SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — Kouri Richins, the woman who was found guilty of murder in the death of her husband, will find out Wednesday how long she will be behind bars. She faces 25 years to life, or life without parole. The sentencing is scheduled to be on the birthday of her late husband and victim, Eric Richins.
The couple's children shared their thoughts in a court filing the day before the sentencing, all sharing their grief at the loss of their father and a desire for their mother to be kept in prison.
In March, Kouri was convicted of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, two counts of insurance fraud and forgery. She was a real estate agent who, after her husband’s death, wrote a children’s book about coping with grief. She was charged with aggravated murder in March 2022 for slipping five times the lethal dose of fentanyl into a cocktail he consumed.
It only took jurors under three hours to convict Richins of the March 2022 murder at the couple's home outside of Park City. During the trial, Richins waived her right to testify, and the defense rested without calling any witnesses.
The day before the sentencing, the prosecutors filed a sentencing memorandum, asking the judge to sentence Richins to life in prison without parole for aggravated murder, and consecutive years in prison for the other charges. They also asked for Richins to not be allowed to contact her children, Eric’s father, siblings and their families. Prosecutors ask the judge to prohibit Richins from benefiting from her sons’ life insurance, pay around 1.5 million dollars in restitution to two insurance companies, and about 1.4 million dollars to Summit County.
In the filing, prosecutors said Richins poisoned her husband in front of their young children, and that “there are no greater victims in this case than Eric’s three young boys.” They also wrote that Eric was a good husband and father, and he died protecting his boys.
Their oldest son is now 13 years old and “wears his father’s clothes to school.”
The 13-year-old, according to the filing, said: “I’m afraid if she gets out, she will come after me and my brothers, my whole family. I think she would come and take us and not do good things to us, like hurt us. I miss my dad, but I do not miss how my life used to be, I don’t miss Kouri, I will tell you that.” The filing also states that DCFS found evidence of Kouri emotionally and physically abusing her son after Eric’s death.
Their middle son was almost eight years old when Eric was killed, and wanted the court to take this into consideration while sentencing Richins: “[m]y dad can’t be my coach anymore and can’t be at any of my games. He won’t be at my birthdays. He can’t teach me how to drive. He won’t be at my graduation. And he can’t take me camping or fishing.” And that “I don’t want [the Defendant] out of jail because I will not feel safe if [she is] out … With [her] in jail, I will be able to continue to feel safe and live a happy and successful life without fear of [her] hurting me or anyone I love.”
Their youngest was still in preschool and shared these sentiments: “[i]f she got out I would be so scared …. I’m worried that she would take me away …. Once she is gone I will feel happy and I will feel safer and relaxed and trust people more.”
The prosecutors explained that if Richins only spends 25 years in prison and could be paroled after that, she could be released when her children are adults with families of their own.
“Not only should the Defendant serve her life in prison, but she should serve her boys’ lives in prison. This is best closure her children can hope for,” the documents stated.
They also wrote that under Utah Code, “the Utah Legislature recognizes that homicidal poisoning and murdering for money are each so heinous as to individually warrant the death penalty. Here, the jury found the Defendant guilty of both aggravators.”
On top of her murder conviction, Richins still has 26 ongoing charges, including mortgage fraud and money laundering.
