Kamas mom of three and realtor Kouri Richins is held without bail in Summit County, awaiting trial for aggravated murder.
Now she faces new felonies, including attempted murder. Prosecutors said she tried to kill her husband, Eric Richins, on Valentine’s Day 2022.
Valentine’s Day 2022
Based on the testimony of a close friend of Eric’s, prosecutors claim Kouri put the drug in a sandwich from “a certain diner in Kamas” and left it in Eric’s truck with a note.
Another friend said Eric called them, saying, “I think my wife tried to poison me.” That friend told prosecutors Eric broke out in hives.
According to the new filing, Eric didn’t have food allergies, but opioids can cause allergic reactions.
Investigators also found text messages between Eric and Kouri around the time of the alleged poisoning. They said Eric sent her a photo, which has been deleted from both of their phones.
Prosecutors said Kouri told her mother and brother she was the one who picked up the sandwich from the diner that day. She texted her alleged drug dealer 30 times that day.
They track her location via her texts to a “paramour.” They said she texted this person a photo of her GPS, showing her location on state Route 32 in Kamas headed to an unknown destination.
Infidelity allegations
Kouri’s mother, Lisa Darden, alleged on CBS’s “48 Hours” that Eric had an affair. His family’s spokesperson Greg Skordas denies that.
Now, prosecutors say Kouri had an affair.
They wrote the paramour texted Kouri a photo the night of Eric’s death. It showed two people kissing and was captioned “love you.”
Kouri allegedly responded “... love you [kiss emoji].”
She initially told investigators she thought a THC gummy Eric took contained the fentanyl that killed him.
But prosecutors said the medical examiner did not find any THC in Eric’s system. The medical examiner did find quetiapine, an antipsychotic also used as a sleep aid, which Kouri was prescribed.
The THC gummies at the family home the night of Eric’s death didn’t have fentanyl in them, according to court documents.
Purchasing the drugs
Prosecutors said Kouri bought fentanyl on two separate occasions, shortly before his near-death on Feb. 14 and shortly before his overdose March 4, 2022.
They said she bought the drugs from a house cleaner she employed. Now, prosecutors also said she asked a house renovator she employed first..
The renovator declined, court documents state. But then Kouri texted the renovator asking for propofol, a medical anesthetic and sedative.
The home renovator said they couldn’t get propofol either. Court documents indicate the individual will be a witness at trial.
Prosecutors have now charged Kouri with two counts of drug distribution and dropped the previous three charges of drug possession.
Alleged financial crimes
They also charged Kouri with two counts each of mortgage fraud and insurance fraud Monday.
Prosecutors said Kouri opened numerous secret life insurance policies on Eric and believed she would inherit his estate under the terms of their prenuptial agreement.
They said she fraudulently claimed insurance benefits when he died, and at least one of those insurance applications was forged.
Kouri’s also charged with forging two mortgage loan applications.
The prosecution believes Kouri was in financial distress when Eric died, which would indicate motive. They said she owned lenders about $1.8 million, had a negative bank balance, was being sued by a creditor and was floating checks.
Kouri's attorney Skye Lazaro says her client continues to maintain her innocence.
"There is nothing in the document that affects Kouri's approach to defending whatever charges the State levies against her," Lazaro said in a statement.
Third District Court has scheduled a preliminary hearing in the case for May 15. Kouri has been denied bail and will be held for the duration of her trial.
