PARK CITY, Utah — A woman in Utah was charged with aggravated murder after allegedly poisoning her husband with illicit fentanyl, court documents revealed Thursday. Kouri Richins, 33, reportedly killed her husband, Eric Richins, with whom she shares three children, at their home on March 3, 2022, using a fentanyl-laced cocktail.
According to authorities, Eric had a small amount of another drug, Quetiapine, in his stomach contents. It was discovered that Kouri had a prescription for this drug, which is used as an antipsychotic, but Eric did not. Additionally, toxicology reports revealed that Eric had his wife’s medication in his system at the time of his death.
The case also suggests that the husband’s murder may have been financially motivated. Reports indicate that Kouri had taken out multiple life insurance policies worth over $1.9 million on Eric’s life between 2015 and 2017, with her changing the beneficiary of his $2 million life insurance to herself.
Prior to his death, Eric had removed Kouri from his will and made his sister the beneficiary instead, as he had reportedly been in fear for his life after an alleged poisoning attempt by Kouri in the past.
Following her husband’s death, Kouri wrote a children’s book about death, “Are You With Me?” selling for $14.99 on Amazon. The book is described as a helpful resource for children experiencing the pain of loss and seeking emotional support to heal and grow.
This case is a tragic reminder of the complex dynamics that can exist within relationships, as well as the potential for financial motives to lead to unthinkable actions.