Utah author Kouri Richins sent her alleged lover a text message that led to her husband's murder

Utah-born obituary author Kouri Richins texted her alleged lover in the days before her husband was murdered, a forensic expert revealed Monday at a hearing to determine whether she will face trial.

Richins – accused of killing Eric Richins with a Moscow Mule laced with fentanyl – sent text messages to Robert Grossman in the two days before her husband's fatal overdose on March 4, 2022, digital forensics expert Chris Kotrodimos testified in a Park City courtroom.

“Around the time Mr. Richins died, there were ongoing messages between Mr. Grossman and Ms. Richins,” prosecutor Joe Hill asked Kotrodimos.

“Yes,” Kotrodimos replied.

The day before her husband's death, Kouri Richins sent her 41-year-old alleged lover Grossmann a text message saying “love you,” according to a Daily Mail report citing court documents.

Kotrodimos also confirmed that 34-year-old Kouri Richins had informed Grossmann of her arrival time when she drove to someone's house on February 14, 2022 – the first time, prosecutors said, she attempted to poison 39-year-old Eric Richins with a sandwich laced with fentanyl.

“She said she was on her way to see him,” Kotrodimos said of Kouri Richins' messages to Grossman. “He asked if she was about an hour away and she said yes and sent him a screenshot.”

The forensic expert said Kouri Richins and Grossmann began exchanging messages in November 2021 and continued to do so after Eric Richins' death.

“The volume varied depending on the day, but they were practically daily conversations,” Kotrodimos told prosecutors, adding that they also spoke on the phone.

Between January and March 2022, “a lot of data” was deleted from Khouri Richins' cellphone – including her call logs, text messages and internet search history, Kotrodimos said.

Kouri Richins had commissioned the craftsman Grossmann to renovate houses for her real estate company.

Monday's hearing began a three-day hearing during which witness testimony will be held to determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence to charge Kouri Richins with aggravated murder and related charges.

If convicted, she could face up to 25 years in prison.

Summit County Detective Jeff O'Driscoll testified Monday that the Richins' housekeeper, Carmen Marie Lauber, allegedly sold fentanyl to Kouri Ritchins three times – on February 11, February 26 and March 9, 2022.

Prosecutors allege she hatched an elaborate plan to kill Eric Richins after he expressed suspicion that his wife was unfaithful to him and was plotting to murder him.

Eric Richins had recently removed her from his will and changed his life insurance.

After his death, she published a children's book called “Are You With Me?” about dealing with grief.

Kouri Richins, who maintains her innocence, was arrested in May 2023 and remains behind bars.