Utah mother accused of fatally poisoning husband reveals sizeable debts and secret $2 million insurance policy
New insights are beginning to emerge regarding the man's death in Kamas, a quaint mountain town roughly 64 miles east of Salt Lake City, where he resided with his wife and their three children.
Kouri Darden Richins authored a book about mourning the loss of her husband in March 2022, and was subsequently arrested and charged with his murder.
Husband's murder charge for the woman
The woman stands accused of fatally poisoning her husband. Earlier, she had insured him for $2 million without his awareness. As per USA Today, she was in debt amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
An autopsy determined that 39-year-old Eric Richins died due to a lethal dosage of fentanyl.
The investigation into his death commenced in March of the previous year when deputies from the Summit County Sheriff's Office discovered Eric Richins deceased at the couple's residence. His wife reported that the couple had been celebrating the procurement of a location for her business the preceding night.
The police's investigations reveal that the woman poisoned her husband by slipping a fatal dose of fentanyl into his beverage.
Massive debts drive her to poison her husband
It seems like monetary issues were the motive for the crime. Between 2015 and 2017, Kouri Richins purchased four life insurance policies on her husband, amounting to $1,947,000.
"He was unaware of them," the prosecutors reported.
Upon discovering his wife's unauthorized financial decisions, he consulted with a divorce attorney and a wealth planner.
The woman was engulfed in substantial debt. When her husband confronted her, she pledged to return the stolen money, particularly those taken from him. However, her financial status remained critical. Investigators divulged that on March 3, 2022, just hours before her husband's death, she had a lengthy conversation with the IRS and her lender.
