Trial of Utah Author Accused of Husband’s Murder

Cori Richens, a children’s book author from Utah, was seen sobbing in a bathroom after her husband Eric was discovered unresponsive in 2022. This emotional scene was shown to jurors during her murder trial, creating a stark contrast to prosecutors’ claims that she had maliciously poisoned him with a Moscow Mule cocktail laced with fentanyl, leading to his death in their shared bed.

In the footage, Richens is visibly distressed—crying, covering her face with her hands, and pacing around her home in plaid pajamas. At one point, she expressed concern, stating, “I thought he was cold,” explaining why she had covered him with a blanket.

Richens insisted to Summit County Deputy Vincent Nguyen that everything was fine between her and Eric before his death, mentioning a drink they shared the night prior. “We were fine. We were fine,” she repeated, a tad emphatically.

“I’m sure he’ll be okay, right?” she asked, showing a moment of uncertainty. However, Nguyen noted that Richens’ reactions were noticeably different from what he experienced at other death scenes.

Richens is accused of killing her husband, a 39-year-old mason, to eliminate her debts tied to a substantial life insurance policy and to pave the way for a new life with her lover.

She claimed that she left their bedroom to comfort one of their sons who was having nightmares, only to return and find Eric cold and unresponsive around 3 a.m.

The court watched a 40-minute video where medics attempted to revive Eric at their home. Family members arrived shortly after, with her sister-in-law visibly distraught. At one point, Richens struggled to console a family member who was in despair.

Richens told Nguyen that Eric might have eaten THC gummies that night, though she was unsure of any other substances he could have taken. This statement seemed to contradict her own lawyer’s assertion that Eric may have accidentally overdosed on painkillers.

The prosecution characterized Richens as someone fixated on financial gain and personal image, accusing her of orchestrating Eric’s death to claim his $4 million estate and escape from a significant $4.5 million debt incurred to maintain an appearance of success.

Prosecutors further claimed that Richens sought a fresh start with Josh Grossman, the man she was involved with during her marriage. A year after Eric’s alleged murder on March 3, 2022, she authored a children’s book titled “Are You With Me?” likely intended to help her three sons cope with their father’s passing.

While promoting the book on local media, she was arrested a few months later. Her attorney contended that Eric’s death was accidental and that some family members had sought to blame Richens rather than accept that he might have died from an overdose.

“Families often struggle to accept that their loved ones may use drugs,” her lawyer pointed out. Cori Richens has pleaded not guilty and has been incarcerated since her arrest.