On March 7, 2023, Kouri Richins, 33, of Kamas, Utah, self-published a children’s grief book. The illustrated book, Are You With Me?, follows a young boy who wonders how his deceased father’s presence will remain in his life.
A year before, Kouri, a real estate agent and mother of three, lost her husband unexpectedly. Despite being otherwise healthy, 39-year-old Eric Richins died in his sleep on March 4, 2022. The book was borne from Kouri’s longing to help their sons, ages 10, 9 and 6, navigate the challenge of their father’s untimely passing.
From the outside looking in, Kouri’s book is a mother’s effort to guide her children through a difficult time and support others in similar situations. But after the book was published, the truth was exposed…and it was far more calculated than anyone imagined.
When Eric died, he had five times the lethal amount of fentanyl in his body. On May 8, 2023, Kouri was charged with aggravated murder and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, in connection with her husband’s death.
Let’s look into what happened.
Kouri’s Last Night With Her Husband
On the evening of Thursday, March 3, 2022, Kouri and Eric celebrated the closing of a multimillion-dollar home they planned to flip. Kouri and Eric, who co-owned a masonry company, C & E Stone Masonry, had been married for nine years at the time. Their marital home was in Kamas, a small, rural suburb 45 miles southeast of Salt Lake City, where the main industries are lumber and cattle ranching.
To mark the occasion, Kouri made her husband a Moscow Mule—an alcoholic, mixed beverage made from vodka, ginger beer, ice and lime—and gave him a THC-infused gummy around 11 pm. Kouri settled into bed but was called into one of their son’s rooms, who was having a night terror. She fell asleep next to her son and returned to bed around 3:22 am. When Kouri snuggled up to Eric, he was “cold to the touch.” She called 9-1-1.
Kouri told investigators that she left her cell phone plugged in to her bedroom wall. However, it was found that she locked and unlocked her phone multiple times when she claimed to be asleep. She also sent and received text messages, which were deleted. The phone also recorded movement, which indicated Kouri was moving through the home. Reports also state that Eric wasn’t found lying in bed, but at the foot of their bed.
An autopsy was performed on Eric’s body, which found that he had five times the lethal amount of illicit, non-medical-grade fentanyl in his system. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine, and is used to treat patients with severe pain, particularly after surgery. By evaluating the contents of his stomach, it was determined that Eric ingested the fentanyl orally.
Who Is Kouri Richins?
Kouri Darden Richins was born on April, 20, 1990, in North Carolina, to Ronald Horace and Lisa Darden. She was one of four siblings, which include Ronnie Jr., Renee and Mindy Darden. Kouri and her siblings were primarily raised by their mother. Not much else is known about her childhood.
Kouri holds a bachelor’s degree in health care administration from Weber State University and a master’s degree in human resources from Utah State University.
Kouri was long pursuing her own dreams of becoming an entrepreneur before she met Eric. At times, she saw spurts of success. In 2011, she opened a housekeeping service, Kouri Darden Housekeeping Services, which is not defunct. She also worked for her own real estate company, Kouri Richins Realty, where she purchased, flipped and sold luxury homes. She also had brief stints in health care, having worked as an administrator at Park City Hospital and as an enhanced patient services and specialty clinic trainer at Park City Medical Center.
Who Was Eric Richins?
Eric Richins was born on May 13, 1982 in Bountiful, Utah, to Gene and Linda Carter Richins. He was the oldest of three siblings and the only son. From a young age, Eric was loving and protective of his sisters, Katie and Amy.
Growing up, Eric dedicated much of his time to helping his father upkeep their family cattle ranch, which involved mending fences, hauling hay and feeding the animals. From these experiences, he developed a strong work ethic from a young age. Eric was also a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He participated in a two-year mission trip to Mexico, where he learned how to speak Spanish fluently.
After he returning from the mission trip, Eric attended the University of Utah, where he received a bachelor’s degree in international studies with a minor in Spanish. Two years later, he founded his business, C & E Stone Masonry, with close friend and business partner Cody Wright.
Eric was a natural athlete for all his life. He enjoyed playing basketball, soccer, cross-country and baseball. He served as the head or assistant coach on all his sons’ sports teams. He was also a fervent outdoorsmen and loved hunting and archery.
In addition to running a successful business, being an involved father to three sons and a devoted husband, Eric also found time to volunteer with Summit County Search & Rescue; a
The Start of Eric and Kouri
Eric and Kouri met in the early 2010s at a local Home Depot. They were introduced through Linda King, a colleague of Kouri’s.
Kouri was known locally for being one of the most attractive young women in the town. Eric was a frequent customer of the Home Depot, where he purchased supplies for his masonry business. He was interested in Kouri, but took some time to ask her on a date. As we know, the pair ultimately hit it off.
Kouri and Eric married on June 15, 2013. They wed in the backyard of their Kamas home. It was Eric’s second marriage and Kouri’s first.
At the encouragement of Eric’s mother, the couple signed a prenuptial agreement. The decision was influenced by the outcome of Eric’s divorce from his first wife, Julie Jorgenson. Eric and Julie were married from 2005 to 2009 and the divorce was taxing both emotionally and financially. Unfortunately, two years after their divorce, Julie, 26, was killed in a car accident in January 2011.
Kouri and Eric went on to have three sons, Carter, Ashton and Weston.
Kouri Develops A Habit of Stealing Her Husband’s Money
Eric first developed suspicions that Kouri was stealing money from him in 2016. To be able to flip houses and finance her personal needs, she started to withdraw large sums of money from his personal bank account. She also took out credit cards under Eric’s name without his knowledge, and began using those, too.
In 2020, Eric learned that Kouri stole more than $100,000 from his accounts and ran up credit card bills in excess of $30,000. That same year, he learned that Kouri borrowed $250,000 using a fraudulent power of attorney. She also signed Eric’s initials on the paperwork without his knowledge, which allowed her to act on his behalf.
Kouri is also under speculation for stealing at least $80,024 that was designated for Eric to pay his federal taxes, and at least $54,322 more for his state taxes.
When Eric confronted Kouri, she admitted to her wrongdoing.
In November 2020, Eric drew up a new living will. He transferred the Kamas family home, all of his personal property and his half of the masonry business under this living will. He made his sister, Katie, power of attorney without telling Kouri.
Eric believes that Kouri attempts to drug him in Greece.
In 2020, Kouri and Eric took a vacation to Greece by themselves. During the trip, Eric fell violently ill after Kouri made him a mixed drink. Eric later told his sisters, Amy and Katie, that he believed Kouri attempted to poison him.
Kouri tries to make herself the beneficiary of Eric’s life insurance policy.
In January 2022, Kouri attempted to change Eric’s life insurance policy and make herself the beneficiary.
Eric shared a life insurance policy with his business partner, Cody. The business partners had each other as beneficiary holders, because it allowed them permission to buy one another out of the business if an unexpected death were to occur. Kouri removed the men as each other’s beneficiary and listed herself as the sole beneficiary of the policy.
The insurance company notified the men of the change, and they changed it back to its original policyholders.
Kouri sets her sights on a 20,000-square-foot mansion.
Leading up to Eric’s death, Kouri had her sights set on purchasing, renovating and flipping an unfinished, 20,0000 square-foot mansion in Heber City, Utah. The $2 million home sits on 8.75 acres of land and includes 11.5 bathrooms, eight bedrooms and a separate 3,000-square-foot guest house. It also has a full-size pool, a therapy pool, a gym, a golf simulator, an indoor volleyball court and a room designed for virtual reality installations.
Eric felt the property was too expensive, and he expressed such to Kouri. But while he frowned upon the decision, Kouri became more focused on acquiring it. Eric planned to tell Kouri they were not going to purchase the home, but he never had the chance to.
He also planned to file for divorce, but died before he could do so. Eric tried to delay the inevitable because he wanted to keep an intact family for their children. In addition to their disagreements, Eric believed Kouri might have been having an affair.
“He hoped to keep his family together,” George Skordas, attorney and acting spokesperson for the Richins, told The Salt Lake Tribune. “He hoped to keep his boys in a nuclear family and he hoped that things would work out.”
Timeline of Events
December 2021-February 2022
Sometime between December 2021 and February 2022, Kouri contacts an acquaintance, referred to in her arrest affidavit as “C.L.” She tells the acquaintance that she is interested in purchasing prescription pain medication. She says the pills are for an investor who suffered a back injury.
A few days later, C.L. supplies Kouri with hydrocodone pills; an opioid medication used to treat pain. The pills are left for Kouri at a home in Midway, Utah, that she was flipping, and which she owned from December 2021 to January 2022. Kouri left money at the home for C.L. to pick up. C.L. acquires the painkillers from a drug dealer in Ogden, Utah.
February 11, 2022
About two weeks later, Kouri contacts C.L. again, this time requesting stronger on the investor’s behalf. She asks for fentanyl and refers to it as “some of the Michael Jackson stuff.” (Note: Michael Jackson died from an overdose of propofol.) C.L. contacts the Ogden dealer on February 11, 2022, to pick up the fentanyl.
Kouri pays C.L. $900 for 15-30 fentanyl pills. She picks up the pills from C.L.’s home in Heber City.
February 14, 2022
On Valentine’s Day, Kouri and Eric have dinner at their home. After eating a sandwich that Kouri prepares for him, Eric suffers an allergic reaction and becomes violently ill after dinner. He breaks out in hives, has trouble breathing and passes out after taking Benadryl and using his son’s EpiPen. Eric later tells his business partner, Cody, he believes Kouri tried to poison him.
February 26, 2022
Kouri contacts C.L. to request another $900 worth of fentanyl pills. C.L. contacts the Ogden dealer on February 26, 2022. The pills are left at the Midway house again, nearby a firepit, at Kouri’s request. She leaves money by the firepit as well.
March 4, 2022
Eric dies from an overdose of fentanyl.
March 5, 2022
Kouri closes on the deal for the 20,000-square-foot mansion. She invites friends over and has a large party to mark the occasion. She drinks with them and celebrates.
Kouri gets into an altercation with one of Eric’s sisters, Katie Richens-Benson. Kouri becomes aware, for the first time, that Eric had removed her from his will, and made Katie power of attorney for his estate. Shortly thereafter, Kouri sues her sister-in-law for control of the estate.
Eric’s sisters allege that he didn’t tell Kouri he removed her from his will, because he believed she might “kill him for the money” and wanted to provide financial security for their children. Kouri claims that their prenuptial agreement deems her entitled to Eric’s assets. In Katie’s response to Kouri’s lawsuit, she cites a pending homicide case.
April 2023
Kouri appears in a segment on KTVX-Channel 4’s “Good Things Utah” to discuss her book, Are You With Me?, which was inspired by Eric’s passing. She describes her conceptualization of the three C’s—connection, continuity and care—which she uses to help her sons cope.
Where The Case Stands Now
Kouri was arrested on May 8, 2023, for aggravated murder and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. In addition to murder, Kouri is also facing charges for possession of GHB, a narcolepsy drug that’s often referred to as liquid ecstasy.
Kouri has a detention hearing scheduled for May 19, 2023.
Resources
- The Kamas mother who wrote a book with her children to help them deal with the grief over losing their father is now facing charges for his murder – KPCW
- Kouri Richins arrest warrant
- Eric Richins, whose wife is accused of killing him, ‘hoped to keep his family together,’ spokesperson says – The Salt Lake Tribune
- HER DARK PAST EXPOSED! Kouri Richins Writes Grief Book After Husband’s Death But She Murdered Him? – Annie Elise x 10 to Life