Kouri Richins Faces Opening Statements in Murder Trial Over Husband's Fentanyl Death

On February 23, 2026, opening statements began in the murder trial of kouri richins, a 35-year-old Utah mother and children's book author accused of fatally poisoning her husband with fentanyl in March 2022. The case now unfolding in Summit County matters because prosecutors say the alleged actions were calculated and financially motivated, and the charges carry penalties that could include 25 years to life in prison.

Brad Bloodworth Presents Financial Motive

Summit County prosecutor Brad Bloodworth told jurors that Richins was $4. 5 million in debt and believed she would inherit an estate worth more than $4 million if her husband died. Bloodworth said Richins wanted the money to maintain what he described as a facade of privilege and to begin a new life with a man she was allegedly seeing on the side. "The evidence will prove that Kouri Richins murdered Eric for his money and to get a fresh start at life, " Bloodworth said.

Prosecutors framed those claims as the central motive driving several acts they say culminated in Eric Richins' death in March 2022 at the couple's home just outside the ski town of Park City.

Moscow mule and Valentine's Day sandwich

Prosecutors allege that Richins slipped five times the lethal dose of the synthetic opioid fentanyl into a Moscow mule cocktail that her husband drank. Court documents also say she tried a month earlier, on Valentine's Day, to poison him with a fentanyl-laced sandwich that produced hives and a blackout episode.

Those two incidents form the prosecutorial narrative of a planned killing, with the March 2022 episode presented as the fatal act after the earlier attempt produced nonfatal effects.

Kathryn Nester Plays 911 Call

Defense attorney Kathryn Nester opened by playing the recording of the 911 call made the night of Eric Richins' death. On the call, Richins was heard sobbing and appeared barely able to answer the dispatcher's questions; she told the dispatcher she did not know what had happened and said she did not know how to perform CPR but was willing to try.

Nester described Eric Richins as someone who had Lyme disease and struggled with painkiller addiction and suggested to jurors that he may have overdosed. She also told jurors the couple had endured a difficult year, at one point contemplated divorce, attended marriage counseling and ultimately celebrated closing on a property deal the night he died.

Kouri Richins' children's book and promotion

After Eric Richins' death, kouri richins self-published an illustrated children's book titled "Are You with Me?" about a father with angel wings watching over his young son after passing away. Prosecutors highlighted that she promoted the book on local television and radio, and noted the book could figure into their theory that the death and subsequent public portrayal were part of an elaborate cover-up.

The publication occurred in the months before her arrest in May 2023, a timing prosecutors have emphasized while presenting their case.

Charges, witnesses and trial schedule

Richins faces nearly three dozen counts, including aggravated murder, attempted murder, forgery, mortgage fraud and insurance fraud. The murder count alone carries a penalty range of 25 years to life in prison. Prosecutors say a housekeeper will likely testify that she sold fentanyl to Richins on three occasions; the man prosecutors contend Richins was seeing also is expected to be a witness.

The trial is slated to run through March 26. A few dozen people hoping to watch the proceedings camped outside the courthouse in lawn chairs beginning at 4 a. m., four and a half hours before the trial began, underscoring public interest in the case.

What makes this notable is how the prosecution has interwoven financial records, alleged prior attempts and a public-facing book into a single narrative that ties motive directly to alleged action. The defense has urged jurors not to draw conclusions before hearing all testimony, while prosecutors say evidence will demonstrate an intent to kill for financial gain.