A Utah woman was convicted of aggravated murder on March 16 after being found guilty of poisoning her husband with fentanyl and then self-publishing a children’s book about coping with grief.
1773715531036.png
Prosecutors alleged that Kouri Richins put five times the lethal dose of fentanyl into her husband Eric Richins’ cocktail in March 2022. The defendant owed $4.5 million and believed she would inherit over $4 million in assets upon her husband’s death. She was also allegedly having an extramarital affair and planning a future with another man. The

jury took less than three hours to reach a verdict. In addition to murder, Richins was also convicted of attempted murder for allegedly putting fentanyl in a sandwich she gave her husband on Valentine’s Day a few weeks prior, causing him to break out in hives and faint. She was also convicted of life insurance fraud following her husband’s death.

Richins’ phone search history was presented in court, including queries such as “what is the lethal dose of fentanyl,” “luxury prisons for the wealthy in America,” and “what does a death certificate say if someone is poisoned.”

The court also showed a letter found in Richins’ cell, in which she instructed her brother to testify that Eric had confided in her about buying fentanyl from Mexico. The defense attorney argued that this was just a fabricated story his client was writing.
1773715516129.png
The most serious charges carry a sentence of 25 years to life imprisonment. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 13th, the 44th birthday of her late husband.