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

[303gmf]

Sorry if someone else already mentioned this and I missed it, but didn't Eric grow up Mormon? Even if he wasn't an active member as an adult (I don't remember if it's been said whether he was or not) he might have internalised some strong feelings about divorce

Exactly, it seems he was not active but the family was, most likely for generations

 

[arielilane]

Day 4 - Kouri Richins trial gets underway shortly.

Here’s how I left the Summit County Justice Center last night; looks the same this morning with a few more cars in the lot.

Expert testimony with the lead crime scene technician continues at 8:30 AM.


Kouri's family is seated directly behind us in the 2nd row of benches today.

Roughly five members of the public are here.

Large family contingent on behalf of Eric Richins is here in the last row of benches.

Chelsea Gipson is back on the stand. They're talking about a USPS Inspector to test for drugs (specifically fentanyl).

https://twitter.com/x/status/2027041187845308628

 

[arielilane]

Lead crime scene technician Chelsea Gipson will continue to testify today in the trial against Kouri Richins, after court was cut short yesterday due to unforseen circumstances unrelated to the case.
WATCH HERE: https://bit.ly/46vdZpD

https://twitter.com/x/status/2027025816501059798

 

[tlcya]

anxious for today to get started. Feed is live now

 

[tlcya]

Lead crime scene technician Chelsea Gipson will continue to testify today in the trial against Kouri Richins, after court was cut short yesterday due to unforseen circumstances unrelated to the case.
WATCH HERE: https://bit.ly/46vdZpD

https://twitter.com/x/status/2027025816501059798

I am always struck when viewing photos of a defendant before the crime versus their appearance during trial. The calculated decision making in her case is clearly geared toward making her appear very young, mousy, childlike, and naïve. The furthest thing from her actual cold, calculated, attractive, greedy, confident self.

 

[arielilane]

Day 4 of Kouri Richins' trial is today after a short court day yesterday. Kathryn Nester continues to cross-examine Chelsea Gipson, the crime scene investigator. Travis Smooth, an employee of US Postal Service, was on hand during a search warrant in April 2022. He was there to help check for drugs, Gipson says.

Livestream here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=sROEHtnXcXE

https://twitter.com/x/status/2027044693897552021

Nester asks Gipson if she knew what vehicles Eric Richins drove. Gipson believes he drove a truck. Nester asks if his vehicle was searched. Gipson believes so. Nester asks about a detached garage and asks if any of those vehicles were searched. Gipson doesn't believe so. This search happened April 13, 2022. Gipson and the investigators were also searching for electronics.

 

[tlcya]

Gipson is being questioned about her team's return to the residence approximately one month post death to specifically search for fentanyl based on the ME findings of fentanyl toxicity in autopsy.

 

[MarciB]

Agreed

Murder is rare. No reason he'd foresee that. And I agree, he might have stayed around because the homelife suited him, even if they didn't get on so well.

I think Eric hoped he and Kouri would find a happy medium to take care of the boys.

 

[tlcya]

wow, don't see this very often. The witness, crime scene tech Gipson has requested a time out/sidebar out of earshot from jury. Appears to be about a redaction of some sort.

 

[arielilane]

KOURI RICHINS MURDER TRIAL: LATEST UPDATES & VIDEO​

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Continuous coverage...​

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LIVE UPDATES | Day 4 of Kouri Richins murder trial​

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WATCH LIVE | Day 4 of Kouri Richins murder trial​

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LIVE UPDATES | Day 3 of Kouri Richins murder trial​

Richins trial: First responders, medical examiner testify on 2nd day of murder trial​

Richins Case Archives - East Idaho News

www.eastidahonews.com

 

[arielilane]

@NateNewsNow


Nester asks if Gipson ever went and retrieved items from Cody Wright, Eric's business partner. Gipson personally did not, but other investigators did and brought her a hard drive. Nester moves to admit an exhibit but Gipson asks for a sidebar. Judge asks Nester to pause questioning.


10:41 AM · Feb 26, 2026

 

[tlcya]

8:45 a.m. Nester asks about the 3D camera used in the home and the measurements used with the camera. Nester asks if the Richins’ had a dog. Gipson says they did. Nester asks about hydrocodone pills collected at the home. Gipson did not personally find them, but there were approximately 10 pills in a bag. They were found in a laundry room cabinet.
LIVE UPDATES | Day 4 of Kouri Richins murder trial - East Idaho News

 

[tlcya]

big shocker, Nester is back on the gummies. Several bags of gummies were located in the search begin discussed. three commercially packaged bags containing multiple gummies, and two individual clear bags that did not appear to be packaged for retail sale were located each containing a single gummy.

 

[arielilane]

RSBM



One of the things we have to be careful about is the continual running down of first responders who do difficult jobs in good faith 99.9% of the time.

IMO

Snipped by me

Well said. Such a meaningful sentence and agree 1st responders rarely are recognized for the difficult jobs they do.

 

[arielilane]

@NateNewsNow


There was an issue about redacting some of the information in the exhibit. Nester shows a list of all of the dates the home was searched. The colored dots next to each date indicate the day the home was searched. Gipson last visited the home around Feb. 6, 2026.

Nester asks about the 3D camera used in the home and the measurements used with the camera. Nester asks if the Richins' had a dog. Gipson says they did. Nester asks about hydrocodone pills collected at the home. Gipson did not personally find them, but there were approximately 10 pills in a bag. They were found in a laundry room cabinet.

Nester asks if there's a way to tell where a hydrocodone pill was purchased. Gipson doesn't believe so. Nester shows an image showing the packages of gummies taken from the Richins' home. Nester points out two bags of gummies in the image that aren't labeled. She asked if all of the packages were together in the home. Gipson says there were three clear packages with no markings.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2027048969646616779

 

[tlcya]

Nester going through the many searches over a year and a half done at the house. She wants to illustrate that no fentanyl was ever located in the home during those searches.

 

[tlcya]

Nester trying to get Gipson to agree that certain evidence found supports defendant's description of events that evening.

Prosecution objects attempting to get witness to discuss hearsay from defendant. Overruled. Prosecution requests Sidebar.

 

[tlcya]

8:55 a.m. Gipson says copper cups were found in the home. Nester says if Kouri told investigators that her husband took gummies the night he died, finding those gummies would have corroborated her story. Gipson responds, “We found gummies.” Nester makes some other statements about Kouri’s statements being corroborated based on what investigators found. Prosecutors object and ask for sidebar.
LIVE UPDATES | Day 4 of Kouri Richins murder trial - East Idaho News

 

[imstilla.grandma]

 

[tlcya]

Nester quizzing her about letter on the foot of the bed found in November after multiple searches had already been done at the house. PI had contacted police about it.