Summary (tl;dr)

Kouri Richins, a Utah mother and author, is trending as her sentencing for the aggravated murder of her husband, Eric Richins, is scheduled for today, May 13, 2026, on what would have been his 44th birthday. She was convicted in March for poisoning him with fentanyl and attempting to do so previously for financial gain.

Essential Background

In March 2022, Eric Richins died from a lethal dose of fentanyl at his home outside Park City, Utah. Prosecutors alleged that his wife, Kouri Richins, a real estate agent, administered the fatal dose in a Moscow mule cocktail. The prosecution asserted that Richins was millions of dollars in debt, had opened several life insurance policies on her husband without his knowledge, and sought his nearly $2 million estate to resolve her financial issues and start a new life with an alleged boyfriend. Evidence also suggested she had attempted to poison him a month earlier, on Valentine's Day, with a fentanyl-laced sandwich. After Eric's death, Kouri Richins notably authored a children's book on grief titled "Are You With Me?" She was arrested in May 2023.

The Full Story

Kouri Richins was found guilty on March 16, 2026, of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, forgery, and insurance fraud after a three-week trial at the Summit County Courthouse in Coalville, Utah. The jury reached a unanimous verdict after deliberating for only three hours. Today, May 13, 2026, Richins faces sentencing on what would have been Eric Richins' 44th birthday. Prosecutors are advocating for a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, emphasizing the need for finality for the couple's three sons, who expressed fear of their mother if she were to be released. During the sentencing hearing, Eric Richins' family delivered emotional victim impact statements, during which Kouri Richins was observed making faces and rolling her eyes.

Why It Matters

This case has garnered significant public and media attention due to its sensational details, including the accused's role as a grief author and the calculated nature of the crime. The ongoing sentencing hearing, particularly on the victim's birthday and with the emotional testimony from his family, is bringing the case back into the spotlight. The outcome of the sentencing will determine the length of Richins' incarceration, potentially providing closure for Eric Richins' family and impacting the lives of their three children.

Geographic Location

• Home outside Park City, Summit County, Utah, United States (location of Eric Richins' murder and attempted poisoning)
• Summit County Courthouse, Coalville, Summit County, Utah, United States (location of Kouri Richins' trial and sentencing)