Did Utah mom charged in husband's death poison him with a cocktail?

4 days ago 9

This communicative primitively aired connected Feb. 24, 2024. It was updated connected March 1, 2025.

On March 4, 2022, Kouri Richins says she recovered her husband, Eric Richins, unresponsive successful their bed. First responders tried to prevention him, but it was excessively precocious for the begetter of three. Weeks later, constabulary said Richins' decease was caused by an overdose of fentanyl. The grieving widow from Utah was arrested and charged with murder soon aft she wrote a children's publication to assistance their kids header with grief.

In her archetypal primetime interview, Kouri Richins' mother, Lisa Darden, tells "48 Hours" contributor and "The Talk" co-host Natalie Morales that hours earlier Eric Richins was recovered unresponsive, the mates was celebrating a caller house-flipping woody Kouri was moving on. Kouri Richins told investigators she had made her hubby a Moscow mule that night. But thing didn't beryllium close erstwhile the aesculapian examiner ruled Eric Richins died from a lethal dose of fentanyl,according to his family's spokesman, Greg Skordas.

"He wasn't an opioid idiosyncratic ... This doesn't odor right," says Skordas.

Kouri Richins was aboriginal arrested and charged with murder. Prosecutors allege she gave Eric Richins a lethal dose of fentanyl connected the nighttime of his death. Eric's household suspects she placed the fentanyl successful that Moscow mule.

"He told his family, 'If I die, you request to instrumentality a look astatine her due to the fact that I deliberation she's trying to termination me,'" Skordas tells Morales.

Kouri Richins maintains she's innocent. Her attorney, Skye Lazaro, says prosecutors, "have to beryllium that she obtained drugs and gave them to her hubby ... And unless they tin link those dots, they're gonna person a hard clip proving execution successful this case."

A UTAH COUPLE'S CELEBRATION ENDS IN TRAGEDY

In the aboriginal greeting hours of March 4, 2022, Lisa Darden was attempting to console her daughter, 31-year-old Kouri Richins.

Lisa Darden: She was dispersed retired connected the level … conscionable sobbing.

Kouri had conscionable learned from exigency unit that her hubby Eric was dead.

Lisa Darden: She was tore up.

Her brothers Ronney and DJ were besides there.

Ronney Darden: She is simply a implicit wreck.

DJ: I conscionable started crying.

According to Lisa, that nighttime Kouri had poured Eric a portion to observe a caller accidental astatine her existent property concern — the acquisition of a mansion.

Lisa Darden: She told maine she made him a Moscow mule.

That's a portion made with vodka and ginger beer.

Lisa Darden: She said they went to furniture astir 9, 9:15, she went and laid with Ash. … Ashton, the 9-year-old has ever had large nightmares. … And erstwhile she went backmost to get successful her bed, helium was cold. … she went to propulsion connected him, and helium didn't respond.

It was aft 3 a.m., and Lisa says Kouri instantly called 911 and astatine the dispatcher's instructions, performed CPR. When archetypal responders arrived they started moving connected Eric – but it was excessively late.

Ronney Darden: It's conscionable unbelievable. You're — you're successful daze that thing similar that, you know, could happen.

It was those archetypal responders who initially suspected Eric had died of an aneurism. The begetter of 3 young sons was conscionable 39.

Natalie Morales: How were the boys? Did the boys cognize what was happening?

Lisa Darden: They knew thing was happening and … they could spot the ambulances and cops coming in, precise distraught.

Ronney Darden: They each conscionable sat determination … connected the sofa and conscionable cried together.

The bittersweet country was a acold outcry from the blessed household they erstwhile were.

Kouri and Eric met successful 2009 astatine a section Home Depot. Back past Kouri was a cashier. Eric worked successful operation and was a predominant customer.

Ronney Darden: I heard that helium wanted her fig for a agelong time, is benignant of acrophobic to spell get it. So, helium had to — person a person tally successful and spell get it from her.

Eric asked her out, and they deed it off.

Natalie Morales: When Kouri said I'm dating this guy, what did you think?

DJ: Uh, Kouri was terrified of maine gathering him.

Natalie Morales: Oh, really?

DJ: Yeah.

Natalie Morales: Why?

DJ: Because I'm the large member and —

Natalie Morales: Tough.

DJ: Yeah. Yeah.

But DJ and Ronney accidental Eric acceptable close in.

Ronney Darden: I thought helium was a large guy.

In 2013, Kouri and Eric got joined and had the boys – archetypal Carter, past Ashton, and finally, Weston. Lisa says fatherhood came easy to Eric.

Lisa Darden: (He) taught those boys truthful overmuch … They idolized their father, and helium idolized the boys arsenic well.

Kouri's household got to cognize the Richins, including Eric's 2 sisters Katie and Amy.

Ronney Darden: They'd travel up, uh, for birthdays present and there. ... We're each precise friendly.

Eventually Eric started a chromatic masonry concern and Kouri started her ain existent property institution - buying houses, fixing them up, and selling them for profit. Greg Hall was her selling manager and bully friend.

Greg Hall: Kouri had thing that a batch of radical don't. A batch of times you find an idiosyncratic that is intelligent, but nary communal consciousness oregon communal consciousness and nary intelligence. She had both. … She was a superb young lady.

Natalie Morales: How galore houses would she person connected mean that she was moving connected oregon trying to flip

Lisa Darden: At 1 time?

Natalie Morales: Yeah.

Lisa Darden: I would accidental connected mean three.

Natalie Morales: So it was benignant of a changeless rotation —

Lisa Darden: Yes.

Natalie Morales: — of buying a home, fixing it up, selling it?

Lisa Darden: Yes.

And Eric's concern continued to flourish.

Lisa Darden: They some lived precise well, and they some bought and spent what they wanted.

In their spare time, Eric loved to hunt, and unneurotic they traveled the world.

Natalie Morales: It sounds similar connected the surface, Eric and Kouri look to person it all. Would you accidental that was truthful Lisa?

Lisa Darden: I would accidental that, yes.

Greg Skordas: I don't cognize that I tin adjacent statesman to overstate however adjacent this household was … this was a immense loss

Greg Skordas is the spokesperson for Eric's family.

Greg Skordas: He was this beauteous lad and — and member … And to person that taken distant from you, I — I can't ideate overmuch worse than that.

Not agelong aft Eric's funeral, an autopsy revealed the origin of his death. It wasn't an aneurism — it was a lethal dose of fentanyl.

Greg Skordas: Fentanyl is many, galore times much potent than oxys, and the different symptom medications that we typically use. It's a precise unsafe drug.

But however did fentanyl get into Eric's system? Kouri's household believes his recreational cause usage could beryllium to blame. Nearly each day, they say, Eric would instrumentality a gummy with THC – the psychoactive constituent successful marijuana.

Ronney Darden: It was ever conscionable — conscionable to unbend astatine the extremity of the day.

And according to Ronney, Eric did not ever get the gummies from reputable sources.

Ronney Darden: Just astir each travel that I had been connected with him, he'd bargain conscionable from idiosyncratic disconnected the street.

Lisa says Eric besides sometimes took symptom pills.

Lisa Darden: Hey, bash you person immoderate symptom pills? Hey, tin you telephone and get — oregon hook maine up?

Greg Skordas: He surely wasn't an opioid oregon an amerciable cause user.

Kouri's household thinks Eric had taken thing helium didn't cognize was laced with fentanyl, and that his decease was a tragic accident. Eric's household powerfully disputes this claim.

Greg Skordas: He didn't dice of a self-inflicted cause overdose.

Eric's household wondered if Kouri whitethorn person been involved.

Greg Skordas: They said … This doesn't odor right. … No question the household thought that close from the beginning.

KOURI RICHINS CHARGED IN HER HUSBAND'S DEATH

In the months pursuing her husband's tragic passing, Kouri Richins struggled to find her footing connected her ain and to navigate beingness arsenic a azygous mom.

Ronney Darden: Kouri was inactive wholly distraught. … adjacent now, she's ne'er had clip to … grieve. … she's doing her champion to determination on, she didn't cognize of a mode of doing that.

Kouri's member Ronney says it was besides hard for the couples' 3 young sons.

Ronney Darden: The boys, it's truthful hard for them they lashed retired a small spot due to the fact that they couldn't rather recognize what was going on. … they needed immoderate assistance and Kouri needed immoderate help.

Eventually Kouri recovered a mode to crook her grief into action.

In March 2023, 1 twelvemonth aft Eric's death, Kouri came up with the thought to constitute that children's publication astir coping with loss, " Are You With Me?" She promoted it connected a section TV show, "Good Things Utah."

KOURI RICHINS | "Good Things Utah": I conscionable wanted immoderate communicative to work to my kids astatine nighttime … And so, you know, I was like, let's conscionable constitute one.

The self-published publication follows the communicative of a kid who mislaid his begetter but is reminded his beingness inactive exists each around.

In the book, Eric is portrayed arsenic an angel who is ever adjacent by. "Yes, I americium with you connected Christmas," Kouri writes, "You can't spot my grin but it's there. I'm here, and we're together."

KOURI RICHINS | "Good Things Utah": Like dada is inactive here, it's conscionable successful a antithetic way.

Kouri's mother, Lisa, says penning the publication was therapeutic.

Lisa Darden: I deliberation the publication was a large thing.

Natalie Morales: It helped them.

Lisa Darden: It helped them all.

Her household says it yet seemed arsenic though Kouri and the boys would beryllium capable to determination forward.

Ronney Darden: It seemed to marque … the boys truly happy.

While the household was moving to get backmost connected track, constabulary had been investigating Eric's death. And conscionable weeks aft Kouri's quality connected TV to beforehand her publication —

KUTV NEWS REPORT: New astatine 10. This has been a talker each time contiguous … a Summit County pistillate who wrote a children's publication astir coping with grief pursuing her husband's decease … present accused of being the 1 that really killed him.

On May 8, 2023, Kouri, the grieving wife, was present the premier fishy successful her husband's death.

Natalie Morales: You indispensable person been successful a panic

Lisa Darden: I was shocked. … She can't beryllium arrested.

Kouri was charged with aggravated execution and taken into custody. Court documents allege she "committed homicide" by the "administration of a poison."

Greg Skordas, the spokesperson for Eric's family, suspects Kouri enactment a lethal dose of fentanyl successful the portion she made Eric that night: the Moscow mule.

Greg Skordas: The dosage that helium was fixed that nighttime was of specified a precocious level that nary idiosyncratic could person survived it.

Skye Lazaro was her lawyer astatine the time.

Natalie Morales: Did constabulary ever trial the solid that she gave Eric this cocktail in?

Skye Lazaro: They seized a fig of items from the home, uh, and determination was nary fentanyl that was recovered connected immoderate glassware.

Kouri's household says they struggled to marque consciousness of the charges. Kouri denies immoderate engagement successful her husband's death.

Lisa Darden: For anybody who knows Kouri conscionable knows … She could not person done this. … She'd ne'er bash this.

Lisa says her girl and son-in-law had a large relationship.

Lisa Darden: Nobody's perfect, but they're beauteous close.

And similar galore couples that person disagreements, they were capable to flooded their differences.

Lisa Darden: He didn't privation Kouri to work. He wanted her to beryllium a stay-at-home ma and she's precise autarkic and that wasn't going to happen.

Another issue, says Kouri's member Ronney, was the magnitude of clip Eric spent distant connected hunting trips — sometimes 4 oregon 5 months a year.

Ronney Darden: It conscionable benignant of irked her. … due to the fact that that … his biggest passionateness successful beingness is hunting, and she mightiness privation him location a small spot more. And so, you know, they mightiness get successful a combat astir that.

And then, according to Kouri's parent Lisa, determination was alleged infidelity connected Eric's part. She says she heard astir it archetypal from Kouri, and past from Eric.

Lisa Darden: It was a substance astir trust, however I trusted him arsenic a son-in-law, arsenic a father, arsenic a husband. And however could helium bash this?

Kouri's household says the mates went to counseling, determined to enactment done their issues. Skordas, who denies Eric ever cheated connected Kouri, says Eric had a antithetic crushed for wanting to marque his matrimony work.

Greg Skordas: He was going to bash immoderate helium could to marque it enactment due to the fact that helium — helium lived for those boys. He would person done thing for those boys. … let's – let's spell to counseling. Let's effort to support the household together.

Skordas says astatine 1 constituent Eric had considered divorce, but yet decided against it. He says to support the boys successful lawsuit the narration didn't enactment out, Eric enactment his property into a concealed spot — without telling Kouri — and named his sister Katie successful charge. But successful the months starring up to Eric's death, Ronney says the mates seemed amended than ever.

Natalie Morales: How were they doing arsenic a couple, arsenic a family?

Ronney Darden: Yeah, fantastic. They were, um, astir apt 1 of the champion spots I've ever, seen them successful in rather immoderate time. … everyone is having fun, laughing, joking. You know, it's — it seemed truly large to me.

So wherefore would Kouri privation Eric dead? Court documents allege Kouri was having an matter and "planned a aboriginal with her paramour." Along with that, a life security payout mightiness person been a motive. Skordas says Eric's household agrees.

Greg Skordas: This is cold-hearted greed.

At the clip of Eric's decease determination were "at slightest six beingness security policies" connected him, totaling astir $3 million. Court documents allege that successful January 2022, 2 months earlier Eric died, Kouri "forged Eric signature" to get yet different policy, worthy an further $100,000. Kouri is besides accused successful tribunal documents of stealing from Eric's idiosyncratic accounts and "misappropriating monies distributed from Eric Richins' business" dating backmost years.

According to Skordas, Kouri didn't conscionable privation the money, she desperately needed it. Court documents allege her location flipping concern was "drowning successful astir 2 cardinal dollars of debt."

Greg Skordas: She was successful mode implicit her head. … She needed immoderate wealth successful a hurry. … a important magnitude of money.

Skordas says a premarital statement stipulated Kouri had fixed up assertion to Eric's concern assets "except that if Husband should dice anterior to Wife portion the 2 are lawfully married."

Greg Skordas: He was worthy overmuch much to her dormant than divorced. … She felt … that determination was casual wealth and accelerated wealth to beryllium made by not having her hubby astir anymore.

Kouri's lawyer Skye Lazaro powerfully disputes immoderate allegations her lawsuit forged Eric's signature, mishandled finances oregon stole from Eric. As for the assertion Kouri was successful indebtedness and needed the money, she says that's simply not true.

Skye Lazaro: She was successful the concern of flipping houses … this is what they did.

Lazaro says taking connected indebtedness from lines of recognition was portion of however the concern of flipping houses worked, and the wealth would beryllium paid backmost erstwhile a location sold.

Skye Lazaro: It's not arsenic if she had each these accepted loans that she owed radical wealth connected it. … sure, it looks similar a ample number. But … We're talking astir concern transactions with radical who she … did concern with.

Lisa Darden: Eric and Kouri sat down each period and did the bills together. At each times, Eric knew what was going successful and what was coming out.

Lisa says Eric not lone knew astir the finances – but helium was besides precise supportive of Kouri's caller concern opportunities – similar the acquisition of the mansion they were celebrating the nighttime helium died.

Lisa Darden: Eric saying, "Let's person a shot. Come on, let's observe Kouri."

It was that night, Skordas says, Eric's household believes Kouri gave him the Moscow mule laced with fentanyl. And, helium says, Eric's household believes it wasn't the archetypal clip Kouri had tried to poison her husband.

Greg Skordas: The clip helium died wasn't the archetypal clip we believed that she tried to termination him.

ERIC RICHINS' FAMILY CLAIMS KOURI TRIED TO POISON ERIC BEFORE

Just extracurricular Salt Lake City, successful the shadiness of Utah's Wasatch Mountains — location to famed skis resorts including Park City — is the spot that Kouri Richins was readying connected flipping. The woody she and Eric were celebrating the nighttime helium died, says her attorney, Skye Lazaro.

Skye Lazaro: It's a decently bully size home.

Lazaro showed "48 Hours" the astir 10-acre estate.

Natalie Morales: Where are we? Give america a consciousness of wherefore this is important existent estate.

Skye Lazaro: So this is the Heber Valley. Uh, close implicit the elevation is Park City … each the large skis areas. Uh, and past to the close is Deer Creek reservoir. … So this truly sits … betwixt large recreational areas.

Natalie Morales: It looks ginormous.

Skye Lazaro: It's massive.

The 20,000-square-foot mansion and its 4,000-square-foot guesthouse were primitively built successful 2017 but ne'er finished. The task was abandoned for 2 years until Kouri discovered it.

Skye Lazaro: I deliberation this … was benignant of her imagination erstwhile she got into this thought of flipping houses was to beryllium capable to bash properties similar this.

Lazaro says Kouri utilized financing from a radical of investors to marque an connection connected the location for $3.9 million.

Skye Lazaro: The program was to make this, crook it into a recreational hotspot, fixed this is astir apt 1 of the astir beauteous places successful the satellite and … hopefully merchantability it astatine a profit.

Natalie Morales: How overmuch did she deliberation she could marque disconnected of this house?

Lisa Darden: Her and Eric sat down with an accountant 1 time, and helium said, if you tin get it done and enactment nether budget, you could locomotion distant with $12 million.

Natalie Morales: Wow. … That's a — that's a large turn.

Lisa Darden: Yes.

Natalie Morales: From $3.9 to $12 million.

Lisa Darden: Yes.

Greg Hall worked with Kouri. He says it was a coagulated investment.

Greg Hall: There was a batch of excitement. I retrieve however excited she was. … it would've been a existent casual flip. They wouldn't person had to — to beryllium connected that for long.

Natalie Morales: As acold arsenic you know, Eric was connected committee with this plan?

Lisa Darden: Oh, a 100 percent.

But that's not what Eric's household remembers, says their spokesperson Greg Skordas.

Greg Skordas: I don't deliberation helium was ever successful favour of that … He was connected committee with supporting his wife. That doesn't mean helium agreed with it.

In fact, the location is mentioned successful a ineligible filing, containing notes from an researcher who interviewed Eric's household aft his death. They said "Eric and his woman were arguing" astir buying the property.

And that wasn't each Eric's household told investigators. According to that aforesaid filing, they made galore allegations against Kouri, including that they suspected "his woman had thing to bash with his death. They advised helium warned them that if thing happened to him… she was to blame."

They besides told investigators they believed Kouri had tried to poison Eric before, connected 2 abstracted occasions.

According to the filing, Eric's household said the archetypal attempted poisoning was successful 2019 erstwhile Eric and Kouri and six friends were connected abrogation successful Greece. They said Eric became "violently ill" aft Kouri "gave him a drink." Ronney says helium heard it was each a misunderstanding.

Ronney Darden: Eric was connected medicine and … that medication, you're not allowed to portion connected … helium asked the waitress, uh, to bring a, a virgin drink, a portion without alcohol. … She didn't bash it and made him very, precise sick. … Kouri called his doctor. Um, figured retired what to bash and … aboriginal that nighttime helium was backmost and — and fine. … everyone that was determination volition archer you the nonstop aforesaid thing.

According to that aforesaid filing, the 2nd clip Eric's household said Kouri tried to poison Eric was the period earlier Eric died, connected Valentine's Day 2022. They said, "his woman brought him a sandwich, which aft 1 wound Eric broke into hives and couldn't breathe." Kouri's household denies she ever tried to poison him.

Ronney Darden: They ordered a sandwich, and the sandwich was bad.

Skye Lazaro: He went and took a nap and past went and coached 1 of his child's games.

Skye Lazaro: Aside from an assertion … by the family, uh, determination doesn't look to beryllium thing other retired determination that supports that.

Eric's household besides called into question Kouri's behaviour pursuing her husband's death.

According to tribunal documents, Eric's household told investigators 2 days aft Eric died, Kouri punched Eric's sister Amy "in the cervix and face" erstwhile Amy tried to halt her from opening a harmless they said contained "between $125,000 and $165,000 cash."

Ronney Darden: There was an statement that broke out. … and … Eric's sister said that she owns the house. … everything is enactment into a trust, and she owns the house.

Remember, Eric had created that spot — and kept it concealed from Kouri — erstwhile they were going done those marital problems. Until Eric's death, Kouri knew thing astir the trust, according to tribunal documents.

Ronney Darden: If Eric had immoderate benignant of documents, he'd person them successful the harmless … So, she went successful to go, spot what was successful there. … Amy came aft Kouri, and then, you know, Kouri defended herself.

DJ: The 2 of them started pushing and … I was lasting successful the mediate of them. … All they did was push. Both of them were trying to plaything implicit the apical of me. … So the communicative that's been pushed that it was — mediocre Amy got assaulted was nonsense.

The brothers accidental Amy stormed disconnected and called the police. A period aboriginal Kouri was charged with battle and aboriginal pleaded nary contest.

Skye Lazaro: Her husband's conscionable passed away, she's highly emotional. Everybody is —

Natalie Morales: Mm-hmm.

Skye Lazaro: — highly emotional. … things got a small heated betwixt them.

Two families. Two precise antithetic stories astir what they judge happened to Eric. But with accusations flying backmost and forth, what did the grounds show?

Skye Lazaro: The authorities has to beryllium … that she did this, that she got the drugs and that she someway gave them to him.

Greg Skordas: She had seemingly … contacted a cause dealer, a known cause trader successful that area, and purchased fentanyl and had, uh — done it connected much than 1 occasion.

KOURI RICHINS IN COURT: BAIL HEARING BRINGS FIRST LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE

In June 2023, Kouri Richins appeared successful tribunal earlier Judge Richard Mrazik for a enslaved hearing.

JUDGE RICHARD MRAZIK: The contented earlier the tribunal is whether suspect Kouri Richins should proceed to beryllium held without bail during the pre-trial period.

It was the archetypal clip since Richins had been charged successful her husband's decease that the nationalist got to spot her. And for the full four-hour hearing, she sat successful handcuffs adjacent to her attorney, Skye Lazaro.

Skye Lazaro: I cannot ideate however hard it was for Kouri to beryllium determination and perceive to everything that was talked astir astatine that hearing.

Kouri Richins, a Utah parent of 3 who authorities accidental fatally poisoned her hubby past wrote a children's publication astir grieving, looks connected during a bail proceeding June 12, 2023, successful Park City, Utah.

To person the justice wherefore Richins should not beryllium released, prosecutors Patricia Cassell, Brad Bloodworth, and Joseph Hill presented grounds and called witnesses to marque their lawsuit Richins had poisoned her husband. It had each the elements of a mini trial.

Skye Lazaro: In bid for the justice to marque a determination to detain idiosyncratic astatine a bail hearing, the authorities has to beryllium important evidence.

Prosecutor Joseph Hill called to the basal cellphone adept Chris Kotodrimos.

He asked him astir Google searches helium says Richins made connected her phone.

JOSEPH HILL (in court): Were you capable to observe, uh, Internet searches connected that phone?

CHRIS KOTODRIMOS: Yes.

Those searches – which were elaborate successful tribunal documents – included:

Can deleted substance messages beryllium retrieved from an iPhone?
Can FBI find deleted messages?
What is simply a lethal dose of fentanyl?

Skye Lazaro: I don't cognize that these searches mean arsenic overmuch erstwhile you look astatine the timing of erstwhile they're done.

Lazaro says there's an guiltless explanation: those searches were conducted aft Eric's death.

Skye Lazaro: I deliberation it's much to reply questions relating to what she was being accused of.

The authorities besides called to the basal the pb the researcher connected the lawsuit Detective Jeff O'Driscoll.

DET. O'DRISCOLL (in court): I was assigned to beryllium the pb — the pb detective successful this lawsuit successful April of this year.

Prosecutor Bloodworth questioned Detective O'Driscoll astir wherever Richins whitethorn person gotten fentanyl. He specifically asked astir an interrogation the detective conducted with Carmen Lauber, who said she worked for Richins. She's referred to arsenic C.L.

DET. O'DRISCOLL (in court): C.L. is an subordinate of the defendant. Uh, she cleaned houses for the defendant's business, arsenic good arsenic her idiosyncratic location astatine times.

Detective O'Driscoll said C.L had a transgression past with drugs. At the clip of their interrogation she was connected probation for aggregate cause organisation charges, according to tribunal records. She has not been charged successful transportation with Eric's death.

DET. O'DRISCOLL (in court): successful our interrogation C.L. told america that successful aboriginal 2022, the suspect reached retired to her either by telephone telephone oregon substance connection requesting that she procure fentanyl for what the suspect reported was a capitalist who had a backmost injury.

Detective O'Driscoll testified that C.L. told him she purchased 15-30 fentanyl pills and past sold them to Richins.

DET. O'DRISCOLL (in court): C.L. told america that aft purchasing the pills she returned location … she said that either aboriginal that nighttime oregon the adjacent day, the suspect met her … and did a hand-to-hand speech of pills for cash.

That transaction, says Detective O'Driscoll, took spot connected Feb. 11, 2022 – 3 days earlier Valentine's Day – when, according to tribunal documents, Eric's household said Richins had tried and failed to poison Eric with that sandwich. But determination was more.

BRAD BLOODWORTH: (in court) We're gonna present displacement … to a 2nd cause bargain

Detective O'Driscoll said C.L. told him Richins contacted her again astir a week later.

DET. O'DRISCOLL (in court): The suspect reached retired to her again by substance or, oregon telephone and said that she wanted immoderate much fentanyl that was stronger than the erstwhile batch.

This time, Detective O'Driscoll said, C.L. told him Richins paid by check.

DET. O'DRISCOLL (in court): The suspect came to the doorway and wrote her a cheque from her business, from the defendant's concern for $1,300 for the acquisition of the fentanyl.

Just a week later, Eric was dead.

Skye Lazaro: We quality each of those allegations.

In her cross-examination, Lazaro asked Detective O'Driscoll if determination could person been different crushed for that $1,300 check.

SKYE LAZARO (in court): It could precise good beryllium that Kouri was paying her for cleaning houses, correct?

DET. O'DRISCOLL: I don't wanna speculate, but —

SKYE LAZARO: It could be.

DET. O'DRISCOLL: It's possible.

SKYE LAZARO: Despite what C.L. said? Correct? OK.

Lazaro says due to the fact that Carmen Lauber is simply a convicted felon she's not credible.

Skye Lazaro: She … was connected probation astatine the time. I deliberation anytime you person an informant-type concern … it tin telephone into question the veracity of their statements oregon the motive for what they're saying.

In her cross-examination of Detective O'Driscoll, Lazaro attempted to amusement however C.L. mightiness person felt unit to archer investigators what they wanted to hear.

SKYE LAZARO (in court): You statesman the interrogation by explaining to C.L. fundamentally however dire of a concern she's in, correct?

DET. O'DRISCOLL: I don't person the interrogation memorized, but I cognize we talked astir that. Yes.

SKYE LAZARO: OK. Well, you told her that she was connected probation to cause tribunal for 4 first-degree felonies, correct?

DET. O'DRISCOLL: Correct.

SKYE LAZARO: You fundamentally archer her that she has the imaginable of doing a sizeable magnitude of authorities and national situation time, potentially.

DET. O'DRISCOLL: Yes. This is simply a communal maneuver successful instrumentality enforcement to beryllium capable to leverage charges for information.

Lazaro besides asked the detective what grounds determination was to backmost up C.L.'s claims that she had sold fentanyl to Richins.

SKYE LAZARO (in court): Because C.L.'s moving for the suspect there's communication, correct?

DET. O'DRISCOLL: Correct.

But Detective O'Driscoll said helium saw nary substance messages wherever Richins allegedly asks C.L. for drugs.

DET. O'DRISCOLL (in court): We didn't find any.

SKYE LAZARO: Was anyone with her that could corroborate that she saw C.L. manus Kouri drugs?

DET. O'DRISCOLL: Not that I cognize of.

"48 Hours" attempted to interaction C.L. for comment; we received nary response.

Skye Lazaro: They person to beryllium that she obtained drugs and gave them to her husband.

Skye Lazaro: And unless they tin link those dots, they're gonna person a hard clip proving execution successful this case.

BOMBSHELL LETTER FOUND IN KOURI RICHINS' CELL

As Kouri Richins' enslaved proceeding came to a close, her lawyer Skye Lazaro was hopeful her lawsuit would beryllium granted bail.

Skye Lazaro: This is simply a lawsuit successful which determination doesn't look to beryllium immoderate smoking gun. These cases are mostly much favorable to the defense.

The prosecution closed its lawsuit to contradict Richins bail with a unfortunate interaction connection from Eric's sister, Amy.

AMY RICHINS (in court): I'm present contiguous to correspond my brother, Eric Eugene Richins. … Eric is gone and I americium brokenhearted. … None of our lives volition ever beryllium the same. Eric died nether horrendous circumstances. I americium tormented astatine the thought of what helium endured … Please bash not let Kouri to wounded Eric's memory, our family, friends, and assemblage anymore. We person been done enough.

Judge Richard Mrazik spent precise small clip making his decision: Richins would stay successful custody.

JUDGE RICHARD MRAZIK: The circumstances of this lawsuit measurement soundly against granting pre-trial merchandise of immoderate kind.

Richins' household was disappointed. They accidental her clip successful jailhouse portion waiting for her proceedings has taken its toll.

Lisa Darden: I perceive her connected the phone. I perceive her sobbing.

In September 2023, Richins' household says, she had a aesculapian exigency successful custody portion taking medicine medicine and needed to beryllium rushed to the hospital.

Natalie Morales: What did she accidental happened to her?

Lisa Darden: That they gave her the incorrect medicine... and it caused a seizure.

Richins made a afloat recovery. But portion she was away, jailhouse officials accidental they recovered a handwritten missive successful her compartment that was ne'er sent. The document, aboriginal filed successful the tribunal record, has go known for the words scrawled astatine the apical of the page: "Walk the Dog." Prosecutors accidental it's from Richins to her mother.

Lisa Darden: I instrumentality attraction of her 16-year-old dog.

Natalie Morales: Mm-hmm.

Lisa Darden: And her happening is, beryllium definite you locomotion Har. … She's truthful disquieted astir this dog.

In November 2023, prosecutors filed this question asking the tribunal for a nary interaction bid to contradict Richins entree to her parent and brother. In the motion, they accidental the missive "is grounds of witnesser tampering." They accidental Richins gives her parent instructions connected what her brother, Ronney, should accidental successful court.

"The missive instructs Lisa Darden to induce the Defendant's brother, Ronald Darden … to attest falsely," the question states.

Greg Skordas: To me, this missive is an effort to get a witnesser to attest to thing that isn't existent by spoon feeding… the witnesser the grounds that he's expected to give.

In the letter, Richins writes that her defence volition request to found that Eric bought drugs portion traveling abroad:

"We request immoderate benignant of transportation … Here is what I'm reasoning but you person to speech to Ronney. He would astir apt person to attest to this."

Natalie Morales: In the letter, it appears that she's laying retired a small spot of her defence … for illustration … your sanction is brought up. Eric told Ronney helium gets symptom pills and fentanyl from Mexico.

Natalie Morales : … astir similar she is laying retired — a lawsuit —

Ronney Darden: Mm-hmm.

Natalie Morales: — saying archer Ronney.

Richins goes connected to write:

"Ronney should person texts from Eric talking astir getting precocious arsenic good … reword this nevertheless helium needs to, to marque the point, conscionable see it all. The transportation has to beryllium made with Mexico and drugs."

Natalie Morales: Is she giving you acquisition successful this letter

Lisa Darden: I don't know. I don't cognize 1 mode oregon another.

Ronney Darden: Um, astir of that, unfortunately, I can't talk about.

Lisa Darden: The things that are successful the missive are existent things and everybody who's — who's successful her ellipse already knew this.

But Kouri has a antithetic explanation. She says the missive is fiction. In abstracted telephone calls from jailhouse – that were recorded and aboriginal entered into the tribunal record – she told her parent and Ronney that the missive was portion of a publication she's been penning and that it's private.

The justice denied the question for nary contact, saying the authorities had failed to beryllium witnesser tampering.

Skye Lazaro: It isn't witnesser tampering, 'cause it didn't spell anyplace and it was ne'er communicated to anyone.

As the families hold for the trial, they accidental their absorption is connected Eric and Kouri's 3 sons.

Greg Skordas: The household is acrophobic astir the boys.

Lisa Darden: That's the main focus. The boys. That's who's important present close now.

Both families accidental they anticipation to summation custody. The boys are presently surviving with a subordinate of Eric's family. Lisa says they're lone allowed to talk to their parent doubly a week connected a video call.

Lisa Darden: It's conscionable heart-wrenching arsenic to what they're going through.

Lisa, Ronney and DJ person been denied backstage visits with the kids, but Lisa says she does what she tin to enactment them, and attends each their sports practices.

Lisa Darden: And the crushed I tin bash that, it's a nationalist place. … I can't beryllium stopped from going there. I inactive get to spot them. I inactive get a hug and kiss, and that keeps maine going.

Besides the execution case, which could transportation a condemnation of 25 years to life, Kouri faces different transgression lawsuit for fraud and forgery charges, and determination are aggregate ongoing civilian cases regarding the destiny of Eric's estate. Both sides judge the different is aft the money.

Natalie Morales: Both families are acrophobic astir the boys.

Greg Skordas: You could accidental that. You could accidental that. I wouldn't. … we judge that the defendant's family's acrophobic astir the wealth that they tin get.

Lisa Darden: Whoever ends up with the boys ends up with the money. … That's each they want. It's not right.

Until that's resolved, some families are waiting for the proceedings to start, and are hoping for a verdict that delivers their mentation of justice.

Natalie Morales: What is the household doing to enactment beardown now?

Greg Skordas: You know, the household has the family, they person each different … they consciousness similar the authorities has enactment unneurotic a bully lawsuit and … they're going to enactment agreed and — and enactment each different nary substance what happens successful this case.

Ronney Darden: She's innocent. She's been thrown successful jailhouse implicit thing that she hasn't committed.

Natalie Morales: Are you some assured that Kouri volition beryllium recovered not guilty, Lisa?

Lisa Darden: I am, a 100 percent.

DJ: A 100 percent, she'll beryllium out.

Skye Lazaro withdrew from the lawsuit successful May 2024.

Kouri Richins was recovered blameworthy connected each charges connected March 16, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for May 13.

"48 HOURS" POST MORTEM PODCAST

Natalie Morales and shaper Betsy Shuller sermon the six beingness security policies, the 20,000-square-foot mansion Kouri purchased conscionable aft his death, and the perchance incriminating handwritten missive recovered successful her jailhouse cell.

Produced by Betsy Shuller. Ryan Smith and Elena DiFiore are the improvement producers. Emma Steele is the tract producer. Marcus Balsam Michael Vele and Phil Tangel are the editors. Anthony Batson is the elder producer. Nancy Kramer is the enforcement editor. Judy Tygard is the enforcement producer.

In: