Summit County prosecutors to clear Kouri Richins of two charges

Kouri Richins, center, mother of three who wrote a children's book about coping with grief after her husband's death and was later accused of fatally poisoning him, looks on during a court hearing Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in Park City, Utah. Photo: AP Photo // Rick Bowmer, Pool

State prosecutor and Summit County Attorney Margaret Olson requested that the court drop two counts of distributing a controlled substance, a second-degree felony, allowing prosecutors to focus more closely on financial aspects of the case.

PARK CITY, Utah – Summit County prosecutors moved on Friday to dismiss two charges against Kouri Richins, the 34-year-old mother of three from Kamas accused of fatally poisoning her husband. The news came ahead of a hearing planned for Tuesday, November 12, in Summit County’s Third District Court.

State prosecutor and Summit County Attorney Margaret Olson requested that the court drop two counts of distributing a controlled substance, a second-degree felony, allowing prosecutors to focus more closely on financial aspects of the case. Richins will now face nine felony charges related to the death of her husband, Eric Richins, in March 2022.

Prosecutors also opposed Richins’ request to hold separate trials for the nine remaining charges against her, including attempted murder, distribution of a controlled substance, mortgage fraud, and forgery. Richins has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The court documents released Friday explain why the State of Utah opposes Richins’ request to separate multiple criminal charges into different trials.

All nine offenses, prosecutors say, are connected by the defendant’s alleged motive: financial gain and desire to be seen as a person of high status. Shortly before Richins allegedly murdered her husband, she sent a text message to her long-time lover, Josh Grossmann, that illustrates Richins’ desire, court papers said.

“When I was little, I grew up scrubbing other people’s toilets in Park City at ‘rich’ people’s houses after school…I always said to myself and my aunt, ‘One day, I’ll own properties in Park City like all these rich snooty people and I will never be like them.’ Tomorrow I close on 3 properties, all in the same day. 2 being in Park City. That’s a HUGE deal to me, biggest accomplishment to date career wise.. It’s never been about the money, it’s about being able to say I too can have properties in PC and your not better than anyone the way you treat people and I can prove it. Tomorrow is a really big deal for me self accomplishment wise..,” the text message in the prosecution’s paperwork said.

The murder attempt and successful murder (17 days apart) also show a “common scheme or plan,” and Richins’ alleged financial crimes (mortgage fraud, etc.) prosecutors argue, were allegedly committed to maintain a façade of success. When the defendant faced financial collapse, she allegedly turned to murder to obtain her husband Eric Richins’ $5 million estate and $1.35 million in life insurance, court papers said.

Olson also stated that the timeline of alleged events shows an escalation pattern of behavior. The state alleges Richins attempted to poison her husband once, failed, and then successfully poisoned him 17 days later. According to the document, she purchased fentanyl from someone named Carmen Lauber before both incidents. Finally, the defendant allegedly committed mortgage fraud and forgery before escalating to attempted murder and murder.

The State argues that separating the charges against Richins would be inappropriate because the evidence for all charges would be admissible in separate trials anyway, the charges show an escalating pattern of behavior and understanding the financial crimes is crucial to establishing motive for the murder.

The document provides insight into the prosecution’s theory: that Kouri Richins allegedly progressed from financial crimes to murder as a way to maintain a façade of wealth and success, ultimately killing her husband for his estate and insurance money when her financial schemes began to collapse.

A few weeks ago, the Nester Lewis law firm, representing Richins, filed a motion for the judge to reconsider bail and conditions for pre-trial release. Last week, the defense filed additional motions to increase the jury from eight to twelve jurors and added evidence to support the motion to reconsider bail and conditions for Richins’ pre-trial release.

Defense attorneys said Richins’ relationship with her children is being harmed by her incarceration, and they added she hasn’t displayed any violence or danger in the 17 months she’s been in jail. Richins has been engaged in paralegal studies and a Master of Business Administration program.

Judge Richard Mrazik of the Third District Court may rule on the requests to reconsider bail, separate the charges, and dismiss two counts at Tuesday’s hearing.