Children’s author accused of poisoning his husband has reportedly taken out a $2 million life insurance policy
A Utah mother accused of killing her husband and then writing a children’s book about grief bought him millions of dollars in life insurance years before his death, prosecutors alleged.
According to updated loading documents received from The Associated Press, Prosecutors said Kouri Richins took out four life insurance policies on behalf of her husband, Eric Richins, without his knowledge, from 2015 to 2017, including benefits totaling nearly $2 million.
The 33-year-old woman is accused of poisoning her 39-year-old husband by adding a lethal dose of fentanyl to a Moscow Mule cocktail in March 2022. She reportedly told investigators that she had noticed in the middle of the night that her husband was not responding, and earlier this month neither was the case charged with murder.
A statement on probable cause claimed that Kouri Richins had previously attempted to poison her husband. He once got sick after she made him a drink while on vacation in Greece, and he also got sick after eating a sandwich on Valentine’s Day last year.
According to court documents, investigators found messages Kouri Richins had sent to an acquaintance regarding procurement of drugs like fentanyl and “some Michael Jackson stuff,” believed to be related to the anesthetic propofol. Prosecutors allege that these substances were used in the attempted murder of her husband.
Eric Richins reportedly planned to divorce his wife prior to his death and changed his will in favor of a sibling instead of her. However, three months before his death, Kouri Richins made himself the sole beneficiary. according to local news agency KPCW.
According to the AP, Eric Richins met with a divorce attorney and estate planner in October 2020 to remove his wife from his will after learning of financial moves Kouri Richins had made without his knowledge.
These allegedly included her taking out a $250,000 home equity loan, withdrawing $100,000 from his bank account, spending more than $30,000 on his credit cards, and stealing $134,000 from his business.
Greg Skordas, a spokesman for Eric Richins’ family, said CBS affiliates KUTV that despite his suspicions that his wife had tried to poison him, the man probably wanted to preserve the relationship for his children.
“It seems Eric stayed in a relationship that wasn’t good because he loved his boys and wanted to keep the family relationship together,” Skordas told KUTV. “Maybe he was hoping things would change, but his biggest concern was for his boys.”
After the death of her husband, the widowed mother of three self-published a children’s book about the grief of losing a loved one. “Are you with me?” tells the story of a child whose deceased father continues to watch over him even after his death.
in a (n Interview with the local broadcaster ABC4 In April, Kouri Richins said she and her children began writing to help navigate life following the death of Eric Richins.
The new allegations in the updated indictment documents have resulted in her sentencing hearing being postponed. The next time she is expected in court on June 12.
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