Utah Widow Guilty: Grief Book Author Murders Husband

A Utah woman was convicted Monday of aggravated murder after allegedly poisoning her husband with fentanyl and subsequently self-publishing a children’s book about coping with grief.

Kouri Richins Found Guilty in Husband’s Death

Prosecutors stated Kouri Richins administered five times the lethal dose of fentanyl into a cocktail consumed by her husband, Eric Richins, in March 2022.

The prosecution argued Richins was $4.5 million in debt and believed she would inherit her husband’s estate, valued at over $4 million, upon his death. They also alleged she was involved in a romantic relationship with another man.

“She wanted to leave Eric Richins but did not want to leave his money,” Summit County prosecutor Brad Bloodworth said.

Richins displayed little reaction as the judge delivered the verdict, staring at the floor and taking deep breaths. The jury deliberated for just under three hours, after which family members from both sides embraced and wept outside the courtroom.

In addition to the aggravated murder conviction, Richins was found guilty of multiple felonies, including attempted murder for an alleged earlier poisoning attempt on Valentine’s Day involving a fentanyl-laced sandwich that caused her husband to lose consciousness. She was also convicted of forgery and fraudulently claiming insurance benefits following his death.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 13, which would have been Eric Richins’ 44th birthday. The aggravated murder charge carries a potential sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

“Honestly I feel like we’re all in shock,” said Eric Richins’ sister, Amy Richins. She expressed relief that the family could now focus on honoring her brother and supporting his sons, stating, “We got justice for my brother.”

The trial was shortened when Richins waived her right to testify and her legal team rested its case without presenting any witnesses. Her lawyers maintained their confidence that the prosecution had not provided sufficient evidence for a conviction.

Prosecutors presented evidence showing Richins, a real estate agent specializing in house flipping, was deeply in debt and had secretly taken out multiple life insurance policies on her husband, totaling approximately $2 million in benefits.

The jury was shown text messages between Richins and Robert Josh Grossman, with whom she was allegedly having an affair, in which she discussed leaving her husband, obtaining millions in a divorce, and marrying Grossman.

A digital forensic analyst testified that Richins’ phone search history included queries such as “what is a lethal dose of fentanyl,” “luxury prisons for the rich America,” and “if someone is poisoned what does it go down on the death certificate as.”

During closing arguments, Bloodworth played a clip of Richins’ 911 call from the night of her husband’s death, contrasting it with the defense’s description of it as “the sound of a wife becoming a widow,” and instead characterizing it as “the sound of a wife becoming a black widow.”