The Utah mother accused of killing her husband with a fentanyl-laced Moscow Mule — then writing a kids’s ebook on easy methods to grieve — headed to trial with the beginning of jury choice Tuesday.
Kouri Richins, a 35-year-old home-flipper, killed hubby Eric Richins, 39, with poisoned booze that contained 5 instances the deadly quantity of the artificial opioid — after beforehand making an attempt to homicide him with fentanyl stuffed in a sandwich weeks earlier, authorities stated.
Prosecutors allege Kouri’s real-estate enterprise was underneath water and that the mom of three younger boys was motivated to kill her husband to money in on his life-insurance coverage and $3.6 million property.
In addition they declare the Kamas lady was having an affair together with her handyman.
After allegedly killing Eric of their house March 3, 2022, the mother went on to self-publish an illustrated ebook for teenagers titled, “Are You With Me?” a yr later and put it up for sale on an area tv station.
She was arrested in Might 2023, with prosecutors final yr hitting her with 26 extra prices in a separate case alleging monetary crimes tied to the homicide.
Kouri allegedly concocted the lethal drink for Eric — her husband of 9 years — underneath the guise they had been celebrating the sale of a house.
The spouse claimed to authorities that after bringing her husband the drink, she fell asleep in her son’s mattress as a result of he was having a nightmare. She stated that when she returned to the couple’s bed room, she discovered Eric chilly.
Kouri went on an area TV phase “Good Issues Utah” after writing a ebook — and a month earlier than her arrest — saying Eric’s demise “fully took us all by shock.
“We’ve three little boys, 10, 9 and 6, and my youngsters and I sort of wrote this ebook on the completely different feelings and grieving processes that we’ve skilled within the final yr,” she stated on the time.
The storybook stated it was, “Devoted to my wonderful husband and an exquisite father.”
The ebook, which was on sale for $14.99, was taken off of Amazon after her arrest. It was described as “a must-read for any baby who has skilled the ache of loss, and for fogeys who need to present their kids with the emotional assist they should heal and develop.”
Prosecutors have alleged Richins was having an affair together with her handyman Robert Grossman — texting him the day after she first tried to kill Eric, saying: “If [Eric] may simply go away … life can be good.”
Kouri then texted her paramour the week of Eric’s homicide saying, “Life goes to be completely different, I promise. Dangle in there till Friday,” prosecutors declare.
She additionally allegedly took out a number of life-insurance insurance policies in Eric’s title with out his data that totaled $2 million.
As well as, she allegedly tried to make herself the beneficiary of his life-insurance coverage, which his sister was designated to gather on. However when the husband bought smart to her scheme, he lower her out of his will and adjusted the insurance policies, authorities stated.
Kouri has pleaded not responsible to prices of aggravated homicide, tried aggravated homicide and drug possession crime. She’s been behind bars since her arrest.
Jury choice is predicted to take as much as two weeks with opening statements presently set for Feb. 23. The trial may last as long as 5 weeks.
