Utah authorities have arrested 33-year-old Kouri Richins, a mother of three and author of a children’s book about grief, in connection with her husband’s fentanyl death. Kouri and her husband, Eric Richins, 39, had been married nine years and together had three young sons.
The incident occurred on the evening of March 3rd, 2022, when Kouri Richins called 911 to report that her husband was “cold to the touch”. She told authorities that she had served him a cocktail in bed to celebrate a home sale for her business earlier that evening.
Upon investigation, the medical examiner found that Eric Richins had five times the lethal dosage of fentanyl – an opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine – in his system. Additionally, Kouri Richins was charged with possession of GHB, commonly referred to as the “date rape drug”.
Investigation of the case revealed that Kouri Richins had conversations with an unnamed individual claiming to have sold her fentanyl. Furthermore, analysis of her phone activity suggested the device had been locked and unlocked multiple times that night with no indication of physical movement, and text messages had been sent and received, yet were later removed by an unknown source.
Prior to the arrest, Kouri Richins had promoted her children’s book, “Are You With Me?”, in a Facebook group called “grieving mothers”. This book, selling for $14.99 on Amazon, is “a must-read for any child who has experienced the pain of loss, and for parents who want to provide their children with the emotional support they need to heal and grow,” according to the book’s description.
Eric Richins was described as an “avid outdoorsman and dedicated hunter” in his obituary, as well as a dedicated family man who enjoyed helping his family’s cattle ranch and growing a successful masonry business. Kouri Richins’ arrest has sent shockwaves through the community, as she had recently posted a video to Facebook captioned “Life is just so damn hard without you here!”
The case against Kouri Richins is ongoing, leaving her three young sons without a father and a community left with many unanswered questions.