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Utah Woman Found Guilty of Fatally Poisoning Husband with Fentanyl
Kouri Richins convicted of aggravated murder after jury deliberation
Mar. 20, 2026 at 9:29pm
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A Summit County jury found 35-year-old Kouri Richins guilty of aggravated murder for fatally poisoning her husband Eric Richins with a lethal dose of fentanyl in 2022. Prosecutors argued Richins killed her husband for financial gain, as she was facing debts from her house flipping business. Richins was also convicted of insurance fraud for taking out a $100,000 life insurance policy on her husband with his forged signature.
Why it matters
This case highlights the growing issue of fentanyl-related deaths and the lengths some may go to in order to profit from a loved one's death. It also raises questions about the role of mental health and financial pressures in driving such tragic crimes.
The details
According to the charging document, an autopsy determined that Eric Richins died from fentanyl intoxication, with the level of fentanyl in his blood approximately five times the lethal dosage. Prosecutors alleged that Kouri Richins purchased the illicit fentanyl and spiked her husband's drink with it, as well as giving him a fentanyl-laced sandwich two weeks earlier in a failed attempt to kill him. They argued Richins was in 'financial desperation' due to debts from her house flipping business and wanted a 'fresh start' while keeping her husband's money, unaware that his assets were in a trust.
- Eric Richins was found dead in bed on March 4, 2022.
- Kouri Richins was arrested in May 2023 following a lengthy investigation.
- The three-week trial ended on Monday with the jury finding Kouri Richins guilty after about three hours of deliberation.
- Kouri Richins' sentencing is scheduled for May 13.
The players
Kouri Richins
A 35-year-old Utah mother of three who was found guilty of aggravated murder for fatally poisoning her husband Eric Richins with fentanyl.
Eric Richins
A 39-year-old man who was found dead in bed in March 2022, with an autopsy determining the cause of death was fentanyl intoxication.
Ali Staking
A friend of the Richins family who was 'devastated' by Eric Richins' sudden death and had difficulty reconciling that Kouri Richins may have been responsible.
What they’re saying
“I said, along the way, 'Sometimes it looks like Kouri might have done it.' Then my kids would say, 'Well, did she?' And I'd say 'I don't think so. But, you know, it sometimes looks like it.'”
— Ali Staking, Friend of the Richins family
“He had so much more life to live and he wanted so much for his boys. I'm gonna remember just how much he loved them.”
— Ali Staking, Friend of the Richins family
What’s next
Kouri Richins' sentencing is scheduled for May 13, where she faces 25 years to life in prison.
The takeaway
This tragic case highlights the devastating impact of fentanyl abuse and the lengths some will go to in order to profit from a loved one's death. It underscores the need for greater awareness, education, and support around mental health and financial pressures that can drive such crimes.
