Utah jury convicts grief author of husband's fentanyl murder

Kouri Richins was sentenced in May to life without parole after a Utah jury convicted the children's grief-book author of aggravated murder for lacing husband Eric's cocktail with a lethal fentanyl dose in 2022.

The verdict came down in a case that stretched from a March 2022 death to a May 2026 sentencing.

Richins, 36 at the time of sentencing, was found guilty of aggravated murder, attempted murder, forgery, and insurance fraud.

The jury determined she had spiked Eric Richins's cocktail with a fatal amount of fentanyl.

The murder took place at the couple's home in Kamas, Utah, on March 4, 2022.

Eric Richins, 39, died within minutes of drinking the drink.

Prosecutors argued Kouri Richins had taken out secret life-insurance policies on her husband worth about $2 million.

The policies were discovered after his death, according to a source close to the situation.

Richins had published a children's grief book titled "Are You with Me?" in 2021, written after the death of a family friend.

The book was marketed to help children cope with loss.

After Eric's death, she published a second grief book for children.

The irony of a grief author being convicted of murder drew national attention.

During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Richins had researched fentanyl overdoses online before her husband's death.

They also showed text messages in which she discussed marital problems and financial stress.

Defense attorneys argued that Eric Richins had a history of drug use and could have obtained fentanyl himself.

The jury deliberated for several days before reaching the guilty verdict on all counts.

The aggravated murder charge carried a mandatory sentence of life without parole under Utah law.

Utah defines aggravated murder as intentional murder plus one of several aggravating factors, such as use of a deadly weapon or killing for financial gain.

The jury found that Richins killed for financial gain, triggering the enhanced penalty.

The attempted murder charge stemmed from an earlier incident in which Richins allegedly tried to poison her husband.

Prosecutors said she had given him a fentanyl-laced sandwich in February 2022, which made him ill but did not kill him.

The forgery and insurance fraud charges related to the secret life-insurance policies.

Richins had forged Eric's signature on the policy applications, according to testimony.

The total value of the policies was approximately $2 million.

Richins was sentenced on May 15, 2026, in a packed courtroom in Park City, Utah.

She addressed the court before sentencing, maintaining her innocence.

"I did not kill my husband," she said, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Eric's family members gave victim-impact statements, describing their loss and the betrayal they felt.

The judge imposed the life-without-parole sentence, calling the crime "calculated and cruel."

Richins will serve the sentence at the Utah State Correctional Facility in Salt Lake City.

She is eligible for parole only if the governor commutes her sentence, which is rare in aggravated murder cases.

The case has drawn comparison to other high-profile murder cases involving spouses and life insurance.

Legal experts say the conviction was bolstered by the digital evidence, including search history and text messages.

"The online searches were devastating for the defense," a source close to the situation said.

Richins's grief books have been pulled from most retailers following the conviction.