Kouri Richins's Sentencing Will Reveal Fate of Convicted Murderer

The fate of convicted murderer Kouri Richins will be decided at her upcoming sentencing hearing. Richins was convicted of murdering her husband, Eric Richins, on March 4, 2022, at their home in Kamas, Utah. Richins reportedly laced Eric's cocktail with fentanyl after previously trying to murder him with a fentanyl-laced sandwich on Valentine's Day.

After his death, Richins wrote a children's book about grief. Richins was convicted of first-degree attempted aggravated murder for the Valentine's Day attempt on Eric's life, as well as first-degree aggravated murder, two counts of forgery, and two counts of insurance fraud, per CNN. The jury convicted Richins on March 16, 2026.

Kouri Richins is scheduled to be sentenced on May 13, per KSL News. She was convicted of murdering Eric in their home after she laced his cocktail with the lethal drug. The couple was celebrating Richins' closing of a real estate deal. Richins called 911 at 3:21 a.m. on March 22 to report that Eric wasn't breathing, and he was pronounced dead at 4:58 a.m.

However, unbeknownst to the killer, Eric was suspicious of his wife and told a friend he became ill after eating the sandwich Richins left him on Valentine's Day. He said that she'd "tried to poison" him and "felt like he was going to die" after breaking out in hives. He'd also discovered "ongoing abuse and misuse of his finances" by Richins, and in 2020, he removed her from his from his $500,000 life insurance policy. Eric also transferred his house and business to a trust managed by his sister.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Richins wrote a children's book about grief after she murdered the father of her three sons, and she became a local celebrity. Days after his death, Richins also attacked Eric's sister after learning that his house and company were transferred to a trust.

On Feb. 26, Richins paid $900 for fentanyl through an acquaintance for the second time. She'd reportedly said the first pills weren't strong enough, and Eric's autopsy found that he had five times the lethal dose of illicit fentanyl in his system. Richins was finally arrested in May of 2023.

In addition to killing her husband, Richins also submitted a forged bank statement to obtain a bank loan in June of 2021. She also lied to the bank employee and claimed that she was in the middle of a separation. One month later, she submitted another false statement to the bank before confiding in someone that she was "trapped" in her marriage, and it would be better if Eric died. In January of 2022, Richins applied for another life insurance policy for Eric and forged his signature.

Amy Richins, Eric's sister, shared a statement from the family following the conviction.

"Four years ago, our family lost the brightest light," it read. "Eric is deeply loved and missed every single day. We are grateful to everyone who has worked tirelessly to bring justice for Eric. Our focus is now on honoring Eric's life and supporting his boys as we all continue to heal."

The jury reportedly only deliberated for three hours before coming to a verdict.