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

[arielilane]

Court in recess until 9:30 am MT

 

[arielilane]

@NateNewsNow


Taking a five minute recess.


11:22 AM · Feb 26, 2026

 

[tlcya]

I get where they’re going with this, but the gummies were mass produced. Not like something a friend got from a guy who made them. No way in the thousands and thousands of batches, one gummy happened to be laced.

I think the implication is that the two single gummies not in retail packaging may not have been mass produced and were possibly obtained from someone who home made them.

 

[aamillaa]

KR and Nester matching today?

 

[aamillaa]

I think the implication is that the two single gummies not in retail packaging may not have been mass produced and were possibly obtained from someone who home made them.

Yea. I still think that’s a stretch, but I understand they’re just working towards reasonable doubt. Maybe part of the jury selection, on the defense’s side, was trying to find people really not familiar with THC products (legally obtained or otherwise). MOO

 

[tlcya]

KR bending Nester's ear behind her hand prior to court resuming from break.

Brianna lynn peterson now testifying for prosecution. forensic toxicologist for over 20 years.

 

[CHEL]

Forensic toxicologist on the stand.

 

[tlcya]

bachelors in chemistry masters in forensic science, phd in toxicology.

 

[tlcya]

has testified at trial probably 160 times.

 

[arielilane]

Next witness is Dr. Brianna Peterson. She's been a forensic toxicologist for 20 years. She's had extensive training over her career.

Prosecutor asks how toxicology process works. She receives samples from various clients - medical examiners, hospitals, doctors - and the clients will request specific testing to be performed. The samples are shipped or hand-delivered. Once the sample arrives, the specimen processing department opens the package, makes sure the information matches and then they create their own case with a unique eight digit number. All the evidence is barcoded and tracked.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2027060562774114353

 

[arielilane]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2027060916865696199

 

[arielilane]

@NateNewsNow


Peterson walks through the process of testing. They received blood, urine, liver fluid and other samples from the Utah Medical Examiner in relation to Eric Richins' death. A broad drug screen was performed that looks for hundreds of different drugs. A second confirmation test was then performed. Fentanyl was found at 15 nanograms per milliliter and norfentanyl was also found in the system.


11:44 AM · Feb 26, 2026

 

[aamillaa]

Peterson is great. Similar to the ME (blanking on name). Very knowledgeable, but also very good at making the science understandable. MOO

 

[arielilane]

@NateNewsNow


Peterson screened for hydrocodone. None was found in the body. Hydrocodone has a half-life of 4-6 hours. "When a person dies, does it freeze in place, whatever is in the body?" the prosecutor asks. Peterson says in general. Cocaine could be broken down after death due to enzymes that could break it down. There are some drugs that have limited stability in biological samples after death but for the most part, your body has stopped working and will no longer be metabolizing


11:47 AM · Feb 26, 2026

 

[tlcya]

Peterson is great. Similar to the ME (blanking on name). Very knowledgeable, but also very good at making the science understandable. MOO

yes, Uhlmer I think was ME, both good witnesses, easy to follow.

 

[arielilane]

Peterson is great. Similar to the ME (blanking on name). Very knowledgeable, but also very good at making the science understandable. MOO

Agreed. ME name is Dr. Pamela Ulmer.

 

[arielilane]

@NateNewsNow


Prosecutor asks about post-mortem redistribution. This means the drugs are redistributed throughout the body after death. They could move from the heart to the blood, as an example.


11:49 AM · Feb 26, 2026

 

[arielilane]

@NateNewsNow


Prosecutor asks about a lethal dose of fentanyl. It could vary from person to person based on a person's history with the drug. You may need a higher concentration if you've experienced fentanyl in the past. Three nanograms is a lethal dose. In Eric's body, there were 15 nanograms.


11:51 AM · Feb 26, 2026

 

[arielilane]

@NateNewsNow


Investigators asked Peterson to perform tests on the gastric fluid. Ethanol, fentanyl, norfentanyl and acetylfentanyl were detected. Acetylfentanyl is solely seen in illicitly manufactured fentanyl - not in prescription fentanyl.


11:53 AM · Feb 26, 2026

 

[arielilane]

@NateNewsNow


Peterson explains how much of each substance was found in Eric's body. 900 milligrams of ethanol was found in his body. 14,000 milligrams of ethanel is found in a standard alcoholic drink. Ethanol can be formed post-mortem.


11:56 AM · Feb 26, 2026