Park City, Utah – March 17, 2026

In a packed Summit County Courthouse on March 16, 2026, a jury delivered a unanimous verdict after just three hours of deliberation: Kouri Richins, the 35-year-old Utah mother of three and author of a children’s grief book, was guilty on all counts — aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, two counts of insurance fraud, and forgery. The trial, which began February 23 and lasted roughly three weeks, exposed far more than the lethal fentanyl-laced Moscow mule that ended Eric Richins’ life on March 4, 2022. It peeled back the layers of a marriage in freefall, a secret affair fueled by passionate text messages declaring “I love you,” and a mountain of debt that prosecutors said turned a rocky relationship into a motive for murder.

cnn.com

Kouri Richins found guilty of murdering husband in fatal poisoning | CNN

Kouri Richins in court during her murder trial in Park City, Utah.

The verdict capped a dramatic courtroom saga that prosecutors framed not as a simple poisoning case, but as a calculated plot born from desperation. Eric Richins, 39, was found dead at the couple’s Kamas home with approximately five times the lethal dose of fentanyl in his system — the “5 x fentanyl doses” referenced in the headline. But as the evidence unfolded, the story shifted dramatically: this wasn’t just about pills bought from a housekeeper. It was about texts to lover Robert Josh Grossmann that read like a blueprint for a new life once Eric was “gone.”

The Night Everything Ended — and the Dose That Sealed It

On the evening of March 3, 2022, Kouri mixed her husband a Moscow mule — his favorite cocktail. Hours later, at 3:21 a.m. on March 4, she called 911. Eric was unresponsive. Autopsy results confirmed fentanyl poisoning at five times a lethal oral dose. Prosecutors presented phone data showing Kouri’s cellphone locked for hours, then moving slightly around the house before the call. Forensic searches on her devices included queries like “what is a lethal dose of fentanyl” and “if someone is poisoned what does it go down on the death certificate as.”

But this wasn’t the first attempt, the jury heard. Prosecutors charged attempted aggravated murder tied to Valentine’s Day 2022, when Kouri allegedly laced a sandwich with fentanyl. Eric became violently ill but survived. Housekeeper Carmen Lauber testified she bought fentanyl pills for Kouri at least four times in early 2022, meeting dealer Robert Crozier at a Draper gas station. Kouri texted Lauber “OK, go ahead and get them.” Crozier initially claimed the pills were oxycodone, but prosecutors argued the evidence — including location data and Kouri’s later actions — proved otherwise.

cnn.com

She wrote a book about grief after her husband died. Now she’s charged for his murder

Eric and Kouri Richins in happier times before the marriage unraveled.

A Marriage on the Rocks Long Before the Poison

The trial painted a portrait of a marriage that had been crumbling for years. Friends testified that Kouri felt “trapped.” In December 2021, she confided to friend Becky Lloyd that she saw “no easy way forward” out of the marriage and that “it would be better if Eric were dead.” Another friend, Allison Wright, described Kouri as frustrated and fearful that divorce would leave her financially ruined while Eric walked away secure.

Both spouses had consulted divorce attorneys in 2020 and 2021, yet no papers were ever filed. Eric had even been temporarily kicked out of the home after Kouri discovered his own affair with another woman. The couple’s real-estate empire — built on flipping homes — was imploding. A forensic accountant testified Kouri’s net worth was negative $1.6 million the day after Eric’s death. She had taken out a $250,000 home-equity line of credit in Eric’s name without his full knowledge, forged loan applications, and faced weekly debt payments in the thousands.

Then came the life-insurance policy. Prosecutors showed it was forged and went into effect February 4, 2022 — just weeks before Eric’s death. Kouri collected roughly $1.3 million and used much of it to pay down debts.

The Affair That Rewrote the Ending: “I Love You” Texts to Josh Grossmann

The most emotionally charged testimony came from Robert Josh Grossmann, the contractor who worked on Kouri’s flip properties. Their affair began in early 2020. Grossmann lived in a home Kouri provided, received vehicles and money from her, and became her emotional anchor.

Phone records entered into evidence revealed hundreds of messages. On Valentine’s Day 2022 — the same day prosecutors alleged the sandwich attempt — Kouri texted Grossmann: “I love you. Wanna be one of my valentines?” He replied affectionately. The night before Eric’s death, Grossmann sent a “love you” GIF with a kissing emoji. Kouri responded with visions of their future: “I do want a future together. I do want you. Figure life out together,” and the chilling line: “If he could just go away and you could just be here! Life would be so perfect!!! I love you.”

After Eric’s death, the texts continued. Kouri told Grossmann she wanted him to be her husband one day. They stayed together for months until the relationship cooled. Grossmann testified he was “blown away” when a private investigator hired by Eric’s family later told him Kouri had killed her husband. He re-examined every message, every plan.

people.com

Kouri Richins Allegedly Texted ‘Paramour’ She Loved Him Hours Before Husband’s Death (Exclusive)

Kouri and Eric on their wedding day — a far cry from the texts that emerged in court.

Prosecutor Brad Bloodworth hammered the point in closing: “The evidence will prove that Kouri Richins murdered Eric for his money and to get a fresh start at life — with another man.” The “I love you” messages weren’t just flirtation; they were the emotional soundtrack to a plan to rewrite the ending of a failing marriage.

The Grief Book That Became a Symbol of Alleged Deception

One year after Eric’s death, Kouri published Are You With Me?, a children’s book about grief, co-created with her three young sons. She dedicated it to her “amazing” husband. The book became a local sensation and was widely promoted as a healing project born from tragedy.

In court, prosecutors called it part of the facade. While Kouri publicly grieved, she was spending insurance money, continuing her affair, and — according to a jail letter prosecutors introduced — attempting to influence witnesses. The so-called “Walk the Dog” letter, written while Kouri was incarcerated in 2023, was described by prosecutors as evidence of consciousness of guilt; defense attorneys fought its admission.

kpcw.org

Kamas mother and children write book to heal after loss

Cover of Kouri Richins’ children’s grief book Are You With Me?, published after her husband’s death.

Defense: Reasonable Doubt on the Delivery

Defense attorney Kathy Nester argued throughout the three-week trial that prosecutors could not prove how the fentanyl entered Eric’s body. They highlighted inconsistencies in Lauber’s and Crozier’s stories and insisted the state was relying on motive rather than direct evidence. “They’re going to spend weeks trying to convince you that Kouri had reasons to kill her husband because they can’t show you that she did,” Nester told the jury.

Kouri did not testify. Her attorneys rested their case the same day the prosecution finished calling more than 40 witnesses.

The Verdict and What Comes Next

When the foreperson read “guilty” on aggravated murder, Kouri lowered her head. After the full verdict, she exhaled deeply but showed little outward emotion, following the judge’s instructions. Eric’s family sat in the gallery, finally receiving the justice they had sought since 2023.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 13, 2026 — what would have been Eric’s 44th birthday. Kouri faces life in prison without parole. Two additional trials loom: one on 26 financial charges predating Eric’s death, and a civil case over the estate.

nytimes.com

Kouri Richins Found Guilty of Poisoning Her Husband in Utah Murder Trial – The New York Times

The Summit County Courthouse in Park City, Utah, where the three-week trial unfolded.

A Story Far Bigger Than Five Doses of Fentanyl

The jury’s quick decision suggests they saw what prosecutors wanted them to see: a marriage that had died long before Eric did. The “I love you” messages to Josh Grossmann weren’t side notes — they were the emotional engine driving the entire narrative. They revealed a woman dreaming of a fresh start, unburdened by debt and an unhappy husband.

Friends, financial experts, and phone forensics all told the same story: Kouri felt trapped, the business was collapsing, and a new man was waiting in the wings. The five-times-lethal fentanyl dose was the method. The crumbling marriage and secret affair were the why.

As Eric Richins’ family processes the verdict, the three children must now navigate life knowing their mother was convicted of killing their father — the very loss she once tried to help them understand through a children’s book.

The case stands as a stark reminder that sometimes the most dangerous poison isn’t the one in the drink. It’s the slow erosion of love, trust, and truth — until one desperate text message at a time, a new ending is written in the darkest ink.