Prosecutors say author accused of poisoning husband had financial woes, planned future with unnamed lover

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

KAMAS UTAH: Kouri Richins, accused of fatally poisoning her husband with fentanyl, appeared in court for the last time before her preliminary hearing on Wednesday, May 15th.

Prosecutors say Kouri Richins had financial problems and was planning a future with an unidentified paramour. The judge decided that some evidence the prosecutors wanted to use could be discussed on Wednesday.

Kouri has been charged with the murder of her husband, Eric Richins, on March 3, 2022, as per Court TV.

Additionally, she is accused of forgery, insurance fraud, and mortgage fraud, with prosecutors alleging that she attempted to benefit financially from her husband's demise.

Kouri Richins faces financial offenses after she forged her husband’s signature

In March, prosecutors modified the charges against Kouri to include various financial offenses, alleging that she falsified her husband's signature on documents.

These documents included a home equity line of credit acquired on Eric's premarital home in March 2019. Eric remained unaware of the loan until October 2020. Kouri established a company called KRR, initially employing it for property flipping. However, by 2021, the company faced financial difficulties, leading to turmoil in its accounts.

By December, she faced a staggering monthly obligation of approximately $398,000 spread across a complex arrangement of 94 separate payments, some occurring weekly or even daily.

Prosecutors claim that the month before her husband's death, Kouri attempted to withdraw over $300,000 from one account, resulting in 198 separate overdrafts and returned transaction fees.

At the time of Eric's death, Kouri's primary business account was overdrawn by $5,734.55.

An unidentified witness disclosed Kouri Richins’ intention to kill her husband

Prosecutors stated in the document that they possess a substantial amount of evidence indicating that Kouri was involved in an extramarital affair, with whom she was contemplating a life without Eric well before his death.

An undisclosed witness informed investigators that during a conversation at the Richins' residence regarding her divorce, Kouri expressed her desire to end her marriage with Eric.

According to the witness, Kouri expressed frustration regarding the difficulties of divorcing Eric, expressing concerns that he might alienate their children from her and that his family could utilize their financial means to secure custody of the children.

Feeling confined within the marriage, Kouri purportedly remarked that "it would be better if Eric Richins was dead."

The judge allowed prosecutors to present evidence indicating that Kouri had contemplated divorce and had sought legal counsel following a consultation.

During a conversation with her brother, Kouri purportedly discussed discontinuing the consultation because she didn't want to divide assets evenly but rather desired a clean break.

However, the court inferred that Kouri's true intention wasn't to split assets but to obtain everything by causing Eric's death.

Prosecutors emphasized excerpts from text messages exchanged between Kouri and her paramour, which included discussions about a future together and expressions of love and longing. Several days after the last message was sent, Eric passed away, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors found evidence against Kouri in her phone

Prosecutors contend that Kouri's cell phone contains evidence contradicting her version of events on the night her husband passed away.

According to Kouri, she left her phone in their bedroom after Eric had a drink, and then slept in one of their children's rooms due to the child's nightmares. 

Upon returning to their bedroom, she claimed to have discovered Eric deceased. However, prosecutors argue that the phone Kouri purportedly left in her room was unlocked on six occasions between 3:06 am and 3:21 am, the latter being the time she contacted 911.

Furthermore, the phone traveled a distance of 370 feet within this 15-minute period. Prosecutors assert that internet searches were conducted on the phone in the days and weeks after Eric's death. 

The inquiries are "Utah State Prison — Timpanogos Women’s Facility, What Happens to Deleted Messages?, Cause of Death Usually Does Not Impact Life Insurance Payment, Signs of Being Under Federal Investigation, can cops force you to do a lie detector test, if someone is poisned (sic) what does it go down on the death certificate as."