Kouri Richins, a mother from Utah, is currently on trial for allegedly killing her husband with a deadly amount of fentanyl. She has been charged with making a fake insurance claim, aggravated murder, attempted criminal homicide and forgery.
Richins, however, has pleaded not guilty in court. The trial is expected to last several weeks. Chief Prosecutor Bradley Bloodworth noted in court, “Evidence will prove that Kouri Richins murdered Eric for his money.”
According to the court documents, Richins poisoned her husband, Eric, in a scheme to get millions in insurance payouts. The records reveal that her real estate company was in financial strain, which left her in debt.
⚖️ UTAH vs Kouri Richins ⚖️ Trial set for Feb 23, 2026. Here is a timeline of the Kouri Richins case as jury is now selected for her murder. Prosecutors allege she fatally poisoned her husband, Eric Richins, with fentanyl for financial gain in March 2022. https://t.co/r6XNwgr8BN… pic.twitter.com/X83HV755fC
— American Crime Stories (@AmericanCrime01) February 16, 2026
The case gained popularity when Richins wrote a children’s book on dealing with grief after the death of her husband. She also reportedly had an affair, as was revealed in a text message exchange. Her alleged plan was to start a new life with the insurance money.
Richins claimed that her husband was unresponsive after they had a celebratory drink on March 4, 2022. She called for help, following which medical emergency personnel tried to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) but could not revive him.
Later, autopsy report confirmed the presence of five times the lethal dose of fentanyl in Eric’s body. Moreover, the examiner said that the dose was given orally. Richins was arrested in May 2023, but she has since maintained that she’s innocent.
Court documents reveal that she tried to poison him on multiple occasions. She bought fentanyl pills from her housekeeper and reportedly made a sandwich with the pills. Eric was aware of this and told the same to a friend. Additionally, Eric fell sick during a Greece trip after Richins gave him a drink.
Prosecutors allege Kouri Richins fatally poisoned her husband with fentanyl and sought millions in life insurance payouts. She has pleaded not guilty as jury selection gets underway. https://t.co/JfI0nE5Z8W
— NBC News (@NBCNews) February 23, 2026
Considering Richins’ alleged attempts to kill him, Eric met a divorce lawyer and changed his will, giving all control of his estate to his sister. He also made a trust the beneficiary of his $500,000 life insurance policy.
Meanwhile, the 35-year-old mother tried to prepare her brother to testify in court with a six-page letter written for her mother from her jail cell. She called Eric’s death an “accidental overdose” and claimed he bought the pills from Mexico. Richins has denied any involvement in the death of her husband, and defense lawyers have said that they are ready to fight for justice.
