Kouri Richins, 35, was found guilty on March 17, 2026, of murdering her husband Eric Richins in their home outside Park City, Utah. The jury deliberated for approximately three hours before returning guilty verdicts on all counts, including aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, insurance fraud, mortgage fraud, and forgery.

Eric Richins died on March 3, 2022, from acute fentanyl poisoning. According to prosecutors and medical examination records, he was administered five times a lethal dose of the drug, mixed into a cocktail. The couple's three young sons were asleep in the home at the time of his death.

The trial began in February 2026 at Summit County Courthouse in Park City and lasted approximately three weeks, with 13 days of testimony. Prosecutors presented evidence of the fentanyl poisoning and additional attempted murders. Court records indicate that Richins had made at least two prior attempts on her husband's life—one in August 2021 and another in January 2022—also involving fentanyl. She was further charged with aggravated murder counts related to alleged attempts to poison her father and her children.

Richins' defense team called no witnesses during the trial, and she declined to testify in her own defense. The speed of jury deliberations underscored the strength of the prosecution's case against her.

The case gained widespread international attention not only because of the nature of the crime but also because of Richins' actions following her husband's death. In 2023, while under investigation and after her arrest in May of that year, she self-published a children's book titled "Are You with Me?" The book was presented as a personal account of coping with the loss of a loved one.

Richins actively promoted the book on local Utah television and radio stations. She also launched a GoFundMe campaign and generated income through book sales—all while facing serious criminal charges in connection with her husband's death. This combination of circumstances—publishing a grief narrative while accused of causing the very loss she was writing about—drew criticism and scrutiny from the public and media.

The investigation revealed that Richins had also committed insurance fraud and mortgage fraud related to her husband's death, charges on which she was also convicted. These financial crimes suggested a potential motive for the murder beyond the poisoning itself.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 13, 2026. As a conviction for aggravated murder in Utah carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, Richins faces the possibility of spending the remainder of her life incarcerated without the possibility of parole. The mandatory minimum sentences associated with her convictions on the murder and attempted murder counts virtually ensure a lengthy prison term.

The Richins case has become a prominent example of how a seemingly ordinary family tragedy can conceal deliberate and calculated violence, and how digital and publishing platforms can be exploited even during active criminal investigations. It remains under close observation by legal analysts and true crime observers worldwide.