A Summit County jury convicted Kouri Richins of fatally poisoning her husband Eric Richins in 2022 for financial gain.
Aug. 28, a 3rd District Court judge ordered the former real estate agent to pay back roughly $1.4 million in life insurance proceeds she collected after her husband’s death.
Richins’ defense team didn’t oppose the amount, but asked the court to delay repayment while she appeals her conviction. In May, Judge Richard Mrazik sentenced her to life in prison without parole.
Mrazik was not sure Utah law allows him to delay Richins’ restitution. But he left open the possibility for her attorney Wendy Lewis to argue for a delay at a later time.
“The court’s view of the underlying statute is that I am required to make this determination, and because Ms. Richins is incarcerated, I am required to send that amount to the Office of State Debt Collection,” the judge said. “Ms. Lewis, if you find authority to the contrary, I'm happy to consider it.”
Court papers state Richins owes $1,017,018.49 to Auto Owner’s Insurance and $352,562.61 she collected from TruStage.
It’s not clear if Richins has the resources to make restitution payments.
Mrazik already determined she couldn’t afford to pay her own attorneys ahead of her murder trial. Richins has been represented by public defenders paid for by Summit County. The county is also covering the cost of her appeal.
State inmates can earn money through jobs at the prison to pay off debts.
The nonprofit Prison Policy Initiative says the hourly wage for inmates in Utah’s two prisons ranges from 60 cents to $1.75.
