Kouri Richins Gets Life Without Parole for Husband's Fentanyl Murder Amid $8 Million Debt
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · May 24
Kouri Richins Gets Life Without Parole for Husband's Fentanyl Murder Amid $8 Million Debt
1 articles · Updated · CBS New York · May 24
Summary
Utah judge Richard Mrazik sentenced Kouri Richins to life without parole after a March jury convicted her of aggravated murder, attempted murder, insurance fraud and forgery in Eric Richins' 2022 fentanyl poisoning.
Prosecutors said Richins killed for money and a fresh start, pointing to nearly $8 million in debt, Eric's estate worth more than $4 million, a disputed $100,000 life insurance policy and an affair with handyman Josh Grossman.
Jurors said digital evidence and witness testimony tied her to the crime, including phone data undermining her 911 CPR account, about 800 deleted-text contacts with housekeeper Carmen Lauber, and evidence she sought fentanyl before Eric died.
The defense argued investigators were biased, key witness Lauber was unreliable, and prosecutors never proved exactly how fentanyl entered Eric's body, but it rested without calling witnesses and the jury convicted after about three hours.
At sentencing, the couple's three sons—now 9, 11 and 13—asked for the harshest punishment, while Richins denied murdering their father and said they had been misled; the boys now live with Eric's sister Katie.
With 26 fraud charges still pending, what other secrets will Kouri Richins' next trial expose?
Her defense called no witnesses. What untold story did Kouri Richins' silence hide from the jury?
Life Sentence for Kouri Richins: Inside the Murder, Financial Crimes, and Family Aftermath
Overview
Kouri Richins was convicted of murdering her husband, Eric Richins, and sentenced to life in prison without parole in May 2026. Prosecutors pushed for the harsh sentence, supported by statements from her sons who said they would feel unsafe if she were released. In addition to murder, she was found guilty of attempted murder, insurance fraud, and forgery, having used financial documents for personal gain after Eric’s death. The judge had the option to decide if her sentences would run together or separately. During sentencing, Kouri maintained her innocence in a lengthy statement, but her conviction stands as she prepares for an appeal.