GUILTY UT - Kouri Richins, 33, Author, wife, mom, charged in husband’s unexpected death last year, 8 May 2023 #3

[Niner]

Wednesday, March 11th:
*Trial continues (Day 12) (@ 8:30am [for attorneys] @ 1pm [for jury] MT) - UT - Eric Eugene Richins (39) poisoned [allegedly] with a lethal dose of fentanyl by wife on March. 3, 2022 in Kamas. - *Kouri Darden Richins (33/now 35) arrested (5/8/23) & charged (6/5/23) & arraigned (8/27/24) with 2nd degree aggravated murder & 3 counts of possession of drugs with intent to distribute. [These charges were dismissed on 3/25/24-see recharges]. *Re-charged (3/25/24) with 1 count of 1st degree criminal homicide aggravated murder (DV), 2 counts of 2nd degree distribution of a controlled substance [charges dismissed 11/12/24], 1 count of attempted aggravated murder, 2 counts of 2nd degree mortgage fraud (Iron Bridge Financial & Boomerang Finance), 2 counts of 2nd degree insurance fraud & 2 counts of 3rd degree forgery. Plead not guilty (8/27/24). Held without bond. Bond denied (6/12/23). Bond denied (11/18/25). DA will not seek DP (2/20/26).
*Charged (6/27/25) with 5 counts of mortgage fraud, 5 counts of forgery, 7 counts of issuing a bad check, 7 counts of money laundering, 1 count of communications fraud & 1 count of a pattern of unlawful activity. 3rd Judicial District Court Summit County
Jury selection began on 2/10/26 & ended on 2/11/26. Jury consists of 8 jurors [2 women & 6 men] & 4 alternates [4 women].
Murder Trial began on 2/23/26 [thru 3/26/26]. Court in session from Mondays to Thursdays.
Third District Court Summit County Judge Richard Mrazik presiding. Prosecutors Lindsay Chervenask, Fred Burmester & Summit County Deputy Attorney Brad Bloodworth & Defense attorneys Kathy Nester & Wendy Lewis & Alex Ramos.
Case & court info from 6/5/23 thru 2/2/26 & Jury Selection Days 1-2 (2/10-2/11//26) & thru 2/18/26 r& Trial Days 1-10 (2/23-3/9/26; no court on 3/6/26) reference post #3474 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...ed-death-last-year-may-2023-3.711978/page-174
3/10/26 Tuesday, Trial Day 11: *Judge Richard Mrazik is on the bench. First issue to be discussed deals with Detective Jeff O’Driscoll. See post #3620 page 181 of this thread for discussion on issues. Judge Mrazik is going over Wendy Lewis' one-day continuance request. "That request is granted."
*State witness: Chris Kotrodimos (Cellbrite call phone expert/digital forensics) back on stand.
*Jury has been instructed to come back at 1pm tomorrow, 3/11/26. Court back in session at 8:30am for prosecution & defense.

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

I don’t think the search on Eric’s phone about Scottsdale to Nogales has any significance other than to show that he was awake, texting work associates, and engaging on his phone in a typical manner until his activity abruptly stopped after his phone conversation with Scott around 10 pm. We know this because he received a text from Raul at 10:13 that was never read or opened. Based on the fact that medics believed Eric had been dead for hours, I’m guessing he probably died sometime between 10:00 and 10:13 pm.

One correction for your timeline, the phone call with Scott was from 8:50pm till 8:59pm. The 9:45pm google search is his last phone activity.

I was rewatching the defense's opening and I am guessing that's where the Scott phone call information came from. Nester falsely claimed in her opening that ER talked to Scott Wagner at 10 pm. You really can't believe anything she says.

Nester also said when KR's phone was moved around 10:30 pm, it was Eric who did it. No way that was Eric. He's going to check her phone but not his own, which had an unread text message? That was KR coming in to see if the deed was done, and she couldn't resist checking her phone.

I wonder if anyone ever asked their son if he really had a nightmare that night. Poor guy will one day have to face that his mom used him as an alibi for the unimaginable. She wanted an excuse for not discovering Eric earlier when she might have been able to get help in time.

 

[TristanP]

Detective Driscoll is the State's last witness, likely to rest their case on Thursday/Friday. Then the Defense will present their case if they so choose.

I think they will choose not to. (Unless KR testifies )

JMO

It's Detective O'Driscoll! And not just because it's March!

 

[Warwick7]

If the only point the defence wants to make is that the witness was coerced during her interview, why not recall her and ask her whether she felt coerced, when, why, and whether that altered the facts that she stated.

My guess, is asking her directly about "coercion" likely would run the risk she'd simply deny it or use the opportunity to reinforce the prosecution’s case.

IIRC in cross examination, Lewis already hammered Carmen on her immunity deal, past drug use, and memory gaps, right? Well, recalling her gives her another chance to explain alleged inconsistencies, which could undo the defense’s earlier work.

 

[Megnut]

It's Detective O'Driscoll! And not just because it's March!

Geez, me.

I've only typed his name out incorrectly a dozen-plus times.

My O'Pologies.

 

[Megnut]

In an unmatched battle of wits yesterday, the Defense wanted a rolling objection. But the judge asked for specificity. Which is when the train wreck left the tracks.

JMO

 

[Megnut]

Any predictions for today? I guilt expect the State to come prepared with their video montage, pushed to the expense by the Defense's late argument (over the transcript).

But what will the Defense have provided the Court by 6pm last night? Some actual additions for context? Some supported deletions? Or a fresh batch of objections?

Yesterday felt like that fireworks finale, you know, the big display where you know it's over, there's no more coming.

Judge is prepared. State is prepared. Waiting on the Defense...

JMO

 

[CandyKiss]

In an unmatched battle of wits yesterday, the Defense wanted a rolling objection. But the judge asked for specificity. Which is when the train wreck left the tracks.

JMO

... and headed for the "cry room"

I expect they were late for the 6:00 pm deadline to return an answer to the Judge. It starts at 8 (if remember correctly) the DA needs to review their answer as well and develop a video; to make it easier for the jury.

Not sure why they tripped off line; they did not need to read a 1,000 pages only 25-30 tops. The DA is using that chunk of information, so they should read 4-5 pages before and after the meat of it.

 

[Kemug]

I wonder how Kouri thinks the Defence is doing?

 

[COSCitizen]

I just realized something interesting about the PI's testimony: he stated that the top three people contacted by KR on the telephone in the time leading up to Eric's death were Eric (understandable), her mother (ditto), and CL. I would have expected the third to be KR's best friend, her affair partner, or one of her other emotional support minions.

 

[COSCitizen]

I wonder how Kouri thinks the Defence is doing?

In so far as this has been incredibly painful for Eric's sisters and father and friends, she probably thinks her lawyers are doing great. But with her grandiosity she probably thinks she could be doing even better. Which is why I think she might possibly take the stand and speak in her own defense, even though it almost never goes well for the defendant to do so.

 

[TristanP]

Here is Kouri mourning the sudden, painful death of her husband. Children are in the room during this drunken party. It doesn't appear that Kouri is wasting any time thinking about what Eric experienced as he was dying.

View attachment 651538
youtube link

Fentanyl Overdose Symptoms

• Pupils contract and appear small
• Muscles are slack and droopy
• They might “nod out”
• Scratch due to itchy skin
• Speech may be slurred
• They might be out of it, but they will respond to outside stimuli like loud noise or a light shake from a concerned friend
• Loss of consciousness
• Unresponsive to outside stimulus
• Awake, but unable to talk
• Breathing is slow and shallow, erratic, or has stopped
• For lighter skinned people, the skin tone turns bluish purple, for darker skinned people, it turns grayish or ashen.
• Choking sounds, or a snore-like gurgling noise (sometimes called the “death rattle”)
• Vomiting
• Body is limp
• Face is pale or clammy
• Fingernails and lips turn blue or purplish black
• Pulse (heartbeat) is slow, erratic, or not there at all

Recognizing Opioid Overdose - National Harm Reduction Coalition

This Syringe Access State Policy Landscape describes each state’s policies regarding access to sterile syringes. Get the facts on where your state stands.

harmreduction.org

All of this is absolutely awful, but as a nurse I can tell you that in most situations, the person just feels like they're going to sleep. All those opioid receptors get filled with fentanyl, so there's no pain. Their respirations just slow, and slow, and slow, and...stop.

 

[TristanP]

iirc, shortly after his death, from his sister. she wanted to kick the sister out of a house. sister said "tough cannolis, I'm the executor. you don't control jack." (paraphrasing) KR then physically attacked her.

edit: come to think of it, that attack is a decent piece of evidence all on its own. she showed she wanted control of the assets so bad she got violent.

Katie is the sister who is in charge of the trust. Amy is the one who Kouri attacked.

 

[Warwick7]

Well....I wonder if we are going to get another "display" of the defense in heated exchanges with the judge again? I could handle him specifically admonishing Lewis again.

 

[Skagirl]

Any predictions for today? I guilt expect the State to come prepared with their video montage, pushed to the expense by the Defense's late argument (over the transcript).

But what will the Defense have provided the Court by 6pm last night? Some actual additions for context? Some supported deletions? Or a fresh batch of objections?

Yesterday felt like that fireworks finale, you know, the big display where you know it's over, there's no more coming.

Judge is prepared. State is prepared. Waiting on the Defense...

JMO

I think defense is going to whine and rant about how they didn't have enough time, this trial is so unfair, maybe even cry a little lol.

 

[Justice101]

Sorry, I am jsut catching up.. but has the "Walk the Dog" letter been presented as evidence?

 

[Megnut]

I think defense is going to whine and rant about how they didn't have enough time, this trial is so unfair, maybe even cry a little lol.

So, like yesterday?

 

[BadRx]

I read on X (posted by a husband and wife that are both lawyers) that the Judge reviewed case law yesterday afternoon and sent notice that he was incorrect in his ruling while stream was still going yesterday. The Defense submitted their reply around 6:15. IMO, Defense just wasted a whole bunch of time yesterday. I probably misunderstand though haha

 

[oakayfine]

From a legal standpoint, I don’t have an issue with the tons of defense objections. I get it. They need it for their record. Fine.

What I do have issues with are:
*NEVER having evidence prepared. Including for witnesses.
*The constant arguing with the judge
*Restating witness’s statements incorrectly. Then objecting to something or trying to bring something new in through a leading question once defense realizes they messed up a cross

Nester should be one of the top state attorneys right? Or else she wouldn’t have gotten the Tyler Robinson case.

Hard to believe. If KR was able to keep her original legal team, this trial could be heading a different direction, IMO. The state’s case definitely has holes, but Nester/Lewis off putting personalities and combativeness with witnesses, Nester’s seemingly lack of preparation, and the countless objections and arguments are going to get the jury over the guilty hump (even tho all those things shouldn’t be considered, but jurors are human….)

Maybe that is why she is so out of touch with this trial. She is overloaded and wants this one out of the way for the "big" Tyler Robinson Trial.

 

[lynchmob67]

Who is the mystery person that KR was supposedly buying the pills for? Hoping we can hear from them. Sarcasm intended.