A Utah mother who wrote and promoted a children’s book about coping with grief after her husband’s death has been found guilty of murdering him.

A jury convicted Kouri Richins of aggravated murder after prosecutors argued that she secretly gave her husband, Eric Richins, a lethal dose of fentanyl in a cocktail at their Utah home. Jurors deliberated for only about three hours before finding her guilty on all five counts in the case.

The verdict brought an extraordinary case to a dramatic conclusion — one involving millions of dollars in debt, an affair, allegations of an earlier poisoning attempt and a grief book Richins promoted publicly before her arrest.

Kouri Richins Found Guilty on All Five Counts

The Summit County jury returned its verdict on March 16, 2026.

Richins, 35, was convicted of aggravated murder in the March 2022 death of her 39-year-old husband.

She was also found guilty of attempted aggravated murder, forgery and insurance-related offenses.

Richins looked toward the floor and remained largely still as the judge announced each guilty verdict.

At the time of the verdict, she faced a potential sentence ranging from 25 years to life in prison.

Eric Richins Died From a Massive Dose of Fentanyl

Eric Richins was found dead in the couple’s bed on March 4, 2022.

An autopsy determined that he died from fentanyl intoxication.

According to prosecutors, the amount of fentanyl detected in his blood was approximately five times the lethal level. The medical examiner determined that the substance was illicit fentanyl rather than pharmaceutical-grade fentanyl.

Prosecutors argued that his wife obtained the drug and deliberately placed it in a cocktail she brought him in bed.

Richins maintained her innocence throughout the case.

Prosecutors Said She Wanted Money and a “Fresh Start”

The prosecution presented financial problems as one of the central motives for the killing.

Richins operated a house-flipping business that prosecutors described as being in serious financial trouble.

By the day Eric died, prosecutors said she owed more than $4.5 million to over 20 lenders and was preparing to take on another $3.2 million in debt related to a mansion purchase.

Prosecutors argued that she believed Eric’s death would provide access to money that could rescue her financially.

But Eric had arranged for significant assets to be held in a trust overseen by one of his sisters, complicating any expected financial benefit.

Prosecutors Also Pointed to an Affair

Money was not the only alleged motive.

Prosecutors presented evidence that Richins was having an affair and wanted to begin a new life with her boyfriend.

Months before Eric died, she had reportedly booked a Caribbean vacation with the boyfriend for April 2022.

Prosecutors argued that the timing was significant.

They also showed jurors messages in which Richins discussed wanting a future with the other man.

In one February 2022 message, she wrote about wishing Eric could simply “go away” so she could be with her boyfriend.

The defense countered that the affair had ended and the planned trip never happened.

Prosecutors Said There Was an Earlier Poisoning Attempt

Eric’s fatal poisoning was not the only incident considered by the jury.

Prosecutors accused Richins of trying to kill him approximately two weeks earlier on Valentine’s Day.

They alleged she put fentanyl into a sandwich.

Eric became seriously ill and blacked out but survived. Richins was ultimately convicted of attempted aggravated murder in connection with that incident.

Prosecutors said Richins later sought stronger drugs before Eric’s fatal poisoning.

A Housekeeper Became a Crucial Witness

One of the prosecution’s most important witnesses was Carmen Lauber, who had worked as a housekeeper for the Richins family.

Lauber testified that she obtained illicit drugs for Kouri Richins before Eric’s death.

Her testimony became one of the biggest points of dispute during the trial.

The defense aggressively challenged Lauber’s credibility, emphasizing that she had received immunity and initially denied dealing fentanyl.

Defense attorney Wendy Lewis argued that investigators had effectively introduced the idea of fentanyl to Lauber after telling her that Eric died from an overdose.

Prosecutors maintained that other evidence corroborated her account.

The Defense Said the Investigation Was Driven by Bias

Richins’ attorneys argued that investigators decided she was responsible and then interpreted the evidence through that assumption.

Lewis described the prosecution as “sloppy” and driven by confirmation bias.

The defense argued that prosecutors could not prove fentanyl had actually been placed in Eric’s drink.

Attorneys also raised questions about a recent trip Eric had taken to Mexico and suggested investigators failed to sufficiently explore other potential sources of the fentanyl.

They further argued that Eric was worth more financially to Richins alive than dead.

Prosecutors Used Her Internet Searches Against Her

Richins’ phone activity became another important part of the prosecution’s case.

After Eric’s death, prosecutors said she searched for information about whether police could recover deleted iPhone messages and how information could be permanently erased.

After learning that investigators had determined Eric died from fentanyl poisoning, another search allegedly asked whether police could force someone to take a lie detector test.

Prosecutors characterized those searches as evidence of a guilty conscience and an attempt to cover her tracks.

The defense argued that an innocent person who suddenly discovered they were suspected of murder could reasonably become frightened and search for similar information.

Prosecutors Said She Forged Her Husband’s Signature

The case also involved allegations surrounding Eric’s life insurance.

Prosecutors accused Richins of obtaining a $100,000 life insurance policy on her husband shortly before his death using his forged signature.

They said she later submitted a claim for the benefits after he died.

Her attorneys disputed that prosecutors had established fraud beyond a reasonable doubt.

The jury ultimately convicted her on the insurance and forgery-related charges.

Then Came the Children’s Book About Grief

One detail transformed the case into a national story.

After Eric’s death — but before her arrest — Richins self-published a children’s book about grief.

“Are You With Me?” tells the story of a child whose deceased father, depicted with angel wings, continues watching over him.

Richins promoted the book during television and radio appearances.

About a month before her May 2023 arrest, she appeared on a Utah television program and described Eric’s death as unexpected and shocking to the family.

At trial, the lead detective testified that Richins had paid a ghostwriting company to write the book.

The Defense Called No Witnesses

Richins did not testify during the three-week trial.

Her attorneys also rested without calling any defense witnesses.

Instead, the defense focused on attacking weaknesses in the government’s case and arguing that prosecutors had not eliminated reasonable alternative explanations for Eric’s death.

Before closing arguments ended, the defense requested a mistrial.

Attorneys accused prosecutors of making speculative arguments and improperly commenting on Richins’ courtroom demeanor.

The judge denied the request.

The Jury Needed Only About Three Hours

After weeks of testimony and evidence, the jury’s decision came quickly.

Deliberations began late on March 16.

Approximately three hours later, jurors returned guilty verdicts on every charge.

The speed of the decision was particularly notable given the defense’s argument that the prosecution relied heavily on circumstantial evidence.

During his rebuttal, prosecutor Brad Bloodworth acknowledged that much of the evidence was circumstantial but reminded jurors that circumstantial evidence can still establish guilt.

The jury agreed.

Richins Was Later Sentenced to Life Without Parole

The guilty verdict was not the final chapter.

On May 13, 2026, Richins returned to court for sentencing.

The judge sentenced her to life in prison without the possibility of parole for aggravated murder.

The sentencing hearing included deeply emotional statements from Eric’s family and the couple’s three sons.

The boys were only 9, 7 and 5 when their father was killed.

Statements submitted on their behalf described fear of their mother ever being released and the lasting effects of losing their father.

Richins’ attorneys asked for a sentence of 25 years to life, arguing that she should at least have the possibility of seeking release decades in the future.

The judge instead imposed life without parole.

The Case Isn’t Completely Over

Although the murder prosecution has concluded with a conviction and life sentence, Richins has faced additional legal problems.

She was separately charged with more than two dozen financial crimes involving allegations of mortgage fraud, falsified bank statements, money laundering and bad checks related to her real estate business.

Those allegations are separate from the murder conviction.

The central question surrounding Eric Richins’ death, however, has now been answered by a jury.

Prosecutors argued that Kouri Richins was drowning in debt, wanted a new life and secretly poisoned her husband with a massive dose of fentanyl.

Her attorneys spent years insisting she did not kill him.

After a three-week trial, jurors needed only a few hours to decide which version they believed.