Woman who wrote book dealing with grief accused of killing husband

A Utah woman who authored a book about helping children deal with the grief of losing a loved one is accused of killing her husband.

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Kouri Darden Richins, 33, of Kamas, was charged with aggravated murder and three charges of possession with intent to distribute, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.

Richins is the author of the 41-page book, “Are You with Me?” According to the newspaper, a description on Amazon.com said that the book “follows the story of a child who has lost their father, but who is reminded that his presence still exists all around them, just like an angel watching over them.”

Her husband’s death “completely took us all by shock,” Richins said in April while promoting the book, The Washington Post reported.

Amazon pulled the book listing from its website on Tuesday, KSL-TV reported.

The book was published on March 7, 2023, the Tribune reported. Richins’ husband, Eric Richins, 39, died on March 4, 2022, at the couple’s home, according to KSL. According to court documents, Eric Richins was found at the foot of his bed. The couple had three sons together.

Kouri Richins told police that she had made her husband of nine years an alcoholic beverage on the night of March 3, 2022, and brought it to him in their bedroom. Later that night, she said she felt her husband and claimed he was “cold to the touch,” the Tribune reported.

Following an autopsy, it was determined that Eric Richins died from an overdose of fentanyl, KTVX reported. The medical examiner said the amount of fentanyl in his system was approximately five times the lethal dosage and it was ingested orally, according to the television station.

An investigation determined that Kouri Richin asked an acquaintance if they could obtain “some prescription pain medication for an investor who had a back injury,” the Tribune reported.

Investigators interviewed the acquaintance, who said Richins purchased hydrocodone from them sometime between December 2021 and February 2022, according to People.

After receiving the pills Kouri Richins allegedly asked the acquaintance to get something stronger, like “some of the Michael Jackson stuff,” the Tribune reported.

The person was able to give Kouri Richin about 15 to 30 fentanyl pills, according to the newspaper.

Skye Lazaro, Richins’ attorney, did not respond to a request for comment, the Post reported.

An unsealed warrant stated that Kouri Richins had logged into the joint life insurance policy her husband had with his business partner in January 2022, according to the newspaper. She removed them as each other’s beneficiaries and named herself as the policy’s sole beneficiary, the warrant stated. Eric Richins and his business partner were able to change the policy back after the insurance company notified them of the change, authorities said.

On Feb. 14, 2022, Kouri and Eric Richins were having a Valentine’s Day dinner at their home when Eric “became very ill” shortly after they had eaten, the Post reported.

According to prosecutors, “Eric told a friend that he thought his wife was trying to poison him,” the newspaper reported.

Without his wife’s knowledge, Eric Richins replaced his wife as the beneficiary of his will and power of attorney, appointing his sister, according to the Post.

Kouri Richins told KPCW-TV that she had planned sequels to her book, including “Mom, How Far Away is Heaven?”

A detention hearing is set for May 19, according to The New York Times.