Utah Mom POISONED Husband—Then Sold Grief Book

A Utah mother accused of poisoning her husband with a lethal dose of fentanyl—then profiting from his death through a children’s grief book—now faces trial as prosecutors unveil a web of secret life insurance policies, mounting debts, and a pattern of lies that should alarm every American watching the justice system at work.

Story Snapshot

Kouri Richins accused of murdering husband Eric with five times the lethal fentanyl dose in March 2022
Prosecutors allege $4.5 million debt, secret $2 million life insurance policies, and affair as motives
Richins published children’s grief book post-death, now facing 25-to-life sentence if convicted
Key witness granted immunity after allegedly selling fentanyl to Richins multiple times
Defense claims accidental overdose amid victim’s painkiller addiction and Lyme disease

Financial Desperation and Calculated Deception

Kouri Richins accumulated $4.5 million in debt through her failing real estate business while secretly opening nearly $2 million in life insurance policies on her husband Eric without his knowledge. Prosecutors Brad Bloodworth presented evidence showing Richins allegedly stole from Eric’s successful masonry company, including tax funds and a hidden $250,000 loan. Court documents reveal her bank balance turned negative as creditors sued her business. Meanwhile, Eric came from an anti-drug family background—his mother worked as a counselor—making the fentanyl poisoning allegations particularly egregious for those who value traditional family principles and honest work ethics.

Pattern of Lies Exposed Through Body Camera Footage

Body camera footage played during trial shows Richins telling police Eric had no drug history and possibly consumed a THC gummy before his death. This contradicts her later defense claims that Eric suffered from Lyme disease and painkiller addiction. Eric’s sister Katie Richins-Benson testified about their family’s strong anti-drug values, noting Kouri’s unusually composed demeanor following Eric’s death. Prosecutors highlighted internet searches on Richins’ devices for “lethal dose of fentanyl,” “luxury prisons for the rich America,” and “can cops force lie detector test.” The autopsy confirmed Eric died from synthetic opioid overdose with five times the lethal fentanyl dose, yet no fentanyl was found at the scene.

Immunity Witness and Alleged Prior Poisoning Attempt

Carmen Lauber, the family’s housekeeper, received immunity in exchange for testimony that she sold fentanyl to Richins multiple times. Defense attorneys challenge Lauber’s credibility, noting her immunity deal creates motive to fabricate testimony. Court records show Lauber’s dealer later recanted in an affidavit, claiming he only sold OxyContin, not fentanyl. Prosecutors allege Richins attempted a first poisoning on Valentine’s Day 2022 using a fentanyl-laced sandwich that caused Eric to break out in hives and blackout. These allegations reveal a disturbing pattern of premeditation that, if proven, demonstrates calculated evil masked by maternal appearances—the kind of deception that undermines trust in basic human decency.

Grief Book as Alleged Cover-Up Tool

Following Eric’s death, Richins self-published “Are You With Me?”, a children’s book about grief, and promoted it extensively on television and radio. Prosecutors frame this as narrative manipulation designed to profit from her crime while projecting innocence. Eric’s estate filed a $13 million civil lawsuit accusing Richins of wrongful death, theft, business fraud, and misappropriating Eric’s likeness for the book. Richins simultaneously sued the estate seeking proceeds from their business and home. The trial continues through late March 2026, with Richins pleading not guilty to aggravated murder charges carrying a minimum 25-year-to-life sentence. Text messages presented in court show Richins discussing divorce millions and future marriage plans with alleged affair partner Robert Josh Grossman.

Utah children's book author Kouri Richins kept lying about how her husband died: witnesses https://t.co/2EtCaWX0sX pic.twitter.com/GtjFXDcSWE

— New York Post (@nypost) February 27, 2026

The case exposes how financial desperation and moral bankruptcy can destroy families while highlighting the fentanyl crisis reaching even affluent communities. Eric’s three sons now face the dual trauma of losing their father and watching their mother stand trial. The defense argues reasonable doubt exists given Eric’s documented painkiller use and the questionable credibility of immunity witnesses. Yet the prosecution’s evidence—secret insurance policies, suspicious searches, affair texts, and witness testimony—paints a picture of premeditated murder for financial gain. For Americans who value accountability, family integrity, and justice for victims, this trial represents a critical test of whether our legal system can pierce through manipulative facades to deliver truth.