Utah woman allegedly tried to poison husband multiple times before, records show

By Spencer Burt, Emily Tencer

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    KAMAS, Utah (KSTU) — Newly obtained court documents related to a Utah murder investigation reveal that the suspect’s now-deceased husband believed she tried to poison him before, and he changed his life insurance policy shortly before his death.

Kouri Richins, 33, was charged Monday with the murder of her husband, 39-year-old Eric Richins. Eric passed away in March 2022.

Eric’s cause of death was determined as a fentanyl overdose — with five times the lethal dosage in his system. Investigators learned that Kouri had purchased fentanyl pills just days before her husband’s death. She told police at the time of his death that she made him a mixed drink that night before they went to bed.

According to court documents, Eric believed his wife had tried to poison him multiple times before. Charging documents state that Eric and Kouri had dinner at their home about two weeks before his death, and he became “very ill” and believed he had been poisoned. “Eric told a friend that he thought his wife was trying to poison him,” the documents read.

A search warrant from the investigation into Eric’s death detailed other similar instances.

“While investigating the death I was told by Eric’s family members that they suspected his wife had something to do with his death,” a detective with the Summit County Sheriff’s Office wrote. “They advised he warned them that if anything happened to him she was to blame.”

The detective said he was told that the couple were in Greece a few years prior, and Eric “became violently ill” after his wife made him a drink. He reportedly called his sister after that and said he believed Kouri tried to kill him.

Then, according to the search warrant, Eric broke out into hives and couldn’t breathe after taking one bite of a sandwich his wife gave him. The document says he used his son’s epi-pen and took some Benadryl, then passed out for several hours. He called his business partner after waking up and told them what happened.

Kouri also is charged with drug possession. According to court documents, her phone records show her asking an acquaintance to buy prescription painkillers for “an investor.” She purchased some hydrocodone, then later asked for “something stronger” — specifically for fentanyl.

Without telling Kouri, Eric changed his will and life insurance policy shortly before his death, making his sister the beneficiary instead of his wife. At one point, Kouri allegedly logged into his account and tried to make herself the beneficiary, but the insurance company notified Eric and his business partner, and they changed it back.

The warrant from April 2022 details a search of the Richins’ home that apparently did not turn up any signs of Eric possessing fentanyl or other narcotics. Investigators said there were no physical signs that Eric used drugs, nor any information from friends or family indicating that he used drugs.

On Monday, the same day as the charges were filed, a warrant was issued for Kouri’s arrest. She was booked into the Summit County Jail later that day. She was ordered by a judge to remain detained without bail, but she has a “detention hearing” scheduled for May 19.

Within the past few months, there has been a legal battle between Eric’s sister and Kouri over his estate. According to the claim, Kouri is fighting to have Eric’s sister removed as a trustee. Between the value of their house, personal property, and “contractual rights” of a business co-owned by Eric, the value of the estate totals over $3,600,000.

This estate battle is not Kouri’s first time in civil court.

Back in November, she was sued for fraud by a couple who bought a home through her real estate company in 2020. After purchasing the property, they said they discovered water leaks, mold and “hazardous levels of fungi.” They claimed Kouri “knew the truth about the property’s condition” and never disclosed the information to them.

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