The sisters of Eric Richins started to grow suspicious of his wife, Kouri Richins, shortly after the Utah father's death. Eventually, their growing concerns led them to hire a private investigator, who worked and pressed diligently in an investigation that soon revealed more about Eric's death.
More than a year after the beloved father and business owner's death at the age of 39, 33-year-old Kouri was arrested and charged with his murder in May 2023. She was also charged with several counts of drug possession. As of yet, she has not pleaded to the four charges.
According to prosecutors, at the time of his death, Eric had five life insurance policies worth around $2 million. Kouri owed creditors more than $2 million, and planned to make up the difference from those life insurance policies.
One of Eric's sisters, Amy Richins, testified against Kouri in court. “She has committed the ultimate act of betrayal. Eric is gone and I'm brokenhearted. He was my best friend and protector. The feeling of loss is so great, it is visceral.”
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Just days after Eric's death, some of his relatives who were staying in the family's home noticed the relationship between them and Kouri take a turn. In once incident, Kouri called for a locksmith to open her deceased husband's safe, which had over $100,000 inside. Amy told her the safe wasn't hers to open, and Kouri lashed out.
When Eric's estate planner revealed to her over the phone that he had put his other sister, Katie Richins-Benson, in charge of his estate, Kouri got even more furious. "What’s wrong with you people?” Amy recalled her yelling. “This is my house.”
When Amy told her it wasn't her house, Kouri slapped her. Another allegation that has come to light is that the wife also stole $25,000 cash that was in Eric's pajamas the night he died.
A family spokesperson commended the family for taking action once they grew suspicious of Kouri. “They pushed the police; they kept their feet to the fire,” Greg Skordas said. “I think Kouri underestimated what Eric’s family would do. They’re not giving up.”
Not long after Eric's death, one of his sisters went to the authorities to share that he told her he believed Kouri tried to poison him during a vacation to Greece years ago. Eric had also warned his family "that if anything happened to him, she was to blame.”
Kouri, who went on to write a children's book about the grief around losing a parent, faces between 25 years and life in prison without parole if found guilty. The next hearing date will take place at the beginning of September.
