Utah Author Accused of Killing Husband with Fentanyl

Kouri Richins faces murder trial for allegedly poisoning Eric Richins with lethal dose of opioid

Feb. 23, 2026 at 7:54pm

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Kouri Richins, a 35-year-old Utah author, is set to stand trial on Monday for the alleged murder of her husband Eric Richins in March 2022. Prosecutors claim Richins slipped a lethal dose of fentanyl into a Moscow mule cocktail that Eric drank, and also tried to poison him a month earlier on Valentine's Day with a fentanyl-laced sandwich. Richins faces nearly three dozen charges, including aggravated murder, attempted murder, forgery, mortgage fraud, and insurance fraud.

Why it matters

The case has drawn significant public attention due to the shocking allegations against Richins, who published a children's book about grief after her husband's death, as well as the complex financial and personal circumstances surrounding the alleged murder.

The details

Prosecutors allege Richins killed her husband for financial gain, as she owed lenders more than $1.8 million and was allegedly having an affair with another man. The state's key witness, housekeeper Carmen Lauber, told detectives she had sold Richins up to 90 fentanyl pills, though she has been granted immunity and is not facing charges. Richins' defense team plans to argue that Lauber did not actually provide the fentanyl and was motivated to lie for legal protection.

  • Eric Richins died in March 2022.
  • Kouri Richins allegedly tried to poison Eric with a fentanyl-laced sandwich on Valentine's Day 2022, a month before his death.

The players

Kouri Richins

A 35-year-old Utah author accused of killing her husband Eric Richins with a lethal dose of fentanyl.

Eric Richins

Kouri Richins' husband, who died in March 2022 after allegedly being poisoned by his wife.

Carmen Lauber

The housekeeper who told detectives she had sold Kouri Richins up to 90 fentanyl pills, though she has been granted immunity and is not facing charges.

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What they’re saying

“What the public has been told bears little resemblance to the truth.”

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

What’s next

Kouri Richins' murder trial is set to begin on Monday, February 27, 2026.

The takeaway

This case highlights the complex and often shocking allegations that can arise in high-profile murder trials, as well as the importance of allowing the judicial process to play out before drawing conclusions about the truth of the matter.