Utah Mom Accused of Fatally Poisoning Husband with Fentanyl to Stand Trial

Kouri Richins faces charges of aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder in the 2022 death of her husband Eric Richins.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The murder trial of Kouri Richins, a Utah mom accused of fatally poisoning her husband Eric Richins with fentanyl, is set to begin with opening statements on Monday. Prosecutors allege Richins was in financial distress and believed she would benefit financially from her husband's death. They also claim she was having an affair and had expressed feeling 'stuck' and 'trapped' in her marriage. Richins has pleaded not guilty and her attorneys say the public has been misled about the facts of the case.

Why it matters

This high-profile case sheds light on the growing issue of fentanyl-related deaths and the potential motives behind such crimes. It also raises questions about the role of financial pressures and infidelity in domestic disputes that turn deadly.

The details

Prosecutors allege that Kouri Richins purchased illicit fentanyl shortly before two incidents in which she is accused of trying to kill her husband. In the first attempt on Valentine's Day 2022, they say she gave Eric Richins a sandwich laced with fentanyl, but he survived. Then in early March 2022, they claim she spiked his cocktail with a lethal dose of fentanyl, leading to his death. Richins is also accused of fraudulently securing a life insurance policy for her husband and then claiming the benefits after his death.

  • On Valentine's Day 2022, Richins allegedly gave her husband a sandwich laced with fentanyl in a failed attempt to kill him.
  • On March 4, 2022, Eric Richins was found dead in the couple's bedroom. An autopsy determined he died from fentanyl intoxication.
  • Kouri Richins was charged with aggravated murder in May 2023, nearly a year after her husband's death.

The players

Kouri Richins

A 35-year-old Utah realtor accused of fatally poisoning her husband Eric Richins with fentanyl. She has pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder.

Eric Richins

Kouri Richins' 39-year-old husband who died in March 2022 from fentanyl intoxication.

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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' attorneys

“What the public has been told bears little resemblance to the truth. We welcome the courtroom, where evidence is bound by rules, not sensational coverage. Kouri is a mother who wants to go home to her children. We are confident this jury will make that possible.”

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

“The world has yet to hear who I really am, what I've really done or didn't do. What I really didn't do is murder my husband.”

— Kouri Richins (ABC News)

What’s next

The judge will decide on Monday whether to allow Kouri Richins out on bail during the trial, which is expected to last up to five weeks.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing threat of fentanyl-related deaths and the complex motives that can drive domestic violence, including financial pressures and infidelity. It will be closely watched as the jury weighs the evidence and Kouri Richins' claims of innocence.