PARK CITY, Utah (Court TV) — A woman convicted of using fentanyl to kill her husband for his life insurance money has filed an appeal as she continues to maintain her innocence.
Kouri Richins cries as her brother speaks in court. (Court TV)
Kouri Richins, 36, was sentenced in May to life in prison without parole plus at least six years after a jury found her guilty of murder, attempted murder and insurance fraud in the death of her husband, Eric Richins.
Court records indicate her legal team filed a notice of appeal. The notice formally announces her intention to appeal the jury’s verdict but does not offer any specifics about what errors she feels were made during her trial that would merit a new one.
Eric Richins died at the couple’s home in March 2022 after he was given cocktails laced with a deadly dose of the drug fentanyl, prosecutors said. At trial, the couple’s housekeeper testified that Kouri Richins had asked her to get drugs. Prosecutors also presented evidence that Kouri Richins had attempted to kill her husband once before — on Valentine’s Day — before trying again. “Over the [following] 17 days, she did not think, ‘What have I done?” prosecutor Brad Bloodworth said at Kouri Richins’ sentencing hearing in May. “Rather, she thought, ‘How can I do better?’ And then she murdered Eric in the presence of their children, using poison and for money.”
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Kouri Richins did not testify at her trial but took the opportunity to speak for approximately 45 minutes at her sentencing hearing. She used the time to speak to her three young sons, telling them to “Never admit to something you didn’t do, and never beg for mercy for something you didn’t do.” In her statement, Kouri Richins professed to still love her late husband: “Our love never failed,” she said. She pledged to appeal at her sentencing, promising to fight “no matter how long it takes; not because I have anything to prove to this Court, the State, to the Richins family or to the world, but I do have something to prove to you three,” referring to her sons.
The couple’s children did not appear at their mother’s sentencing, but had statements read on their behalf. Each referred to their mother as “Kouri” and asked Judge Richard Mrazic to sentence her to the maximum. In addition to her life sentence, she was sentenced to five years for forgery, one to 15 years each on two counts of insurance fraud and five years to life for attempted murder — all to be served consecutively.
The Utah Court of Appeals has accepted Kouri Richins’ appeal, but has not scheduled any future court dates.
