A shocking case has emerged in Utah, where a mother and children’s book author, Kouri Richins, is accused of murdering her husband, Eric Richins, in 2022. Recently unsealed search warrants reveal that Eric had his wife’s medication in his system when he died. Kouri Richins, 33, now faces charges of aggravated murder and drug possession.
According to the warrants, Kouri allegedly used illicit fentanyl to kill Eric, her husband of nine years, in their Kamas, Utah, home on March 3, 2022. The investigation also discovered that Eric had a small amount of Quetiapine, an antipsychotic, in his stomach contents. While Kouri had a prescription for the drug, Eric did not. Kouri claimed that the pills were for sleeping, but a medical examiner confirmed their antipsychotic properties.
The case has taken a disturbing turn as prosecutors suggest that financial motives may have played a role in Eric’s murder. Kouri, who owned a real estate company, had reportedly taken out $2 million in life insurance policies on Eric’s life before his death. She also made unauthorized changes to the beneficiary of his $2 million life insurance policy, making herself the recipient.
The couple’s three sons were asleep when Kouri allegedly poisoned Eric with a fentanyl-laced cocktail. Fentanyl is a potent opioid that can be lethal even in small doses. The motive behind the murder seems to be related to financial disagreements, particularly Kouri’s desire to purchase a $2 million mansion and flip it for profit, which Eric opposed.
Before his death, Eric had removed Kouri from his will and made his sister the beneficiary instead. Investigators have also learned that Kouri had previously attempted to poison Eric, both in Greece and on Valentine’s Day 2022. These incidents had left Eric fearful for his life.
In a disturbing twist, Kouri wrote a children’s book about grieving titled “Are You With Me?” shortly after Eric’s death. The book, listed on Amazon, aims to provide emotional support for children who have experienced loss. The irony of a murder suspect writing a book on grieving has raised eyebrows.
The case has left two Utah news anchors feeling “duped” and “sickened” after interviewing Kouri Richins. The shocking details of the investigation have shed light on a tragic crime that has shaken the community.
