Kouri Richins, a Utah author of books about grief, sent text messages to a possible lover just days before her husband was killed, a forensic expert said Monday at a hearing to determine whether she should stand trial.
Richins, who is accused of killing Eric Richins with a fentanyl-laced Moscow Mule, texted Robert Grossman two days before her husband died of an overdose on March 4, 2022, digital forensic expert Chris Kotrodimos testified in a Park City courtroom.
“Around the time of Mr Richins’ death there was an ongoing exchange of messages between Mr Grossman and Mrs Richins,” prosecutor Joe Hill asked Kotrodimos.
“Yes,” Kotrodimos replied.
The day before her husband died, Kouri Richins texted Grossman, her 41-year-old alleged lover, saying, “I love you.” According to a report from the Daily Mail Citing court documents.
Kotrodimos also confirmed that Kouri Richins, 34, was on her way to meet someone on February 14, 2022 and reported her arrival time to Grossman. This was the first time prosecutors allege she attempted to poison Eric Richins, 39, with a sandwich laced with fentanyl.
“She said she was on her way to see him,” Kotrodimos said of the messages Kouri Richins had sent to Grossman. “He asked if she was about an hour away and she said ‘yes’ and sent him a screenshot.”
Forensic experts say Kouri Richins and Grossman began exchanging messages in November 2021 and continued to do so after Eric Richins’ death.
“The amount varied from day to day, but we communicated almost daily,” Kotrodimos told prosecutors, adding that some of the conversations were by phone.
Mr Kotrodimos said a “large amount of data” was deleted from Khouri-Ritchins’ phone between January and March 2022, including call records, text messages and internet search history.
Kouri Richins had hired Grossman, a handyman, to do some renovations on her home for a real estate company.
Monday’s hearing marked the start of three days of witness testimony to determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence to try Kouri Richins on murder and related charges.
If convicted, she could face up to 25 years in prison.
Summit County Detective Jeff O’Driscoll testified early Monday that the Richtens’ housekeeper, Carmen Marie Lauber, allegedly sold fentanyl to Kouri Richtens on three occasions — Feb. 11, Feb. 26 and March 9, 2022 — to Kouri Richtens.
Prosecutors allege that Eric Richins developed an elaborate plan to kill his wife after he suspected she was cheating on him and began plotting to kill her.
Eric Richins recently removed her from his will and changed his life insurance policies.
After his death, she published a children’s book about dealing with grief, “Are You With Me?”
Kouri Richins, who has maintained his innocence, was arrested in May 2023 and remains in prison.
