Judge rules Kouri Richins, Utah mother accused of fatally poisoning her husband, will stand trial

Kouri Richins, the Utah widow accused of killing her husband with a fentanyl overdose and later writing a children’s book about grief, has been ordered to stand trial on murder and other charges, Utah District Court Judge Richard Mrazik ruled Tuesday.

Kouri Richins, the Utah widow accused of killing her husband with a fentanyl overdose and later writing a children’s book about grief, has been ordered to stand trial on murder and other charges, Utah District Court Judge Richard Mrazik ruled Tuesday. Richins faces several felony charges related to the killing, including aggravated murder, the distribution of controlled substances and various fraud and forgery-related charges. She’s also charged with attempting to kill her husband, Eric Richins, a few weeks earlier on Valentine’s Day. Mrazik said there was probable cause to try Richins on all 11 felony counts she’s facing. Sitting with her defense attorneys, the widow showed no visible emotion as the judge ruled she would go to trial. Richins has maintained her innocence. She entered not guilty pleas for all charges in court Tuesday. The trial is slated to begin on April 28. The judge scheduled a pre-trial conference for the afternoon of September 23. Eric Richins was found dead at the foot of the couple’s bed in March 2022. The 39-year-old had about five times the lethal dosage of fentanyl in his system, according to a medical examiner.