UT - Kouri Richins, 33, Author, wife, mom, charged in husband’s unexpected death last year, May 2023 #3

[arielilane]

@NateNewsNow


Sidebar over. Bloodworth asks if Katie provided information to detectives about friends they should interview. Katie says yes. Bloodworth asks if she gave information about the trust and who should have control of the house to the police. Katie did.


3:53 PM · Feb 23, 2026

 

[arielilane]

@NateNewsNow


Bloodworth is done. Nester will now have some additional questions about what Katie told the police. Nester asks if this was all on March 21. Nester asks what a HELOC is. Nester says it means Home Equity Line of Credit. Katie says Kouri got a HELOC on the house without telling Eric. Nester asks Katie if she had power of attorney to be trustee if Eric died. Katie says she would have to ask her lawyer. She's uncertain.


3:56 PM · Feb 23, 2026

 

[tlcya]

too late, dead horse beaten lady

 

[Seattle1]

Jury was shown a slide of his tax return -- $750K the year prior.

The Defense said he reported $750,000 a year to IRS.

The Defense showed a copy of Eric's Schedule K-1 from the business Eric owned with a partner.

The Schedule K-1 showed to the court reported Eric's share of the business's taxable income for the year (to be reported on his personal income tax return) was $750K.

In other words, Eric's total personal taxable income may have been more or less than $750K.

 

[Megnut]

Kouri is looking even worse IMO.

She must be so mad that she was cut off from the trust that she killed ER over.

Everybody should have a sister like KatieR.

And no one should have a wife, sister, mother like Kouri.

JMO

 

[arielilane]

@NateNewsNow


Nester asks about Eric revoking the power of attorney that Kouri previously had. Katie said she did have power of attorney at one point, but Eric did not know that she used it and withdrew money. Katie says Eric never signed the original power of attorney that gave it over to Kouri.


3:59 PM · Feb 23, 2026

 

[Seni]

Anyone else feel like this defense attorney is merely a vehicle Kouri is using to air what Kouri believes are the injustices against herself?

Her petty, vindictive, cruel self is pretty glaring

JMO

Yes, bet the jury is not liking this one bit

 

[arielilane]

@NateNewsNow


Nester asks when Eric saw a divorce attorney. It was about a year and a half before he died. Nester asks who set the Richins up with a divorce attorney. Katie says her husband set them up with a divorce attorney. Nester asks to approach.


4:01 PM · Feb 23, 2026

 

[Megnut]

WTH

All that badgering, and then to be done with this witness, whom she told the judge they'd have to call as a hostile witness later, only to make the weak point that Kuori never asked for any payouts from the trust in the year after ER died (was murdered).

JMO

 

[arielilane]

@NateNewsNow


Nester asks if Kouri ever asked for any money from the trust. Katie says she did not. Nester says Katie is fully released as a witness and can remain in the courtroom. Next witness is Clint Benson.


4:03 PM · Feb 23, 2026

 

[arielilane]

@NateNewsNow


Benson is married to Katie and is employed by Salt Lake County as the real estate assets manager. He is also a realtor.


4:05 PM · Feb 23, 2026

 

[arielilane]

The Bensons lived in the home before Eric moved in. After May 8, following the death of Eric, Benson arranged for a locksmith to come in and change all the locks. He had a security company watch the house for two days and then got internet connected to the home so security cameras could be installed.

Benson taped the doors so he could tell if they had been opened. He also set up notifications on his phone whenever there was movement in or outside the house. The sensors would even pick up bug movement. The home had a separate detached garage. Benson had to call law enforcement when the cameras captured entry to the home. Police showed up within minutes.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2026041694286712974

 

[Seattle1]

Wow, now the Defense is trying to intimidate the judge. MOO.

IIRC, Kouri's Defense Attorney Kathryn Nestor is also Tyler Robinson's public defender (Charlie Kirk murder). I wonder if Nestor will try this outside of Summit County?!!

 

[arielilane]

Benson says he would meet the boys if they needed to get something from the home. If defense attorneys or investigators wanted access to the home, Benson says he would meet them there and give them access. The prosecutor asks if Benson ever saw a missionary journal in the house. Benson says Eric went on a mission.

In November 2020, Katie got a phone call from Eric. She put it on speaker phone. Eric was angry and upset. He was on his way to the Benson's home. Benson pulled up the Summit County recorder's website where he pulled up the parcel information on the property. He found a $250,000 home equity line of credit taken out against his house. He told Eric.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2026043033431773196

 

[arielilane]

@NateNewsNow


After learning about the line of credit, Eric and Benson started talking about divorce attorneys. Eric was very upset. Benson suggested Christina Miller as a divorce attorney. Benson became the intermediary between Eric and Miller. The prosecutor hands Benson the handwriting samples.


4:16 PM · Feb 23, 2026

 

[arielilane]

Prosecutor directs Benson to look at certain financial documents that are in the exhibit. Benson recognizes them. Prosecutor asks about the night of March 4. Benson's youngest daughter had the stomach flu. Katie received a phone call that Eric wasn't breathing. After the call, they ran out of the house, left the doors open and drove over to Eric's house. When they got to the house, Benson stayed outside with the daughters while Katie went inside. Benson ended up going into the home. His priority was to take care of the kids - his daughters and Kouri's kids. Benson noticed some unusual hand movements from Kouri.

Benson went up to the bonus room with all the kids. They stayed up there for four hours. Benson heard the medical personnel leaving the home. His daughter was throwing up on the floor. Two of Eric's sons went to the window and they saw their dad being wheeled out of the home.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2026044937339560016

 

[arielilane]

@NateNewsNow


One of the boys remained level-headed; the other broke down and was extremely upset. Benson later heard Kouri talk about someone taking over running Eric's company with another guy. Prosecutor has no further questions. Defense attorney Wendy Lewis will now cross-examine.


4:24 PM · Feb 23, 2026

 

[Seni]

@NateNewsNow


One of the boys remained level-headed; the other broke down and was extremely upset. Benson later heard Kouri talk about someone taking over running Eric's company with another guy. Prosecutor has no further questions. Defense attorney Wendy Lewis will now cross-examine.


4:24 PM · Feb 23, 2026

How old were the boys?

 

[arielilane]

Lewis asks about when Benson sold the home to Eric in 2012. Kouri and Eric both moved in and were married less than a year after moving in together, Benson confirms. Lewis asks if Kouri and Eric always lived in the home together since Eric bought it. Benson is unsure if they always lived there together, Lewis asks about Eric hiring a divorce attorney. Lewis asks if Benson went to the appointment with the attorney and Eric. He did not. Lewis asks if all correspondence between Eric and the attorney went through Benson. He says that is correct.

Eric was aware that Kouri was watching his emails and didn't want Kouri to know he was considering a divorce, Benson says. That's why Benson communicated with the attorney on behalf of Eric, according to Benson. It's possible Eric also sent emails and documents to the divorce attorney without Benson's knowledge.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2026046953419898987

 

[arielilane]

Benson and his wife were supportive of Eric no matter what his choice was - whether he got divorced or not. Benson had the locks changed within a matter of hours and installed the cameras at the home with the help of a family member.

Lewis asks Benson if he has been present any time someone has entered the home. He says he has. Lewis asks about law enforcement entering the home and how many times they have searched the home between 2023 and now. Lewis asks if ten times seems reasonable. Benson says that seems reasonable. Lewis says law enforcement searched the home two weeks ago today. Benson says yes. She asks if police removed things from the home every time they checked the home. Benson says she would need to check their records.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2026048127216816300