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Judge decides whether Kouri Richins will be tried for murder

Kouri Richins, the Kamas mother of three accused of killing her husband, Eric Richins, appeared in court Aug. 26 for the first day of her preliminary hearing that will determine whether she will be charged with murder, drug and financial offenses.

Kouri Richins Preliminary Round Day 1.mp4

The Third District Court scheduled three days for the hearing. However, after one day of testimony, the prosecution withdrew its arguments. Neither the Summit County Prosecutor's Office nor Richins' defense team have announced that they will call additional witnesses.

A detective, a digital forensics expert and a forensic accountant testified, but two other witnesses the prosecution wanted to interview did not.

In a brief filed Friday before the hearing, prosecutors said they plan to call Eric Richins' business partner and friend as witnesses. They claim he called both of them on Valentine's Day 2022 – the day Kouri Richins allegedly first tried to poison him with fentanyl.

According to court documents, Richins' defense team intended to object to the statement, arguing it was hearsay.

Forensic accountant Brooke Karrington testified during a hearing on behalf of Kouri Richins, a Kamas 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 in Silver Summit on Monday, August 26, 2024.
Forensic accountant Brooke Karrington testified during a hearing on behalf of Kouri Richins, a Kamas 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 in Silver Summit on Monday, August 26, 2024.

Prosecutors argue that the restrictions on hearsay during preliminary hearings are less stringent than during trial. But after a two-hour closed-door discussion with Judge Richard Mrazik and the defense team, Eric Richins' two friends were removed from the witness list.

They were expected to testify that Eric Richins believed his wife tried to kill him in February 2022, weeks before he was finally found dead with five times the lethal dose of fentanyl in his system.

Some of these details were covered in digital forensics consultant Chris Kotrodimos' testimony about phone records. Those records include logs of Kouri Richins' movements and phone activity shortly after 3 a.m. on March 4, 2022, around the time Eric Richins died in the family home but before she called 911.

Prosecutor Brad Bloodworth speaks during a hearing for Kouri Richins, a Kamas mother of three who wrote a children's book about coping with grief after the death of her husband and was later accused of fatally poisoning him, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Silver Summit.
Prosecutor Brad Bloodworth speaks during a hearing for Kouri Richins, a Kamas mother of three who wrote a children's book about coping with grief after the death of her husband and was later accused of fatally poisoning him, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Silver Summit.

Defense attorney Wendy Lewis points out that investigators did not find fentanyl in the house, nor did they find pills that tested positive for fentanyl. Lead prosecutor Brad Bloodworth counters that tests on a bag of THC gummy bears found in the house “indicated” fentanyl – meaning they tested positive for fentanyl precursors or related substances.

The state also has affidavits from a housekeeper who was employed by Kouri Richins and who testified that she sold Richins fentanyl.

During cross-examination by Summit County Detective Jeff O'Driscoll, Lewis raised the question of whether the housekeeper had lied to get a lesser sentence in another drug case.

Following testimony from state forensic accountant Brooke Karrington, defense attorney Kathy Nester also pointed out that she had previously worked for Eric Richins' family.

The family had hired her to help with their civil cases, but she says she hasn't spoken to Eric Richins' family in a year. Her testimony was related to Kouri Richins' alleged financial crimes.

Kouri Richins (left), a Kamas mother of three who wrote a children's book about coping with grief after the death of her husband and was later accused of fatally poisoning him, speaks with her attorney, Kathy Nester, during a hearing Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Silver Summit.
Kouri Richins (left), a Kamas mother of three who wrote a children's book about coping with grief after the death of her husband and was later accused of fatally poisoning him, speaks with her attorney, Kathy Nester, during a hearing Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Silver Summit.

In addition to attempted and aggravated murder and drug offenses, Richins is also accused of mortgage fraud, forgery and insurance fraud. Prosecutors have charged him with a total of 11 serious crimes, more than enough to give Richins a life sentence in prison if convicted.

A year and a half after her arrest, she may find out on August 27 whether she will stand trial.

On August 26, at the end of the first day of testimony, the judge said he would be happy to wait one more day before making a decision to confirm that Richins was waiving her right to testify.

The second day of her preliminary hearing begins at 10 a.m. at the Silver Summit Courthouse. Richins is being held without bail in the Summit County Jail.

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