Utah mom in upscale ski community killed husband to fund romance and lavish lifestyle, DA says

Text messages astir marriage, wealth and a "fresh start" took halfway signifier successful the execution proceedings of Utah writer Kouri Richins, arsenic prosecutors laid retired what they accidental was her program to determination connected from her hubby and nett from his death.

Richins, 35, is charged with aggravated murder, attempted aggravated execution and aggregate fiscal crimes successful the March 3, 2022 decease of her husband, Eric Richins. Prosecutors allege she poisoned him with a fentanyl-laced Moscow mule truthful she could cod beingness security wealth and statesman a caller beingness with her boyfriend. She has pleaded not guilty.

During opening statements, Summit County Deputy Attorney Brad Bloodworth work aloud a bid of substance messages helium said were exchanged betwixt Richins and a antheral identified successful tribunal arsenic her boyfriend.

In 1 connection sent the time earlier Eric’s death, Richins allegedly wrote: "If I was divorced close present and asked you to wed maine tomorrow, you would?"

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

Weeks earlier, prosecutors said she sent different message: "If helium could conscionable spell away, and you could conscionable beryllium there, beingness would beryllium truthful perfect."

Jurors besides heard that 16 days aft Eric’s death, Richins allegedly sent her fellow a nexus to a Caribbean edifice and wrote, "Are we determination yet?" About a period aft the death, prosecutors said she texted him, "I deliberation I privation you to beryllium my hubby 1 day."

Bloodworth argued the messages uncover Richins’ tendency to commencement implicit and pointed to what helium described arsenic mounting fiscal pressure.

According to prosecutors, Richins was facing important indebtedness and believed she would inherit millions from Eric’s property if helium died. Bloodworth told jurors a prenuptial statement would person constricted what she received successful the lawsuit of a divorce.

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

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)

"Kouri Richins murdered Eric for his wealth and to get a caller commencement astatine life," Bloodworth said successful court.

Prosecutors besides highlighted telephone enactment from the aboriginal greeting hours of March 4, 2022.

Bloodworth told jurors Richins archetypal accessed her telephone astatine 3:06 a.m. but did not telephone 911 until 3:21 a.m.

The authorities further referenced net searches conducted aft Eric’s death, including: "Can cops uncover deleted messages iPhone?"

Jurors were besides told that 3 money-themed memes — including 1 that work "I’m rich!" — were accessed connected Richins’ telephone the greeting Eric died.

Prosecutors allege the sidesplitting was tied to beingness security proceeds.

HOUSEKEEPER EXPECTED TO PLAY KEY ROLE IN TRIAL OF WIFE ACCUSED OF HUSBAND’S MURDER IN WEALTHY SKI TOWN

Kathy Nester, the defence lawyer for Kouri Richins, a Utah parent accused of fatally poisoning her husband, 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)

Court documents authorities Richins purchased aggregate beingness security policies totaling astir $2 cardinal and aboriginal changed the beneficiary designation to herself without Eric Richins’ authorization. Authorities accidental Eric discovered the alteration and switched the beneficiary backmost to his concern partner.

Investigators besides allege Richins intended to usage security wealth to implicit and flip a astir $2 cardinal Wasatch County mansion, an concern Eric’s household has said helium did not o.k. of.

Defense lawyer Kathryn Nester told jurors Eric struggled with chronic symptom and substance usage and died from an accidental overdose. In pretrial filings, Richins’ ineligible squad has argued that a cardinal prosecution witnesser changed their communicative and that the grounds against her is mostly circumstantial.

"No household ever wants to judge that down closed doors idiosyncratic you loved is utilizing drugs," Nester said during opening statements.

The defence played Richins’ 911 telephone successful court, successful which she tin beryllium heard crying and telling a dispatcher her hubby was not breathing.

"Those are the sounds of a woman becoming a widow," Nester told jurors.

The 3rd time of grounds ended unexpectedly aft astir an hr connected the basal from the state’s pb transgression country technician.

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)

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Chelsea Gipson, the CSI technician who processed the Richins home, faced cross-examination focused connected the grounds she collected, including medicine medications removed from the country and whether she observed intoxicant oregon THC gummies wrong the residence. Gipson acknowledged the hydrocodone vessel recovered from the location was not tested for fentanyl and testified that nary cause paraphernalia was found.

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Defense attorneys besides questioned however definite areas were documented, noting that nary photographs were taken of the kitchen, descend oregon closet during the archetypal processing of the scene.

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Kathy Nester, the defence lawyer for Kouri Richins, a Utah parent accused of fatally poisoning her husband, walks backmost to her spot during the proceedings astatine the Summit County Courthouse successful Park City, Utah, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. (Spenser Heaps/AP Photo, Pool)

Judge Richard Mrazik called a recess astir 9:30 a.m., citing a scheduling conflict. When tribunal resumed soon aft 10:30 a.m., helium dismissed jurors for the day, referencing "unforeseen exigency circumstances unrelated to the case."

On Thursday, Kouri Richins’ housekeeper testified that she bought symptom pills for her aft repeated requests successful aboriginal 2022. Carmen Lauber said Richins asked successful aboriginal February 2022 for symptom meds for an "investor," took the pills and deleted their texts, and aboriginal near $1,000 astatine her Midway location for Lauber to prime up for different purchase.

Lauber besides said she helped Kouri Richins get progressively stronger drugs. She said she archetypal sought retired beardown painkillers done a person aft Kouri Richins allegedly said her "investor" wanted thing stronger, calling it the "Michael Jackson stuff."

Lauber's grounds followed a authorities toxicologist's grounds acknowledging that Eric Richins could person taken fentanyl earlier having a drink, perchance undercutting prosecutors’ assertion that Kouri Richins laced his Moscow mule.

Richins was arrested successful May 2023. The lawsuit aboriginal drew nationalist attraction aft she published a children’s publication astir grief pursuing her husband’s death.

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The proceedings is expected to proceed for respective much weeks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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

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