Kouri Richins’ three sons say they won’t feel safe if their mom, who killed their father in 2022, is free.
The children’s statements are included in court papers Summit County prosecutors filed ahead of her May 13 sentencing hearing.
“I’m afraid if she gets out, she will come after me and my brothers, my whole family,” the couple’s oldest son told prosecutors. “I think she would come and take us and not do good things to us, like hurt us.”
Now 13, the boy told prosecutors he misses his dad, but not his mom and not how his life used to be. His younger brothers expressed similar concerns in the state's sentencing memo.
In March, a jury convicted Richins of fatally poisoning her husband Eric Richins the night of March 3, 2022.
Kouri Richins had argued she couldn’t have killed him because she was asleep with their middle child.
Prosecutors say the boy told them that’s false.
Court papers say he was instead put to bed early without a bath but later tried to get into his parents’ bedroom, which was locked with the TV playing loudly. Kouri Richins allegedly yelled at him to go away.
The aggravated murder conviction carries a punishment of 25 years to life in prison, or life in prison without parole.
Prosecutors are asking 3rd District Judge Richard Mrazik to sentence her to the latter, citing in part the concerns of her kids.
Richins’ attorneys are expected to ask for a chance at early release if the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole allows it.
Mrazik will also sentence Richins on four other felonies May 13: attempted aggravated murder, two counts of insurance fraud and forgery.
Those carry sentences ranging from one to five years to five years to life in prison.
Prosecutors want Kouri Richins to serve those sentences consecutively, meaning she can’t serve time for two crimes at once.
They’re also asking the judge to order her to pay back the $1.4 million in life insurance she collected and reimburse Summit County $1.4 million for the cost of her defense.
Prosecutors also say Richins’ use of poison is particularly heinous. Evidence presented at trial showed she used up to five times the lethal amount of fentanyl to kill her husband.
Finally, they say Kouri Richins’ character is “irredeemable.”
Following the guilty verdict two months ago, prosecutors say Richins texted an unidentified “admirer” that she would “expose” the county, its prosecutors, Judge Mrazik, Eric Richins’ family and the investigation as a whole.
“So they can lock me away for now that’s fine, its going to come back on them,” Kouri Richins allegedly said in a text. “I am going to expose them all for what they have done to me, my kids, my family. This injustice. They picked the wrong one. They think sentencing is ‘the end’ ‘closure’ its just the beginning... They haven’t seen anything yet.”
Prosecutors decided not to seek the death penalty in the aggravated murder case about three years ago.
Sentencing is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 13. It would have been Eric Richins’ 44th birthday.
