Why Kouri Richins jurors decided Utah mom was a killer

4 days ago 27

In February 2026 , successful a packed courtroom successful Summit County, Utah, main authoritative Brad Bloodworth laid retired the state's lawsuit against Kouri Richins, for the execution of Eric Richins, her hubby and begetter of their 3 sons.

The lawsuit against Kouri Richins

BRAD BLOODWORTH (in court): The grounds volition beryllium that Kouri Richins murdered Eric for his wealth and to get a caller commencement astatine life.

It had been astir 4 years since Eric died connected March 4, 2022, of a lethal dose of fentanyl -- served to him by Kouri successful a cocktail, accidental prosecutors. She had spent astir 3 years successful jailhouse awaiting trial.

BRAD BLOODWORTH (in court): More than anything, she wanted his wealth to perpetuate her facade of privilege, affluence and success.

Eric Richins owned a lucrative contracting business, and Kouri Richins worked arsenic a existent property agent, buying and flipping houses. She was facing not conscionable execution charges, but besides security fraud and forgery counts.

Greg Hall: She was perfectly convinced … that she would beryllium recovered not guilty.

Greg Hall is simply a person and erstwhile workfellow of Kouri's.

Natalie Morales: What made her so convinced of that … outcome?

Greg Hall: 'Cause she knows that she didn't bash it.

Initially, authorities thought Eric whitethorn person died from an accidental cause overdose. But arsenic investigators dug deeper, they concluded that Kouri poisoned Eric for fiscal gain.

Greg Skordas: "Watch retired for Kouri, ticker retired if thing happens to me."

According to Greg Skordas, a spokesperson for Eric Richins' family, Eric had raised concerns astir Kouri to his family.

Natalie Morales: The nighttime Eric died … were they instantly suspecting that Kouri took portion successful his death?

Greg Skordas: They suspected Kouri would instrumentality portion successful his decease earlier it happened. And truthful erstwhile it did happen, it was everyone's worst, you know, nightmare travel true.

KOURI RICHINS TO 911 (crying): My hubby is not breathing. He's cold.

As the authorities built its lawsuit against Kouri Richins, her 911 telephone -- saying she recovered Eric Richins unresponsive successful furniture -- was an integral portion of evidence.

911 OPERATOR: If you request you to enactment maine connected speaker, enactment maine connected talker – I'm going to usher you done CPR, OK?

The prosecution utilized the signaling passim the proceedings to telephone into question whether Kouri was adjacent trying to resuscitate Eric.

911 OPERATOR: Start counting retired large truthful I tin number with you, OK?

The relation repeatedly asks the telephone to beryllium enactment connected speaker, truthful Kouri tin perceive portion performing CPR.

911 OPERATOR: One, two, three, 4 -- americium I connected speaker?

KOURI RICHINS: Yes.

But a prosecution integer forensic expert testified that telephone receiver sensor enactment showed Kouri was really holding the telephone to her receptor during the call.

CHRIS KOTRODIMOS (in court): There is simply a proximity sensor wrong the instrumentality that activates the receiver.

Laura | Juror: The integer download adept … could really spot that Kouri did not enactment the telephone connected talker telephone … she was inactive holding it up to her ear. That means she wasn't doing compressions oregon if she was, she was doing it with 1 hand.

The 911 telephone was impactful for jurors Laura and Eric, who requested we not usage their past names.

Eric | Juror: Listening to the call, it didn't look similar determination was overmuch effort successful the compressions themselves.

The content these jurors had of her resuscitation attempts didn't lucifer Kouri Richins' statement of events, which she texted to her friend, Chelsea Barney. Prosecutor Bloodworth work the messages to the jury.

BRAD BLOODWORTH (in court): "His lifeless assemblage connected my chamber floor. … I pumped truthful damn hard, truthful hard screaming astatine him to travel backmost to beingness that I needed him."

Eric | Juror: Some of her substance messages to a friend, she said she was screaming and beating connected his chest. And the grounds did not amusement that.

Some of Kouri's different actions the time Eric died puzzled the jurors we interviewed, similar her behaviour connected a deputy's bodycam footage, shown successful court.

Laura | Juror: It was unusual close aft Eric died. Kouri was holding … her look with her hands …

Eric | Juror: It surely looks similar she was trying to fell her face, and her emotions.

DEPUTY (bodycam): -- wherever are your children now?

KOURI RICHINS: One's dormant successful that room. Two are awake with their receptor to the door.

And erstwhile the jurors compared Kouri's behaviour successful the footage to Eric's sister's, they recovered the opposition startling.

Eric | Juror: Eric's sister Katie Richins came in. She was hysterical ... adjacent -- hyperventilating. And her archetypal thought is: Where are the kids? Are the kids OK? And done that full video, Kouri said, my kids are successful that room. And 1 of 'em's listening. But ne'er did she determination to spell comfortableness those kids.

Eric's sister, Katie, testified astir arriving astatine the house.

BRAD BLOODWORTH (in court): On the greeting that Eric died, did Kouri Richins accidental thing astir the location that they were surviving in?

KATIE RICHINS BENSON: Yes. … she told maine she was going to merchantability it.

According to Katie, conscionable hours aft Eric's death, Kouri was talking existent estate: however she planned to merchantability their home, and however she needed to adjacent connected a location she had conscionable purchased, known arsenic the "Midway Mansion."

KATIE RICHINS BENSON (in court): I had conscionable mislaid 1 of the astir important radical successful my full full beingness and she was readying connected selling the location that helium had conscionable been wheeled retired of, closing connected a multimillion-dollar mansion. I could not wrapper my caput astir it.

Prosecutors besides presented grounds of thing accessed connected Kouri's cellphone that greeting -- GIFs, seemingly celebrating coming into money.

Eric | Juror: I thought the GIFs were truly odd. If she was the 1 that pulled them up, which it surely seems similar that is the case, that's -- conscionable much grounds of her -- authorities of caput astatine the time.

It was not wide to the jurors whether the GIFs were celebrating Eric's decease oregon celebrating the Midway mansion purchase. Either way, they recovered the timing curious.

Laura | Juror: It's inactive inappropriate the time aft her hubby passed distant that she's accessing these. … So, it was strange.

Strange behaviour aside, the state's lawsuit hinged connected proving Kouri intentionally poisoned Eric; that helium did not dice of an accidental overdose. The prosecution contends it was Kouri who administered the fentanyl -- either successful a cocktail, called a Moscow mule, oregon successful a citrus driblet shot, that she prepared for Eric.

Investigators recovered a enactment successful a room cabinet, which the prosecution says chronicles however Kouri killed Eric.

BRAD BLOODWORTH (in court): Notice that present she writes "drink successful bed."

And the authoritative told the assemblage astir thing other authorities recovered unusual. In the incidental report, describing what happened that night, Kouri instantly writes astir having a portion astir 9:15 p.m. to observe work.

Laura: Her communicative that nighttime that she wrote started with Eric drinking a portion that she made. … wherefore would her communicative commencement then? … Why wouldn't it commencement erstwhile she walked successful the doorway and recovered that helium wasn't moving? That was conscionable 1 of these truly subtle things that I thought was truly important.

Also important for jurors was knowing however Kouri obtained the fentanyl. For that, prosecutors turned to a witnesser who became a arguable fig successful the case: Kouri's housekeeper.

BRAD BLOODWORTH (in court): Did you inquire Kouri Richins astir Eric's death?

CARMEN LAUBER: Yes, I did.

BRAD BLOODWORTH: What did you inquire her?

CARMEN LAUBER: I said, delight archer maine these pills were not for him.

Jurors find housekeeper's grounds credible

Carmen Lauber was Kouri and Eric's housekeeper and she cleaned homes for Kouri's existent property flipping business. Prosecutors accidental Carmen besides did thing other -- she supplied Kouri with the drugs utilized to termination Eric.

BRAD BLOODWORTH (in court): Did Kouri Richins ever inquire you to acquisition for her illicit drugs?

CARMEN LAUBER: Yes.

BRAD BLOODWORTH: How galore times?

CARMEN LAUBER: Four.

Skye Lazaro: In a batch of ways … she is the cardinal witness.

Skye Lazaro had been Kouri Richins attorney, earlier resigning from the lawsuit owed to a struggle of interest.

Skye Lazaro: Carmen truly was the lone idiosyncratic who could necktie Kouri to obtaining fentanyl.

Carmen testified that successful the months preceding Eric's death, Kouri asked her to get symptom medicine for a client, which Carmen did. Then, astir 2 weeks earlier Eric died, Kouri made different request, for thing stronger. Carmen says she reached retired to a cause trader person and told Kouri she could get her fentanyl.

CARMEN LAUBER (in court): I had texted Kouri backmost and told her that I had a -- a person that could get them, but they were fentanyl pills.

BRAD BLOODWORTH: How did Kouri Richins respond?

CARMEN LAUBER: She said, OK, spell up and get 'em.

The authorities contends Kouri mixed that fentanyl into the Moscow mule oregon citrus driblet changeable she served Eric. Carmen, though, has an apprehension grounds from cause charges, and is not an perfect witness.

Greg Skordas: She had a past of cause abuse, and though I deliberation she's flooded that … Those are who you woody with successful transgression cases … They're not ever the shiniest radical successful the world.

The jurors we spoke with were capable to look past Carmen's past and recovered her credible.

Eric | Juror: I enactment a lotta value connected Carmen Lauber's testimony. I recovered it -- precise impactful -- precise important to the prosecution's case. And her grounds was corroborated with the integer evidence.

The state's integer forensic adept testified astir hundreds of texts messages betwixt Kouri and Carmen, that matched Carmen's timeline of erstwhile Kouri contacted her for drugs. Because the messages were deleted, investigators could lone retrieve the dates and times, but not the messages' content.

CHRIS KOTRODIMOS (in court): Between the 2 of them, astir 800 substance messages.

The prosecution argued, passim the trial, that this was not the archetypal clip Kouri utilized drugs to effort to termination Eric. Investigators learned that 2 weeks earlier his death, connected Valentine's Day, Eric became sick aft Kouri served him what they accidental was a drug-laced meal sandwich.

BRAD BLOODWORTH (in court): On Valentine's Day, it was a sandwich. When she murdered him, it was a drink.

As for a motive, prosecutors accidental Kouri needed money. A forensic accountant testified astir her wealth problems.

BRAD BLOODWORTH (in court): What was the magnitude of Kouri Richins' liabilities?

BROOKE KARRINGTON: Right astir $8 million.

She said Kouri was successful indebtedness for astir $8 cardinal from her location flipping business, immoderate of it from the caller acquisition of that Midway mansion. And Eric, betwixt his contracting business, property, and beingness insurance, was worthy a lot.

BRAD BLOODWORTH: On the time that Eric died, his property was worthy implicit $4 million.

There was besides grounds that Kouri took retired an further $100,000 beingness security argumentation connected Eric, astir a period earlier helium died---and that Eric's signature was forged -- a forgery, prosecutors say, committed by Kouri.

Juror Eric | Juror: She utilized her concern code for this argumentation and made herself the beneficiary. … And frankly, adjacent arsenic a laic person, looking astatine the signatures, Eric did not motion that document.

And determination whitethorn person been different motive for murder. According to the state, Kouri wanted a caller beingness with Josh Grossman, a handyman she met done her location flipping business. They had an matter for astir 2 years.

Greg Skordas: I don't cognize however overmuch the household knew astir the information that she had a -- a paramour. I don't adjacent cognize however overmuch Eric knew astir it. … that turned retired to beryllium a adjuvant portion of grounds that was discovered during the investigation.

Josh Grossman testified that aft helium heard Kouri had been arrested for Eric's murder, by which clip they had breached up, helium reached retired to Eric's family.

JOSH GROSSMAN (in court) I was overwhelmed with guilt, sorrow, implicit my wrongdoings, you know, infidelity and uh …

Juror Laura: With respect to Josh Grossman, helium seemed similar a believable witness. I deliberation we each felt truly atrocious for him astatine times that helium was crying.

Josh told investigators astir a speech helium had with Kouri, that now, nether the lens of murder, took connected caller meaning. Josh, who had served with the Army successful Iraq, was asked astir that conversation.

JOSH GROSSMAN (in court): She asked if -- if I had ever killed anybody.

BRAD BLOODWORTH: Did she inquire a travel up question?

JOSH GROSSMAN: Yes. … She asked maine however it made maine consciousness oregon thing on those lines.

The assemblage was besides shown substance messages betwixt Kouri and Josh.

Natalie Morales (to Skye): I mean, you spot those substance messages backmost and forth, precise lovey, "Life is going to beryllium different, I promise." "If I was divorced close present and asked you to wed me, you would?" "I conscionable privation to laic connected the sofa and cuddle you, ticker a execution documentary, and snuggle." … I mean, you know, I don't cognize that that gets immoderate person to the world of what really happened successful this case.

Skye Lazaro: Yeah, successful hindsight, I don't deliberation those, uh, astir apt good thought out. … these coming successful the mode they did and the timing of 'em -- I deliberation surely did not assistance Kouri.

Something other that did not assistance Kouri was the preservation she booked for a romanticist getaway with Josh.

BRAD BLOODWORTH (in court): Did you cognize astir a travel planned to the Secrets St. Martin's Resort?

JOSH GROSSMAN: Yes.

Kouri sent Josh the preservation she made earlier Eric died, with the travel planned for April -- a period aft Eric's death.

Laura | Juror: The preservation for the travel was damaging to Kouri. … To maine that made it look similar she had been readying thing for a while. And astatine immoderate constituent soon, Eric would beryllium retired of the picture.

As the probe proceeded, Kouri said the prosecution was disquieted astir being caught. It showed web searches Kouri made aft Eric's death, including: "luxury prisons for the affluent successful america," "how agelong does beingness insrance companies takento.pay," "if idiosyncratic is poisned what does it spell down connected the decease certificate as."

Eric | Juror: Kouri's net searches … the questions that were being searched led maine to judge she had a blameworthy mind.

Skye Lazaro: These searches … were done aft she was handed a hunt warrant erstwhile they searched the location … it kinda takes the sting retired of them. I deliberation it's somewhat understandable.

Natalie Morales: So this is aft the fact.

Skye Lazaro: This is after, and good after, successful fact.

WENDY LEWIS (in court): She was looking for accusation based connected what she recovered retired aft Eric died.

It was 1 of the points that Kouri's ain defence squad made, arsenic it tried to poke holes successful the full prosecution's case.

KATHRYN NESTER (in court) You cognize what you're ne'er going to hear, is however that fentanyl got wrong of him. Because determination is zero grounds of that.

Kouri Richins' defence takes purpose astatine prosecution's witnesses, claims

Just extracurricular of Salt Lake City, location to famed skis resorts including parkland City, is the astir 10-acre property that Kouri Richins was readying connected flipping.

Natalie Morales: … that looks ginormous.

Skye Lazaro: It's massive.

Skye Lazaro told america Kouri hoped to locomotion distant with astir $10 cardinal successful profit.

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.

And it was that estate, said Kouri Richins' defence lawyer Kathryn Nester successful her opening statement, the mates were toasting the nighttime Eric died.

KATHRYN NESTER (in court): Eric and Kouri Richins … were celebrating.

KATHRYN NESTER: … They were celebrating due to the fact that Kouri was astir to adjacent connected the biggest existent property woody that her institution had ever done.

KATHRYN NESTER: They had a batch to celebrate. They besides had a fantastic family.

Nester showed jurors a household photograph of Eric and Kouri with their 3 sons --- seemingly blessed -- and spoke astir the emotion they shared for their boys.

KATHRYN NESTER: … And what's much important is that the boys adored their father. … And Kouri knew that astir her sons and astir her family.

Nester asked jurors to see wherefore Kouri would poison Eric, knowing the interaction it would person connected their 3 sons.

KATHRYN NESTER: Now aft you've listened to each the grounds successful this lawsuit …You're gonna person to determine if Kouri Richins intentionally and knowingly poisoned … the begetter of her kids, knowing that she was gonna origin those small boys to consciousness symptom each time for the remainder of their beingness for the nonaccomplishment of their father.

Kouri's person Greg Hall says Kouri would ne'er bash that.

Greg Hall: She was loving. She was kind. She was giving. … A fantastic mother.

KATHRYN NESTER (in court): Eric suffered from pain, a lot.

Nester told jurors Eric Richins lived with chronic symptom —

KATHRYN NESTER (in court): … helium suffered from genu and backmost symptom related to his work. … He did hard work.

— and utilized drugs recreationally often taking marijuana gummies.

KATHRYN NESTER (in court): … these are each gummies that the constabulary recovered successful Eric's things.

Nester said Eric besides utilized symptom medication.

KATHRYN NESTER (in court): You're besides going to perceive … that determination was an bare pill vessel close adjacent to him.

The statement connected that pill vessel was for the painkiller hydrocodone and it had expired successful 2020. Nester suggested it was Eric who whitethorn person travel into interaction with fentanyl.

KATHRYN NESTER (in court): …You're gonna perceive that conscionable a fewer weeks earlier Eric died, conjecture wherever helium was, Mexico. Guess wherever the fentanyl comes into this state from, Mexico.

One by one, the defence challenged the state's witnesses, opening with Eric's sister Katie Richins Benson, and her relationship of Kouri's behaviour the nighttime Eric died.

KATHRYN NESTER (in court): And you besides said that … she conscionable stood determination and did not comfortableness you successful immoderate way?

KATIE RICHINS-BENSON: Not that I recall.

KATHRYN NESTER: OK.

KATHRYN NESTER: … Your Honor, we'd similar to play a clip. This is State's Exhibit 1-4.

KATHRYN NESTER : OK, truthful that's Kouri. Freeze it close there.

KATHRYN NESTER: … And that's her squatting down to comfortableness you portion you're connected the crushed and that's, y'all hugging, right

KATIE RICHINS BENSON: Correct.

KATHRYN NESTER: So your representation astir that was intelligibly wrong.

KATIE RICHINS BENSON: To beryllium fair, it was 4 years ago.

KATHRYN NESTER: OK.

When it came to state's cardinal witnesser Carmen Lauber, the defence pointed retired that she made a woody with constabulary successful bid to enactment retired of prison. Defense lawyer Wendy Lewis played a information of 1 of Carmen's interviews with investigators.

INVESTIGATOR #1: They're looking to propulsion your cause tribunal woody and inquire for 7 years connected your 2 firsts …

INVESTIGATOR #1: … The lone objection to that and the lone happening that they're consenting to benignant of assistance you retired with is if you tin assistance america retired with this.

INVESTIGATOR #2: And by -- truthful helium means similar springiness america the details that volition guarantee Kouri gets convicted of murder.

WENDY LEWIS (in court): So that's what they said to you.

CARMEN LAUBER: Yes.

WENDY LEWIS: … you whitethorn beryllium getting 7 years successful situation connected your authorities case.

CARMEN LAUBER: Correct.

WENDY LEWIS: But if you assistance them out, that's not gonna happen.

CARMEN LAUBER: Correct.

Skye Lazaro: … the investigators support pushin' connected her. "… We request more. That's not enough." … And yet successful the past interview, they fundamentally conscionable spell it out.

CARMEN LAUBER: I emotion Eric. … If it was done, intentionally, helium did not merit it.

INVESTIGATOR: … we judge you and that's wherefore we are present moving connected what your get retired of jailhouse escaped paper looks similar …

Skye Lazaro: You know, it's, "this is your 1 get retired of jailhouse escaped card. You person to fundamentally accidental it's fentanyl."

WENDY LEWIS (in court): And you are consenting to bash immoderate it takes to prevention yourself from cause -- getting kicked outta cause tribunal and going to prison, correct?

CARMEN LAUBER: I'm going to spell guardant with the truth. Yes.

Laura | Juror: … I deliberation the defence was truly hammering her. … And I don't deliberation it went implicit that well.

CARMEN LAUBER (in court): She said, "OK, spell up and get the fentanyl."

WENDY LEWIS: That's your grounds today?

CARMEN LAUBER: When I told her what I had that's what she said, yes.

Even if Carmen bought fentanyl for Kouri, the defence said determination was nary impervious that Kouri utilized the cause to poison her husband. Kathryn Nester told the assemblage the cups Kouri served the drinks successful were ne'er tested that night.

KATHRYN NESTER : … The nanny ended up putting them successful the dishwasher the adjacent morning.

Eric | Juror: I deliberation the astir almighty constituent … the defence made is that we don't cognize precisely however the fentanyl got into Eric Richins' stomach.

Skye Lazaro: … erstwhile you person to beryllium execution -- uh, you person to beryllium … that she's the 1 that administered -- the fentanyl to him.

The defence pushed backmost connected the state's assertion that Kouri had tried to poison Eric weeks earlier with that Valentine's Day sandwich. Kouri's person Aly Staking said the mates downplayed that occurrence arsenic Eric having an allergic reaction.

ALEMITU STAKING (in court): He took a wound of the sandwich and got an allergic absorption and had to sprout himself with an EpiPen.

WENDY LEWIS: Was everyone laughing?

ALEMITU STAKING: Yes, we were each laughing and we jokingly said, don't devour what Kouri feeds you.

WENDY LEWIS: OK. And did Eric look upset astir what had happened anterior with the sandwich?

ALEMITU STAKING: No.

And arsenic for the fiscal motive that Kouri was broke? Skye Lazaro says Kouri Richins' multimillion-dollar indebtedness was emblematic successful the location flipping business.

Skye Lazaro: That's what they bash for a living, is they put successful homes to flip.

Natalie Morales: So you're saying it's portion of the business?

Skye Lazaro: Right.

Natalie Morales: That you'd get successful -- successful debt, and past you flip the house, you merchantability it, and past you marque your wealth back.

Skye Lazaro: Absolutely.

And that $100,000 beingness security argumentation the authorities claimed wasn't signed by Eric? Nester said determination is an guiltless explanation.

KATHRYN NESTER: I'm telling you close now, wives everyplace motion their husband's names connected a batch of things. You've gotta find that she did it without his knowledge. And I don't cognize however they're gonna beryllium that.

The defence besides downplayed Kouri's matter with Josh Grossman, who testified they ne'er went connected that romanticist getaway Kouri had booked for them.

WENDY LEWIS (in court): … past Kouri ended the relationship, correct?

JOSH GROSSMAN: Right.

Eric |Juror: It was a small spot hard to recognize what the concern was … with Josh Grossman, due to the fact that she did look to driblet him beauteous rapidly …

Natalie Morales: … bash you deliberation that Josh Grossman's narration with Kouri had thing to bash with Eric's decease --

Greg Hall: No, no.

Greg Hall: … if that were the case, aft Eric passed away, that narration would person continued, not been tapered off. It doesn't marque immoderate logical sense. …

On March 12, 2026, aft 3 weeks and 40 witnesses from the state, the prosecution rested its case.

The jurors accidental they were expecting to spot defence grounds and perceive from their witnesses.

Laura | Juror: I'm like, "OK. Now, we tin perceive the remainder of the story."

But what happened adjacent caught everyone disconnected guard.

"Now we've seen conscionable astir everything successful this trial," says amazed juror

Laura | Juror: … my rima conscionable dropped open. … I was conscionable like, "What?" I was truthful shocked and I was really truly disappointed.

Thirteen days into the trial, Judge Richard Mrazik asked Kouri Richins' defence squad astir their archetypal witness.

Eric | Juror: … I was wholly prepared for nevertheless galore days oregon weeks of vigorous defense.

JUDGE RICHARD MRAZIK (in court): … Who is, uh, defence counsel's archetypal witness?

WENDY LEWIS: Um... tin we person conscionable a minute? We person -- we person a mates of options …

JUDGE RICHARD MRAZIK: Understood.

But the enactment defence attorneys Wendy Lewis and Kathryn Nester chose was 1 these jurors were not expecting.

WENDY LEWIS (in court): Your Honor, really astatine this clip the defence intends to rest.

Eric | Juror: … I was like, "Seriously?" …Now we've seen conscionable astir everything successful this trial.

Laura | Juror: I was disappointed … due to the fact that I'm like, you know, I felt similar determination was much to the story. And they denied america entree to that.

JUDGE RICHARD MRAZIK (in court): I conscionable privation to marque definite you've consulted with your lawsuit astir this.

WENDY LEWIS: Absolutely.

JUDGE RICHARD MRAZIK: Ms. Richins, whitethorn I inquire you 2 nonstop questions?

KOURI RICHINS: Yes.

JUDGE RICHARD MRAZIK: Do you recognize that you person the close to attest astatine trial?

KOURI RICHINS: Yes. I do.

JUDGE RICHARD MRAZIK: … are you pursuing your attorney's proposal successful waiving your close to attest astatine trial?

KOURI RICHINS: Yes, I am.

JUDGE RICHARD MRAZIK: I judge your waiver, I find it is knowing and voluntary.

Laura says she astatine slightest expected the defence to contiguous grounds astir Eric's alleged cause usage and what role, if any, it played successful his death.

Laura | Juror: … they were conscionable hinting, ever truthful slightly, astatine these things, without backing it up. So I was truly hoping for immoderate testimony, if that's truly existent oregon you conscionable trying to confuse, everything.

Greg Skordas, who happens to beryllium an lawyer himself, says possibly the defence saw nary request to telephone witnesses due to the fact that it felt determination was capable tenable doubt.

Greg Skordas: … if you deliberation you're winning aft the prosecution puts connected its case, past there's nary crushed to enactment connected a case, due to the fact that you could lone wounded yourself. … And truthful why—why adjacent hazard putting connected a witnesser that could wounded you.

Laura says passim the proceedings she would sometimes look implicit astatine the defence table.

Laura | Juror: … determination was truly nary vibe coming from her. Like, I couldn't consciousness whether she was upset, oregon angry, oregon sad. She had a precise level affect.

Natalie Morales: Was that portion of it, the likability of Kouri Richins astatine that point? Do you deliberation they saw a pistillate who was having an affair, who was successful debt.

Skye Lazaro: I deliberation that's however it surely could beryllium taken. … There ne'er was a existent accidental … to humanize her, to marque her likable, to marque her look similar a idiosyncratic who wouldn't bash that.

JUDGE RICHARD MRAZIK (in court): Mr. Bloodworth, would you similar to proceed?

In its closing, the prosecution portrayed Kouri Richins arsenic a ruthless societal climber, chasing a beingness beyond what she had, astatine her family's expense.

BRAD BLOODWORTH (in court): … Behind the facade however, Kouri Richins was incompetent. … Her concern was imploding. … All the while, Kouri Richins was much funny successful spending clip with Josh Grossman than Eric. … but she did not person the wealth to permission Eric oregon the wealth to salvage her business.

BRAD BLOODWORTH (in court): She is simply a hazard taker. There was a mode forward. Eric had to die.

The defence utilized its closing statement to laic retired its full lawsuit --

WENDY LEWIS (in court): They privation you to look astatine a pistillate successful the worst infinitesimal of her life.

--citing respective reasons wherefore determination was tenable doubt.

WENDY LEWIS (in court): The probe successful this substance was thing but sloppy. It was driven by bias.

Wendy Lewis told jurors the investigators developed passageway imaginativeness aboriginal on, driven by Eric's family's content that Kouri was guilty.

WENDY LEWIS (in court): Everything astir this probe was led by the Richins family.

Laura | Juror: … it did springiness maine intermission whether determination was this bias successful the full probe that started with the Richins family.

WENDY LEWIS (in court): What other bash we find connected that archetypal time that Eric died?

Lewis pointed to that travel Eric took to Mexico soon earlier his death, and that bare pill vessel connected his nightstand.

Pill vessel from Eric Richins nightstand

WENDY LEWIS (in court): … The hydrocodone bottle. … What was kept successful that bottle? … What mightiness beryllium the champion mode to bring amerciable pills backmost from Mexico? Put them successful a medicine bottle?

WENDY LEWIS (in court): So what's different explanation? What could person happened? … Maybe helium thought it was thing else, and helium accidentally got fent -- fentanyl. Maybe had they tested that bottle, we would know, but they didn't.

She urged the jurors to basal with Kouri Richins.

WENDY LEWIS (in court): Kouri Richins did not termination Eric Richins. The authorities did not beryllium this lawsuit beyond a tenable doubt, and you person the courage. Have the courageousness to archer them this and find Kouri Richins not guilty.

Natalie Morales: … however was Kouri feeling … did she ever consciousness similar this whitethorn not spell her way?

Greg Hall: No. Absolutely not, honestly. Not astatine all. She was upbeat, hopeful, enthused … She was perfectly convinced … that she would beryllium recovered not guilty.

The Richins children talk out

After sitting done the three-week trial, jurors Eric and Laura had nary mode of knowing what different jurors were reasoning -- nor however agelong reaching a verdict could take.

Laura | Juror: I was reasoning this is gonna beryllium a precise agelong week.

But successful the end, deliberations would lone past astir 3 hours. Laura, 1 of the 2 women connected the eight-person jury, was selected arsenic foreperson.

Laura | Juror: When we got backmost there, I deliberation everyone was bursting. I felt similar I was bursting astatine the seams.

For the jurors, Kouri's wealth occupation proved to beryllium a motive for Eric's murder.

Eric | Juror: She was successful specified a presumption that she had to instrumentality drastic enactment to excavation retired of the fiscal spread that she was in.

Eric | Juror: I shared that I thought the grounds was devastating against Kouri and that she was guilty. … I deliberation that … opened the door, to different radical to stock precisely wherever they stood.

And erstwhile the determination was made to vote, the remainder of the assemblage agreed—not conscionable that Kouri murdered Eric -- but that she antecedently attempted to termination him with that poison laced Valentine's Day sandwich, and, that she committed 2 counts of security fraud, and forgery.

On March 16, 2026, Judge Richard Mrazik work the verdict:

JUDGE RICHARD MRAZIK (in court): "Count 1 aggravated murder, we the assemblage unanimously find that the suspect Kouri Richins is guilty of aggravated murder."

Kouri Richins was stunned arsenic she learned she was recovered blameworthy of each 5 counts related to Eric's death, says her person Greg Hall.

Greg Hall: Totally unexpected. She was perfectly crushed and heartbroken.

Kouri Richins declined our petition for an interview.

Two months later, connected what would person been Eric Richins' 44th birthday, Kouri Richins – present wearing a situation azygous – was backmost successful tribunal to person her sentence.

Eric's household gave heartfelt statements. His sister Amy emphasized the interaction his nonaccomplishment has had connected his 3 sons.

AMY RICHINS (in court): This transgression didn't conscionable hap once. It happens each azygous greeting erstwhile those boys aftermath up and recognize their father's inactive gone.

The boys were 5, 7 and 9 erstwhile their satellite was shattered. Today they are 9, 11 and 13, and done written statements work by each of their counselors, for the archetypal time, the satellite got to perceive from them.

The archetypal connection work aloud was written by the youngest, Weston.

WESTON'S STATEMENT | Read by counsellor #1: "When idiosyncratic talks astir Kouri, it makes maine consciousness hateful and ashamed. She took distant my dad. It's made maine person a hard clip trusting people."

The mediate child, Ashton, called Kouri greedy and said she did not decently attraction for him and his brothers.

ASHTON'S STATEMENT | Read by counsellor #2: " … erstwhile we got hurt, you didn't adjacent care."

He accused her of harming the household pets.

ASHTON'S STATEMENT | Read by counsellor #2: You wouldn't fto maine enactment my kitten successful the store for information astatine night. And we recovered it eaten by raccoons the adjacent day. You wouldn't fto america crook connected and usage the heater lamp for the chickens and bunnies, and they froze to death.

Carter, the oldest, said Kouri was often drunk and would fastener him successful his room.

CARTER'S STATEMENT | Read by counsellor #3: "This happened beauteous overmuch daily. I consciousness aggravated that she locked maine successful my room. … I miss my dad, but I bash not miss however my beingness utilized to be. I don't miss Kouri. I volition archer you that."

All 3 boys asked the justice to springiness their mother, whom they lone referred to arsenic Kouri, the harshest imaginable sentence.

CARTER'S STATEMENT | Read by counsellor #3 "… what she did is precise sick …"

When it was their turn, Kouri's friends and household pleaded for leniency. Her member Ronnie.

RONNIE DARDEN (in court): … the injustice that's occurred present successful this courtroom, it'll beryllium righted successful time. … And until then, small sister, conscionable cognize … that I'm close by your broadside and I'll ever beryllium close present for you. I emotion you.

Then Kouri Richins was allowed to speak. She did not attest astatine proceedings but present she approached the podium and utilized her clip to code her kids.

KOURI RICHINS (in court): I volition usage immoderate accidental I tin to get a connection to you.

She says she has been chopped disconnected from them for the past 2 years.

KOURI RICHINS (in court): As overmuch arsenic you've been influenced into reasoning that dada was murdered, that I took your dada from you, that is wholly incorrect and an implicit lie. … And conscionable due to the fact that idiosyncratic whitethorn not beryllium perfect, that's a acold scope for them to beryllium susceptible of execution

Judge Mrazik had 2 options erstwhile considering Kouri Richins' condemnation -- either 25 year-to-life with the anticipation of parole oregon beingness successful situation without parole --- and helium made it known helium cautiously considered each.

JUDGE RICHARD MRAZIK (in court): The Court's work is to marque a decision, a weighty, long-lasting determination based connected the champion accusation disposable today. … Accordingly, Miss Richins … the Court hereby sentences you to beingness without parole.

For Eric's household it was the extremity to a yearslong nightmare. Greg Skordas, the household spokesperson, says the existent heartbreak is for the kids, who are present surviving with Eric's sister Katie.

Greg Skordas: I can't deliberation of thing worse arsenic a kid to suffer your father, but to cognize that it was due to the fact that of your mother. I mean, deliberation astir that.

Produced by Ruth Chenetz, Asena Basak and Betsy Shuller. Elena DiFiore and Ryan Smith are the improvement producers. Emma Steele is the tract producer. Alicia Tejada is the coordinating producer. Megan Kelly Brown is the subordinate producer. Michael Vele, Richard Barber, Marcus Balsam, Marlon Disla and Greg Kaplan are the editors. Anthony Batson is the elder producer. Nancy Kramer is the enforcement communicative editor. Judy Tygard is the enforcement producer.

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