‘Watch a murder documentary and snuggle!’: Prosecutors detail case that grief author ‘poisoned’ husband over money and pursued new life with lover

Kouri Richins pictured in court (Law&Crime Network), Eric Richins (obituary photo)

Ahead of a preliminary hearing, Utah prosecutors went to great lengths to spell out just why they believe Kouri Darden Richins, a mother of three, must have murdered her husband who was “poisoned” by a fentanyl-laced Moscow Mule at his Francis home in March 2022.

Just one month before her arrest in 2023, Richins, now 34, portrayed herself on the local news as a wife and mother turned widow and grief author, claiming she was trying to help the three sons she shared with 39-year-old Eric Eugene Richins better understand and cope with the loss of their father.

A short time later, Kouri Richins became a murder defendant. From the start, Summit County prosecutors alleged that Richins “intentionally or knowingly cause[d] the death” of Eric “by means of the administration of a poison or of any lethal substance or of any substance administered in a lethal amount, dosage, or quantity,” specifically fentanyl, and that the defendant even attempted to poison her husband on Valentine’s Day in 2022, weeks before trying a second time and succeeding.

Prosecutors further said that Richins had a second iPhone in a dresser drawer next to her bed that she allegedly used to conduct incriminating internet searches fixated on money, how the FBI does investigations, and what constitutes a lethal fentanyl dose: “luxury prisons for the rich in america”; “women utah prison”; “can cops force you to do a lie detector test”; “death certificate says pending, will life insurance still pay?”; “FBI analysis of electronics in an investigation”; “When does the FBI get involved in a case”; “how long does life insrance companies takento.pay”; “how to.permanently delete information from an iphone remotely”; “what is a lethal.does.of.fetanayl.”

In a brief for Judge Richard Mrazik, prosecutors have shed even more light on their theory of the case. In summary, the state maintains that Kouri Richins was “in financial distress” at the time of the murder and was planning a new life with her lover, allegedly telling that man that she and Eric were headed for divorce. Prosecutors said that Richins continued to pursue the romantic relationship even after the failed Valentine’s Day poisoning, and even as Eric Richins believed “my wife tried to poison me.”

Prosecutors said that as early as October 2020, Richins and her best friend had texted about some $250,000 she owed Eric after taking out a home equity line of credit on his “premarital home” in Utah.

“Idk what to do.. if he thinks I owe him money then that’s fine, I’ll pay whatever he thinks and then I’m out!!! It’s getting a little out of hand!” Richins allegedly texted.

“How much did you take out?” the friend replied.

“A lot!” the defendant allegedly answered, explaining that it “will take me a couple of months until my investments pay out” before she could pay the $250,000.

“So I just gotta be top notch careful,” she allegedly added, before stating that her goal was “making sure” child custody “is always going to be at least 50/50.”

But Kouri Richins only continued racking up debt, to the tune of $3.1 million, on the day her husband died, prosecutors said.

More Law&Crime coverage: Woman who wrote children’s book about grief after allegedly murdering her husband now accused of witness tampering

“She had recently defaulted on one loan and was struggling to avoid default on others,” the filing said. “Her bank accounts were exhausted, and she was spiraling toward total financial collapse.”

And yet, the defendant was trying to buy another property for millions of dollars she “did not have,” prosecutors said.

The state claimed that the defendant was more than likely banking on reaping the benefits of at least $5 million, the estimated worth of Eric’s estate — but there was a major problem.

“However, the Defendant did not not know that Eric Richins’ had placed his estate in trust with only the minimum elective share passing to the Defendant,” the brief said.

The defendant was motivated not just by money, prosecutors alleged. She was ready to start a new romantic relationship and life with a “paramour,” the state said.

In December 2021, months before Eric Richins death, Kouri allegedly booked a “five-night, all inclusive, romantic accommodation at the SECRETS ST. MARTIN RESORT AND SPA” for her and an unidentified man. That lavish trip, prosecutors emphasized, was “scheduled for April 2022, the months after Eric Richins’ death.”

That same December — and while “wrapping Christmas gifts” — Kouri Richins is accused of telling “Witness 8” that she felt trapped in the marriage and said “in many ways it would be better if Eric Richins was dead.”

The defendant allegedly texted her lover the next day to inform him “I’m in love with a man that’s not my husband.”

“I want to but can’t break up my family. It’s having your cake and eating it too. I do just want to love you. I do love you,” she allegedly continued.

Prosecutors said the man replied that he thought she was getting divorced.

“That’s what I’m saying.. what if that’s in a year? Your (sic) just supposed to sit around and wait for me? Uhh no. and I would never ask you lol,” the defendant is accused of answering.

After the calendar flipped to 2022, Richins allegedly texted her lover a “[r]andom question” about drug use, revealing that she was interested in the opioid documentary “Dopesick.”

“Yeah. Pretty random. We’ve already had this talk,” the lover replied, according to court documents.

Nor was the defendant deterred at all from pursuing the romantic relationship after she tried and failed to poison Eric Richins’ on Valentine’s Day in 2022, prosecutors said. Instead, she wanted to “Watch a murder documentary and snuggle!”

“The following day, February 15, 2022, the Defendant asked her paramour, ‘… [i]f I was divorced right now and ask (sic) you to marry me tomorrow, you would?’ and ‘I just want to lay on the couch and cuddle you! Watch a murder documentary and snuggle!” documents said, emphasis as in the original. “On February 19, 2022, the Defendant told her paramour, ‘… I want you today, everyday. Not just sexually, but physically, mentally, everyday when I wake up I do want a future together. I do want you. Figure life out together. If he could just go away and you could just be here! Life would be so perfect!!! I love you….”