Unsealed warrant sought records linked to Park City police chief, former Summit County sheriff

Park City Police Chief Wade Carpenter and former Summit County Sheriff David Edmunds are among three public officials whose Verizon records were sought in an obstruction of justice investigation, according to ABC4 Utah. Photo: Park City Police

ABC4 reports warrant is part of an obstruction investigation tied to a potential witness in the Kouri Richins murder trial

PARK CITY, Utah — A recently unsealed search warrant sought Verizon records associated with Park City Police Chief Wade Carpenter and former Summit County Sheriff David Edmunds as part of an obstruction of justice investigation involving Wasatch County Sheriff Jared Rigby, according to reporting by ABC4 Utah.

The investigation centers on allegations involving Summit County Sheriff’s Office detective Eric Mainord, who worked on the Kouri Richins murder case and was considered a potential trial witness. Mainord was also running against Rigby for Wasatch County sheriff at the time of the events described in the warrant affidavit.

ABC4 reported that investigators are examining whether potentially damaging information about Mainord was used to pressure him to withdraw from the sheriff’s race and potentially undermine his credibility as a witness.

The Verizon accounts identified in the warrant were associated with Rigby, Carpenter and Edmunds. The court filing was unsealed Aug. 11, according to ABC4.

The affidavit alleges an anonymous letter containing 13 claims about Mainord’s conduct while he worked for the Heber City Police Department. The letter questioned Mainord’s credibility and reliability as a potential witness in the Richins case.

According to ABC4’s account of the affidavit, Edmunds submitted a public records request to the Heber City Police Department seeking Mainord’s personnel records. Investigators alleged that the same 13 claims later appeared in an anonymous letter sent to the Summit County Attorney’s Office.

The affidavit also describes a Jan. 8 meeting between Rigby and Summit County Sheriff Kacey Bates, one day after Mainord filed to run for Wasatch County sheriff.

ABC4 reported that Rigby showed Bates allegations involving Mainord and indicated that the information could affect the Richins trial. According to the affidavit, Bates told investigators she came away with the impression that Rigby was suggesting the information would become public unless Mainord withdrew from the race, potentially harming the Richins prosecution.

Carpenter reportedly called Bates shortly after the meeting and also discussed the possible effect of the allegations on the Richins case, according to ABC4’s account of the affidavit.

The affidavit alleged that accounts associated with Rigby, Carpenter and Edmunds may contain communications relevant to the investigation.

A search warrant affidavit presents investigators’ assertions to establish probable cause for a search. It does not prove that a crime occurred or that anyone named in the document committed wrongdoing.

Mainord did not testify during Richins’ trial and withdrew from the sheriff’s race May 27. Rigby later lost the June 23 Republican primary to Jeremy Hales, according to official Utah election results.

Richins was convicted in March of aggravated murder and other charges in the 2022 fentanyl poisoning death of her husband, Eric Richins.

No criminal charges have been filed against Rigby, Carpenter, or Edmunds in connection with the obstruction investigation.