins

Day 1 - Trial Scheduled to Begin on February, 23, 2026. Check back here for daily updates beginning Day 1.

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In the quiet, affluent community of Summit County, Utah, a story has unfolded that seems ripped from the pages of a crime novel. A successful real estate agent and mother of three, Kouri Richins, stands accused of murdering her husband, Eric Richins, with a lethal dose of fentanyl. The case took a shocking turn when it was revealed that after her husband's death, Kouri authored a children's book about coping with grief. As the trial date approaches in February 2026, we break down everything we know about this complex and tragic 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.

Stay tuned to Moms and Mysteries as we prepare to cover the Kouri Richins trial in-depth in our upcoming podcast episode.