Utah Woman Who Wrote Book On Grief Post Spouse's Death Arrested For His Murder

A woman from Utah, who became a widow after her husband's sudden death, has been taken into custody on allegations of murdering him.

Kouri Darden Richins, a 33-year-old resident of Summit County, was arrested on Monday following accusations that she poisoned her husband, Eric Richins, at their residence in Kamas on March 4, 2022., as per reports by ABC. The charges against her include first-degree aggravated murder and three second-degree felony charges related to possessing and distributing a controlled substance.

Utah woman murders husband

Authorities reportedly found Eric dead at the foot of the couple's bed when they arrived at their house that night at 3:20 am.

In March 2022, Kouri contacted the police late one night, reporting that her husband, Eric Richins, was unresponsive and "cold to the touch," as per a report. She informed officials that she had prepared a mixed vodka drink for her husband earlier, only to find him in an unresponsive state hours later. A subsequent examination conducted by a medical professional revealed that Richins had died from a fentanyl overdose, with his system containing a dosage of the drug five times the lethal amount.

Court documents disclosed that between December 2021 and February 2022, Mr Richins had been communicating with an individual who was subsequently arrested on drug-related charges, seeking prescription pain medication for an investor with a back injury. The documents further revealed that Kouri acquired hydrocodone pills and later requested a stronger substance. After three days, she got the medication, the two went out to dinner on Valentine's Day, and Mr Richins got sick. It is now discovered that Kouri procured more fentanyl two weeks later. On March 4, she called the police late at night to report her husband's unresponsiveness.

In addition to the legal proceedings surrounding the case, it is worth noting that Kouri had written a children's picture book titled Are You With Me? to comfort children who are suffering the loss of a beloved. In a recent interview, she expressed her hope that the book would bring solace to her family and others facing similar circumstances.

A detention hearing has been scheduled for May 19 to address the matter.

Photo credit: The Week

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