Verdict reached in murder trial of Kouri Richins, Utah grief author accused of poisoning husband
Verdict in Kouri Richins’ Murder Trial: Utah Grief Author Convicted for Poisoning Husband
Monday concluded the high-profile murder trial of Kouri Richins, a Utah grief author accused of administering a lethal dose of fentanyl to her husband, Eric, in 2022. The trial, initially scheduled to run through March 26, wrapped up earlier after closing arguments were delivered. Richins did not take the stand, and her defense team presented no witnesses during the proceedings.
Richins was arrested in May 2023, more than a year after Eric’s death on March 4, 2022. According to court records, she claimed to investigators that she prepared a drink to celebrate a recent property sale for her real estate business and found him unresponsive in their bedroom. The medical examiner confirmed that Eric, 39, had five times the lethal amount of fentanyl in his system at the time of death. The drug was identified as orally ingested and classified as illicit, not medical-grade.
Shortly after Eric’s passing, Richins penned a children’s book on grief, which she dedicated to her “amazing” husband. She faced charges of aggravated murder, attempted criminal homicide, false/fraudulent insurance claims, and forgery. Prosecutors relied on over 40 witnesses, including Eric’s friends, family, and a housekeeper who sold her fentanyl pills. The housekeeper’s testimony was central to the case.
“For nearly three years, the public has heard accusations about Kouri. Those accusations created a narrative that spread far beyond this courtroom,” said Richins’ attorneys, Wendy Lewis, Kathy Nester, and Alex Ramos. “But in court, accusations are not enough. The law requires proof. … Kouri has maintained her innocence from the very beginning. … She should finally be able to go home to her three young boys and begin rebuilding her life.”
Carmen Lauber, the housekeeper, testified that she sold fentanyl pills to Richins multiple times in early 2022. After Eric’s death, Lauber spoke with Richins over the phone, initially believing he had died from a brain aneurysm. “I said, ‘Please tell me these pills were not for him.’ She said, ‘No they were not. Eric passed away from a brain aneurysm,’” Lauber recounted. Later, she learned from investigators that the cause of death was an overdose. “That hit hard,” she said, wiping away tears. “Only for the fact that if that’s what happened, I needed to step up and take accountability of my part in this.”
The prosecution also brought in Richins’ former boyfriend as a witness. Robert Josh Grossman grew emotional while describing their relationship and his aspirations for a future with her. He stated the bond ended a few months after Eric’s death, and at the time, he did not suspect her involvement. Minyvonne Burke, a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News, covered the case throughout its duration.
