Utah Mother Accused of Murdering Husband After Publishing Children's Book About His Death

Kouri Richins faces nearly three dozen charges, including aggravated murder, in the death of her husband Eric Richins.

Feb. 21, 2026 at 8:19pm

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A year after her husband died, Kouri Richins, a mother of three in Utah, self-published a children's book that she said helped her sons cope with the sudden loss. Weeks after the book's publication in 2023, she was arrested and charged with her husband's murder. Prosecutors say Richins, 35, killed her husband Eric Richins by slipping fentanyl into a cocktail he drank, and that she was deep in debt and killed him for financial gain while planning a future with another man she was seeing on the side.

Why it matters

The chilling case of a once-respected local author accused of profiting off her own violent crime has captivated true-crime enthusiasts in the years since her arrest. Her book, once lauded as a touching read, has since become a tool for prosecutors in arguing that she carried out a calculated killing.

The details

Prosecutors say Richins killed her husband at their home in March 2022 by slipping fentanyl into a cocktail that he drank. They allege she was deep in debt and killed him for financial gain while planning a future with another man she was seeing on the side. Richins faces nearly three dozen counts in connection with her husband's death, including aggravated murder, attempted murder, forgery, mortgage fraud and insurance fraud. She has pleaded not guilty.

  • In October 2020, Eric Richins met with a divorce attorney and an estate planner after discovering his wife had made major financial decisions without his knowledge.
  • On Valentine's Day 2022, Eric Richins told friends he broke out in hives and blacked out after taking one bite of a sandwich that Richins had left for him.
  • A day after Valentine's Day 2022, Kouri Richins texted her alleged lover, 'If he could just go away ... life would be so perfect.'
  • In March 2022, Kouri Richins called 911 to report that she had found her husband 'cold to the touch' at the foot of their bed. He was pronounced dead, and a medical examiner later found five times the lethal dose of fentanyl in his system.
  • In 2023, Kouri Richins was arrested and charged with her husband's murder.

The players

Kouri Richins

A 35-year-old mother of three in Utah who self-published a children's book about her husband's death and is now on trial for his murder.

Eric Richins

Kouri Richins' husband, who died in March 2022 with five times the lethal dose of fentanyl in his system.

Carmen Lauber

The Richins' housekeeper who claims to have sold Kouri Richins fentanyl pills before her husband's death.

Wendy Lewis, Kathy Nester and Alex Ramos

Kouri Richins' defense attorneys who say they are confident the jury will rule in her favor after hearing her side of the story.

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What they’re saying

“Kouri has waited nearly three years for this moment: the opportunity to have the facts of this case heard by a jury, free from the prosecution's narrative that has dominated headlines since her arrest.”

— Wendy Lewis, Kathy Nester and Alex Ramos, Kouri Richins' defense attorneys (Fortune)

“I think my wife tried to poison me.”

— Eric Richins (Fortune)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Kouri Richins out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights the complex and disturbing nature of domestic violence, as well as the challenges of navigating financial and personal crises. It raises questions about the role of mental health, the justice system, and the power dynamics within relationships.