Utah Children’s Book Author Found Guilty Of Poisoning Husband For Millions

by HEDNEWS on March 17, 2026

Utah Children’s Book Author Found Guilty of Poisoning Husband for Millions PARK CITY, Utah (March 17, 2026) A jury in Summit County has convicted Kouri Richins, a 35‑year‑old Utah mother and self‑published children’s book author, of aggravated murder, attempted murder, insurance fraud and forgery in the death of her husband, Eric Richins, who died from a lethal fentanyl overdose in March 2022.

After roughly three hours of deliberation, jurors returned a guilty verdict on all charges Monday, concluding a high‑profile three‑week trial at the Summit County Courthouse.
Richins now faces up to 25 years to life in prison when she is sentenced May 13, 2026 a date that would have been her husband’s 44th birthday.

Prosecution’s Case Prosecutors argued Richins laced Eric’s Moscow Mule cocktail with a deadly dose of the synthetic opioid fentanyl on March 4, 2022, knowing it would kill him. They presented evidence that Richins:

was deeply in financial distress, with millions in business debt, and stood to gain over $4 million from her husband’s estate and insurance payouts.
attempted to poison Eric weeks earlier, slipping fentanyl into his sandwich on Valentine’s Day 2022, causing him to black out and break out in hives.
had taken out multiple life insurance policies on her husband without his knowledge, and was secretly planning a future with another man.

Summit County prosecutor Brad Bloodworth told the jury Richins wanted “to leave Eric but not his money,” casting her as someone motivated by financial gain rather than grief.

Internet search histories from Richins’ phone, including queries about lethal doses of fentanyl and luxury prisons.
Testimony from nearly 40 prosecution witnesses, including a housekeeper who testified she sold Richins fentanyl.
Text messages between Richins and an alleged romantic partner suggesting plans to escape her marriage.

The Children’s Book Factor In a striking twist, Richins had self‑published a children’s book on grief after her husband’s death, titled Are You With Mewhich she said was to help her own sons cope. Prosecutors argued the book was part of a calculated image crafted after the crime. Richins’ defense attorneys maintained her innocence, arguing prosecutors failed to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt and that some evidence did not conclusively tie her to the poisoning. They also challenged witness credibility, particularly that of the housekeeper who supplied the fentany Sentencing is set for May 13, 2026, when a judge will determine Richins’ punishment based on her convictions.