Juror says Kouri Richins sympathy flipped after trial exposed kids’ book author’s plot to kill husband: report

A juror successful the execution proceedings of Utah children’s publication writer Kouri Richins is speaking retired for the archetypal time, describing however the sheet went from aboriginal sympathy to a unanimous blameworthy verdict successful the fentanyl poisoning decease of her husband.

Richins, 35, present faces the anticipation of spending the remainder of her beingness successful situation aft the assemblage recovered her blameworthy connected each counts. Her sentencing is scheduled for May 13 astatine 9:30 a.m. MST.

In an interrogation with ABC’s "Good Morning America," juror Laura said her archetypal content of Richins shifted dramatically arsenic the proceedings unfolded.

"The archetypal happening we perceive is these unspeakable things astir her … and she’s conscionable sitting determination similar each by herself," Laura said. "At first, I was reasoning … that Kouri was decidedly feeling trapped."

UTAH CHILDREN’S AUTHOR KOURI RICHINS SAYS STATE THREATENED WITNESSES AHEAD OF TRIAL IN HUSBAND’S POISONING

Body camera video is displayed connected a surface during the execution proceedings of Kouri Richins during her execution proceedings astatine the Summit County Courthouse, successful Park City, Utah, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. (Spenser Heaps/AP Photo, Pool)

That changed erstwhile prosecutors presented forensic evidence.

"I was blown retired of the water," she said, pointing to cellphone information that helped jurors way movements tied to alleged cause purchases.

"We each led to the aforesaid conclusion, that she was guilty."

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Rather than taking an contiguous vote, jurors held a roundtable treatment to speech done the grounds and their reactions.

"People were truly sad, due to the fact that they did not privation to find her guilty… and it was truly heartbreaking," Laura said.

Laura besides described Richins arsenic mostly emotionless during the trial, saying she appeared "like a statue" and showed small absorption — adjacent erstwhile the verdict was read.

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Kouri Richins, a Utah parent accused of fatally poisoning her husband, looks connected during her execution proceedings astatine the Summit County Courthouse successful Park City, Utah, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. (Spenser Heaps/AP Photo, Pool)

As Richins awaits sentencing, increasing attraction is besides focusing connected her mother, Lisa Darden, amid caller tribunal filings and past allegations referenced by investigators.

Defense attorneys person made aggregate attempts to person counsel appointed for Darden — an antithetic determination that suggests she could look imaginable ineligible vulnerability if called to testify.

Richins’ erstwhile attorney, Skye Lazaro, told Fox News Digital the defence initially filed a question requesting the tribunal name counsel for Darden, but the authorities objected. Both the defence petition and the prosecution’s objection stay sealed by the court.

CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHOR KOURI RICHINS SAYS SCANDAL AND NOTORIETY POISONED HER MURDER TRIAL

Kouri Richins, left, a Utah parent of 3 who authorities accidental fatally poisoned her husband, Eric Richins, past wrote a children's publication astir grieving, stands with her lawyer Skye Lazaro during a presumption proceeding Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, successful Park City, Utah.  (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, Pool)

According to Lazaro, the defence renewed that effort successful December, and portions of the filing were made public.

"It is my knowing from what was made nationalist they asked for her to beryllium appointed counsel to support her law rights," Lazaro said, adding that the defence besides sought court-appointed attorneys for respective different imaginable witnesses.

The filings suggest Darden could beryllium a cardinal witness, though the nonstop scope of her imaginable grounds remains unclear.

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Kathy Nester, the defence lawyer for Kouri Richins, shows the assemblage an representation of a pill vessel portion delivering her opening connection successful Richins' execution proceedings astatine the Summit County Courthouse successful Park City, Utah, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. (Spenser Heaps/AP Photo, Pool)

Defense attorneys Kathy Nester and Alex Ramos did not respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.

But this isn’t the archetypal clip Darden has drawn scrutiny.

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In a May 2023 hunt warrant affidavit, a Summit County Sheriff’s Office detective wrote that Darden whitethorn person been "involved successful readying and orchestrating Eric’s death," citing her proximity to a separate, earlier death.

According to the affidavit, Darden was surviving with a romanticist spouse successful 2006 erstwhile the pistillate died unexpectedly. An autopsy determined the origin of decease was oxycodone toxicity.

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Kouri Richins was recovered blameworthy of poisoning her hubby to death. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, Pool/ Facebook)

The detective noted Darden had precocious been named the beneficiary of her partner’s property and wrote that, based connected his grooming and experience, the circumstances would "likely regularisation retired the anticipation of an accidental overdose."

The affidavit further stated that, fixed Darden’s "proximity to her partner’s suspicious overdose death" and her adjacent narration with her daughter, "it is imaginable she was progressive successful readying and orchestrating Eric’s death."

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Lazaro pushed backmost connected that characterization, telling Fox News Digital antecedently that the earlier decease was accordant with the broader opioid crisis.

"[She] was 1 of the millions that suffered from, and yet succumbed to, opioid addiction," Lazaro said. "It is tragic, and unfortunately, rather common."

Darden could not instantly beryllium reached for comment.

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Prosecutors alleged Richins killed her hubby successful March 2022 by lacing a portion with fentanyl successful a bid to cod millions successful beingness security and summation power of the couple’s finances.

The lawsuit drew nationalist attraction successful portion due to the fact that Richins aboriginal authored a children’s publication astir grief titled "Are You With Me?" for her 3 sons.

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A aesculapian examiner recovered Eric Richins had much than 5 times the lethal magnitude of fentanyl successful his system.

Richins denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send communicative tips to [email protected].