March 5, 2026
Day 9
In
red BBM
Updated at 4:29 pm, March 5, 2026
Kouri Richins, a Utah mother of three boys, is accused of fatally poisoning her husband, Eric Richins, in 2022. She is on trial in Summit County, Utah, on charges of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, insurance fraud and forgery.
Today is the ninth day of the trial. It is scheduled to begin today at 9:30 a.m. East Idaho News will be posting live written updates all day. Please excuse typos. You can watch the livestream here. The most recent updates are at the top of this page.
4:28 p.m. Join me tonight at 7 p.m. for “Courtroom Insider” on the East Idaho News YouTube channel. Lots to discuss!
4:26 p.m. Court is going into recess until Monday at 8:30 a.m. That’s when a new witness will be called. We still haven’t heard from Wright, Eric’s business partner. Judge reminds jury not to talk about the case or research it.
4:24 p.m. Sidebar is over. Bloodworth has nothing further. Lewis has another question about the Celebration of Life. She asks if Staking has been to other wakes. She has. She says there was nothing unusual about this wake. They were trying to keep things light and happy for the kids. Amy, Bryce and Chelsea also spent the night at the home the night of the wake. Witness is done testifying.
4:17 p.m. Bloodworth wants to submit a photo but there are kid faces in the image. The faces will be blurred and shown to the jury later. Bloodworth asks to approach for sidebar.
4:14 p.m. Bloodworth asks about the trip to Hawaii and if it was funny because Kouri had not been caught with the gummies in the luggage. Staking says it was funny because Kouri didn’t know. Bloodworth asks if people were using gummies at the Celebration of Life. Staking doesn’t know. During the celebration, Bloodworth asks if Bryce removed his pants. Staking says probably, but the photo was taken before he took off his pants.
4:10 p.m. A locksmith was called to try and get into the safe. Amy ran into the garage to stop the locksmith from opening the safe. Kouri had pure frustration and rage because she couldn’t get into the safe. “She was shaking,” Staking says. Kouri was crying. Lewis asks about the sandwich conversation with Eric and their group of friends. They talked about Eric having an allergic reaction and having to have an EpiPen. They were joking and said, “Don’t eat what Kouri gives you.” Eric did not seem upset and was joking along. Kouri and Eric were getting along during the visit.
4:07 p.m. Lewis admits a photo showing Kouri, Bryce, Alley, Chelsea and Amy, Eric’s sister. It was taken during the Celebration of Life. Staking stayed overnight and was there the next day when Amy Richins came to the house. Kouri was trying to get into a safe that belonged to Eric to see what his will said. She was not able to get into the safe because she didn’t know the code.
4:05 p.m. Nothing about Kouri’s behavior struck Staking as unusual. Staking went to an informal Celebration of Life at the Richins’ home the night after Eric died. People came to express their condolences. There was alcohol and people were playing with the kids, talking about memories of Eric, dancing, etc.
4:03 p.m. All the gummies were coming from the same person. Lewis asks if she was ever there when the gummies were purchased or delivered. She never was. Lewis asks if someone told Staking where the gummies were coming from. She was told. Staking learned about Eric’s death from a friend who called her. She cried when she found out and then booked a flight for the next day. She arrived in Utah on March 5. Kouri was distraught and grieving.
4:01 p.m. Lewis asks where Staking and her friends were getting the THC gummies. They were from one particular person. Prosecution keeps objecting based on foundation. Judge sustains and asks attorneys to approach the bench for sidebar.
3:58 p.m. Eric thought it was hilarious, according to Staking. Staking lives in California and visited Utah about a month before Eric died. Lewis asks if Staking took THC gummies with Eric that time. She says no. They made Kouri sick because they were bad gummies. Staking had taken gummies with the Richins in the past. All the friends did occasionally.
3:55 p.m. No further questions from Bloodworth. Wendy Lewis is going to handle the witness as a direct examination because she is visiting from out of town. Judge agrees. When asked how she’s doing, Staking says she’s been better. Staking and her family did things with the Richins’ family. They went to Hawaii together in early 2018 for a friend’s wedding. On the trip, Kouri found out Eric hid THC gummies in her suitcase. Kouri was upset, but Staking says it was a funny story.
3:49 p.m. We now see the document Kouri wrote at the women’s retreat telling her life story in third person. It talks about her mom and dad, moving to 17 different states, her mom having an addiction to gambling, Kouri’s father going to prison, their home getting foreclosed because of their mom’s gambling, cars were repossessed, Kouri graduated high school in 2007, Kouri got pregnant in college, got married a few years later, had her second son. Had her third son in 2016, and life spiraled downhill. She found out her husband was having an emotional affair. Went to counseling for anxiety and depression. Felt the need to chase happiness because she was never enough for her husband.
3:41 p.m. Another issue to discuss at the bench. Questions over a letter being admitted as evidence.
3:39 p.m. Sidebar is over. During the visit on Feb. 20, 2022, Staking, Kouri, Eric and two other friends were present. Eric told them that he thought Kouri tried to poison him on Valentine’s Day, but they thought it was an allergic reaction. They were laughing at the story – Eric jokingly said he thought Kouri poisoned him. They teased Eric and Kouri laughed – everyone laughed. Kouri said that’s not what happened, that he had an allergic reaction.
3:33 p.m. On Feb. 20, 2022, Kouri told Staking she had broken things off with Grossman nine months earlier. Bloodworth asks to approach the judge with defense to make sure they have a common understanding.
3:28 p.m. Bloodworth wants to admit the exhibit. Defense objects. Judge asks for sidebar. The motion to admit the exhibit is denied at this time. Bloodworth asks Staking if she is familiar with Kouri’s housecleaning business. Staking and her kid’s dad were going to hire Kouri to do work for her. Staking did not know the business was in financial distress. Bloodworth asks Staking if she is familiar with Josh Grossman. She knows of him because Kouri told her about him. Kouri said they were having an affair in June 2020.
3:23 p.m. Next witness is Allie Staking. She grew up with Kouri. They met in junior high school. Allie says she is one of Kouri’s best friends. They attended a Finding True Self retreat in Sedona, Arizona, in February 2021. As part of the retreat, each of them completed an assignment in which they wrote their life story in third person.
3:21 p.m. Bloodworth is done. Lewis says defense has no questions for Chelsea. She will remain under subpoena.
3:17 p.m. Court is back in session. Jurors are in their seats. Before Lewis begins cross-examination, Bloodworth asks to admit one more exhibit. It’s a text exchange from June 6, 2022. Kouri says she’s running to get the death certificate before Eric’s sister does. A little while later, she sends Chelsea a photo of the death certificate and says there was a trace of fentanyl and his lungs were shot. Kouri says she thinks it’s finally over and is relieved.
2:58 p.m. Kouri says they can have it, they can take it all. Call is over. State has no further questions. Defense attorney Wendy Lewis will cross-examine Chelsea after a recess. Back at 3:10 p.m.
2:55 p.m. Kouri’s boys come in the back and start talking with her. She tells one of them to go lay down on the couch. Chelsea chimes in and says that Eric’s sisters are concentrated on hurting Kouri and money. Kouri says she isn’t fighting for money, she’s giving it to them. Chelsea says Eric left behind a family and doesn’t understand why Katie and Amy are fighting for his money.
2:52 p.m. Kouri says she asked everyone to write a letter from that night after Amy said Kouri is an incapable mom. Kouri says she loves to drink but she has never been in a position where she couldn’t take care of her kids. Kouri says she’s a good mom and she’s lost her husband. “My babies lost their dad, Bryce, and you’re going to submit videos saying I’m an incompetent mom!” she says as she cries.
2:49 p.m. Kouri says she just wants her house. She says she makes okay money and they can have everything else. Kouri says they want the title in the trust’s name so they can have control over it. She says they won’t do anything until they have the autopsy report. “It broke me. I lost it,” she says. She says she asked her attorney what that means and her attorney says they think she had something to do with Eric’s death. Kouri says she was stunned and couldn’t believe it. Bryce says Kouri wasn’t capable of killing her husband and if she was, she would have shot him in the head like two years ago.
2:45 p.m. Bryce says he’s sorry Kouri had to go through all this. He says she’s doing the right thing. She was married to Eric for almost ten years. Kouri says she would never screw Eric, and Bryce says if Eric were still here today, he would likely change the trust. Kouri says the way Eric wrote the trust was very hurtful.
2:43 p.m. Kouri says if he had died of COVID, she would have heard him struggling to breathe or getting up. Kouri says Eric was in the same position he was when she went to bed with him and she insists he did not die of COVID. Kouri says Eric was in better shape than anyone you can imagine. Kouri says Eric ran a half marathon without training better than she did and he had strong lungs.
2:39 p.m. Kouri tells Bryce she spoke with the medical examiner and she’s frustrated that they haven’t called her back. Kouri says it’s been 12 weeks and they ruled out aneurysm. She said Eric tested positive twice for COVID. She says they had COVID earlier. Kouri says the medical examiner says he had a fungal infection in his lungs and his lungs were full of fluid and blood. Kouri says the medical examiner said between the fungal infection and COVID, it shut his lungs down. Kouri says she didn’t believe the medical examiner because Eric was a “mountain goat” and there was nothing wrong with his lungs. “She got bitchy with,” Kouri says, referring to Dr. Uhlmer. Kouri says Eric would roll over in his grave and haunt you and everyone involved if they put down COVID because they are against COVID and vaccines.
2:36 p.m. Judge tells the jury that references to charges heard in the call are related to a civil lawsuit, not a criminal case, and the jury cannot consider those references in this trial.
2:31 p.m. Bryce says if they could talk to Eric now, he loved Kouri and his children. Bryce says he hates that they have to go down that route because of the things Eric put in place two years ago with the attorneys. Kouri says every day, Eric’s sisters are coming at him with something. She says she’s getting charged with assault. Defense objects, asks to approach the bench.
2:28 p.m. Kouri says she and Eric have been so good the past two years. He had an anger management book he would write in every few days. Kouri would be on the back deck writing in his anger management book and she says she was going to counseling. They were going on double dates, weekly date nights and now Katie and Amy are attacking her for no reason. Bryce says all Katie and Amy ever heard was bad stuff.
2:25 p.m. Bryce says he supports her and feels bad for her, but he can’t get involved in the dispute with the Richins. Kouri talks about the times she has helped Eric’s sisters and she doesn’t understand what she did that was wrong. Bryce says Eric would call him and vent. Bryce told Eric he should just get divorced. He responded that he loved Kouri and his three kids.
2:24 p.m. Bryce says at the end of the day, Eric loves her and the boys. Bryce says he needs to call her back and the call ends. Now we will the second call.
2:22 p.m. Kouri says, “Bryce, I am not a bad mom!” Chelsea says Kouri won’t be able to make it to the celebration of life and doesn’t want it come across that Kouri looks like the bad guy. Kouri says everyone is coming, but she just can’t go. Chelsea says Kouri is just looking out for her and the boys. Bryce says he has no part in any of this and he hopes they can have a relationship where he can come visit them every once in a while.
2:20 p.m. Chelsea says Kouri isn’t allowed to attend Kouri’s celebration of life because his family will make her look bad. Amy said Kouri was an incompetent mother and couldn’t take care of her own kids, Chelsea and Kouri tell Bryce. Bryce says he doesn’t agree with that. Chelsea says it’s messed up that there are two sides and everyone should come together as a family and love each other.
2:16 p.m. Chelsea says everyone knew how Kouri and Eric were. Chelsea says Kouri doesn’t need life insurance and can make whatever money she wants. Bryce says he doesn’t know what the will says. Chelsea explains that Eric put the house in the trust so Katie can make all the calls until they are 18. Chelsea says Kouri has no say right now until she fights with a lawyer. Chelsea brings up the buy-sell agreement and says that in all honesty, Kouri gets nothing from Eric.
2:14 p.m. Kouri is crying and says she just wants her house. She says they can have all the money and she can make more money, but she just wants the house. Chelsea then comes on the line. She’s in the background. Chelsea says Kouri has told them they can have all the insurance money if Kouri can have the house. Chelsea tells Bryce that Eric’s family thinks Kouri had a part in Eric’s death and the family isn’t doing anything until the autopsy comes back. Bryce says he doesn’t think Kouri had any involvement in his death.
2:12 p.m. Kouri is complaining that they are taking her house. It goes to the trust, which is in Katie’s name. Kouri says she has no rights to the house. Bryce says Eric did everything for her and the kids. Bryce says he knew things were going to get ugly and he’s neutral. Bryce says even though Eric and her weren’t getting along, Eric would always say that Kouri was his wife and the mother of his children and he loved her. Bryce says he set things up with the lawyers to protect his kids.
2:09 p.m. Kouri says she’s going to fight for her house and they can’t take her house. Bryce says he doesn’t know all the details. Kouri says she took out $250,000 from her house and they now own $11 million in real estate. Kouri says Eric never let her work. Bryce says communication was a big thing for Eric. Kouri says she owns 12 properties that are almost paid off including her own house. She lists off the houses she says she owns. She says $11 million will go to her kids because she took $250,000. “He just never gave me a f***** chance.”
2:06 p.m. The calls will now be played. Begins with Kouri tells Bryce she is in a lawsuit with the Richins. Bryce says he did not know that. Kouri says she understands Bryce’s loyalty is 100% to the Richins and she’s known them longer and that’s fine. Kouri says if their friendship ends here, that’s fine. Kouri says Bryce knows about Eric’s trust. “I don’t care about money. It’s not a big f***** deal to me. Eric has $3 million in life insurance money. I want it all to go to the trust for my kids. I don’t care about money.” Kouri is saying this house is her house and she works hard for her money.
2:05 p.m. Bloodworth says there are two portions of the calls and they are lengthy. Judge tells jury they can consider anything Kouri says for whatever they want. The other two voices can not be used for the truth of the matter – only for the purpose for the effect they had upon Kouri as the listener.
2:03 p.m. Bloodworth asks about a phone call on March 19, 2022, between Bryce Knudsen and Kouri. Bryce was Eric’s best friend. Chelsea was also on the call. Call is being admitted.
2 p.m. These texts were sent June 17, 2022. Chelsea says she is going to grab a beer and read the document that Kouri sent her. She then sends some messages about a poisoned sandwich and Eric was trying with anger management books. “What would you have put in the sandwich for him to break out in hives?” she writes. Kouri responds that she didn’t make the sandwiches. Kouri says he got sick in Greece because he ordered a nonalcoholic drink, but it came with alcohol. Chelsea responds that his family was making things up and Cody is involved in it. She says she could have just left him. Kouri says she is suing them for defamation and for lying to the cops. She says they are never allowed to see her kids.
1:56 p.m. The exhibit is a text exchange. The jury is back. Judge tells them they are about to see a text exchange. They can consider Kouri’s statements for any purpose. They can not consider Chelsea’s bubbles for the truth, just the effect they had upon Kouri. First message: “Oh my F***** God. It’s Katie and Amy. They told the detective, basically I’ve been trying to kill Eric for five years, and Eric was divorcing me.” Chelsea responds that she can’t be serious. Kouri sent Chelsea the documents. She is saying they claimed she didn’t even do CPR and they want the Midway house. Kouri says it’s full of s*** and lies. She says Eric’s sisters claim Kouri and Eric were arguing about the Midway house the day he died. She calls them stupid and says they have no idea. Chelsea tells Kouri to cut ties with his family now.
1:51 p.m. Judge discussing particular sections of the exhibit – what to let in, what to keep out, what defense objects, etc.
1:46 p.m. Judge excuses the jury so he can review the exhibit.
1:35 p.m. Bloodworth wants to admit an exhibit, defense objects. Sidebar with Judge Mrazik.
1:32 p.m. The document was never recorded with Wasatch County, Chelsea says. She thought the home was hers and she continued to pay the mortgage. When Kouri was arrested, Chelsea was informed there was a loan taken out on her house that she didn’t know about. Chelsea emailed the county and asked for copies of the paperwork. She was told it was never filed with the county. She stayed in the house until September 2024 when she was evicted. The new owners kicked her out, she says. Kouri gave the deed over to someone else in lieu of foreclosure and they owned the home, Chelsea says.
1:28 p.m. Bloodworth admits the warranty deed for the home. Chelsea Barney is listed as the sole owner. It was signed on January 6, 2023. It says Chelsea is the borrower or trustor and Kouri is the beneficiary or lender. The total dollar amount is for $370,000.
1:25 p.m. Chelsea’s family needed a house and Kouri offered one she was flipping. She asked Chelsea for a down payment of $45,000. Chelsea was the manager of a grill and had savings from her tip money to make the down payment. It was her life savings. She wired $45,000 to Kouri in two separate wires for the down payment. Kouri was going to put that money toward the mortgage soon after she wired the money, Chelsea understood. The loan was in Kouri’s name and Chelsea paid the mortgage company $2,900 a month.
1:24 p.m. Kouri presented herself at being successful at buying and selling housing. Chelsea says Kouri was very generous and she did not know her friend was in financial distress. Chelsea bought a home from Kouri and lived there with her husband and kids. Chelsea is becoming emotional while on the stand.
1:22 p.m. Chelsea was at the Richins’ home on March 6, 2022. Kouri was upset because of an argument with her sister-in-law. She was trying to get into Eric’s safe to get the will. The sister-in-law told Kouri the house was no longer hers and it belonged to the other sister because she was in charge of everything, Chelsea says. Kouri was “very upset” and collapsed. She was hysterical and upset. She couldn’t believe this was all happening.
1:19 p.m. Court is back in session and Nate Eaton is back in the saddle with updates this afternoon. Jury is walking into the courtroom.
1:08 p.m. The judge thought the state and the defense would discuss this issue during the lunch break. They did not. The judge says he is going to make himself a cup of coffee while they do that. The court is in recess until 1:15 p.m.
1:06 p.m. The court is resuming. The defense is objecting to a recording being played before the jury comes in. Bloodworth says it is a phone call from June 17, 2022 between Kouri and a friend of Eric’s. He says Chelsea was present and participated in the phone call.
1 p.m. Kaitlyn Hart with EastIdahoNews.com here again! I’m going to be filling in for Nate for just a few minutes. Court is expected to resume soon.
12:08 p.m. Judge says we are going to break for lunch until 1 p.m.
12:04 p.m. Next exhibit shows a text exchange between Kouri and Chelsea from March 15, 2022. They are talking about Eric’s death and how Kouri needs to get stuff to her attorney. She asks for a few days. Chelsea tells her she can call just to chat or Chelsea can do things for her boys. Kouri says it’s a “f****** nightmare.” She’s hired a law firm that represents the Utah Jazz and will cost her $100k, but she will win.
12:02 p.m. Kouri’s mom, Lisa, called Chelsea the morning Eric died and told her Eric was dead. Chelsea went to Kouri’s home, and Kouri told her that she went to bed with one of the boys, woke up, went back in the bedroom and realized Eric was cold and he wasn’t breathing. Kouri says they had been celebrating the closing of a job, and they had a drink together.
11:59 a.m. Bloodworth admits a text exchange between Chelsea and Kouri from May 7, 2022. “Derek is home and is putting that envelope in the screen door.” Chelsea says. Kouri responds that it’s crazy and her attorneys have been talking to her all day about poisoning. “They have no evidence of either of us having anything to do with it, so somehow it got into his system. We should get cause of death and autopsy this week.” Chelsea responds that it’s crazy they say poisoned and then jumped to murder. “It’s ridiculous.”
11:57 a.m. Chelsea says Kouri got a call one time from her doctor saying she might have cervical cancer. She needed to go in and see the doctor for a biopsy. This call was received when Chelsea and Kouri were at a brunch. Eric acted concerned, but didn’t want to overreact until they knew the diagnosis for sure. Chelsea says she did not know of Kouri or Eric using illicit drugs or pain pills.
11:49 a.m. Bloodworth moves to admit an Oct. 14, 2020, text exchange between Kouri and Chelsea. Kouri says if she dies, Eric did it. Another text says she doesn’t know what to do because if she owes him money, she’ll pay it. Chelsea says it’s getting out of hand and she doesn’t think Kouris should pay him anything, Let the attorneys decide. Kouri responds that Eric owes her triple but she doesn’t know what to do. She feels like an “a**hole” taking money out of the house, but it’s technically her money. Chelsea asks how much she took out. Kouri responds, “A lot.” Chelsea asks how long she thinks it will take him to pay him back. Then says she worries Eric will hire a P.I. Kouri says it was $250k and will take her a couple months until her investments pay out. Kouri says she has to be “top notch careful.” Chelsea says to let the attorneys figure out the money stuff. Kouri says Eric is pushing her to go to counseling by herself. He thinks she is the “damn problem here but he’s not hearing himself.”
11:47 a.m. Chelsea learned Kouri obtained a home equity line of credit for $250,000 when they were on a vacation with some other friends to Sun Valley, Idaho, in October 2020. Kouri said Eric was mad at her and turned off her credit cards because he found out she look a loan out on the house. Kouri asked her friends if they could pay for the trip and she would reimburse them. Kouri told Chelsea she used the $250,000 to buy another house to flip and sell.
11:42 a.m. Next witness is Chelsea Barney. Bloodworth will question on behalf of the prosecution. Barney has been friends with Kouri since ninth grade. They spoke “all the time. Sometimes every day, sometimes every other.” They would see each other a couple of times a week or sometimes once a month. They traveled sometimes together. Chelsea considered Kouri her best friend.
11:39 a.m. Sidebar over. On the call, Kaze asked Eric if he was OK and if he was going to go to the hospital. He also asked, “What are you going to do about it?” Kaze spoke with his wife about the call with Eric that night. He also spoke with Cody Wright about the call after Eric died. Cody had a similar call with Eric. Bloodworth is done. Defense has no questions.
11:34 a.m. Kaze never saw Eric sick. Never saw him use drugs. Kaze recalls getting a call from Eric on Valentine’s Day 2022. Kaze says it was unlike any other conversation he ever had with Eric. Eric felt somber and this call was “a lot different.” Eric was very serious and sincere. Bloodworth asks Kaze if he offered Eric any advice. He gave him suggestions and asked some questions. Nester asks for sidebar.
11:32 a.m. Kaze says he and Eric communicated at least every other week. Kaze says he and Eric got to know each other very well. Eric was outgoing, confident, a fun person to be around, a magnetic personality, not shy, competitive – especially in sports. “He was extremely dependable. One of the best subcontractors I’ve ever had. If you asked him to do something, he didn’t forget. It was always done. Every time he said he would be somewhere or get something done, he always got it done.”
11:28 a.m. Court is back in session. Next witness is Joshua Kaze. He knew Eric Richins professionally, and they were friends too. They went hunting, camping and hiking together. The last hike they went on in Colorado was physically demanding, Kaze says.
11:18 a.m. Next witness went to another building. Taking a 5-minute recess.
11:16 a.m. The order was placed at 8:55 a.m. and picked up at 9:07 a.m. Nester has nothing further. Neither does prosecution. Witness is released.
11:12 a.m. The name on the order was from Kouri. No further questions from the prosecution. Nester will cross-examine Morin. She asks for the Greek omelet and bagel sandwich to be highlighted. Nester asks Morin if his menu items have been similar for a long time. She asks what’s in the Greek omelet. It comes with a choice of hashbrowns, country potatoes or quinoa salad. Nester asks what’s in the bagel sandwich. Nester asks how the orders are packaged. Because there are hashbrowns, it’s in a Styrofoam box. Nester says you wouldn’t want to eat an egg sandwich cold. Morin says that’s debatable.
11:08 a.m. Next witness is Gabriel Morin. He owns the Mirror Lake Diner in Kamas. Brad Bloodworth is questioning on behalf of the prosecution. He shows Morin some records. We see a receipt on the screen. At 9:07 a.m. on Feb. 14, 2022, Megan, the employee, took a to-go order that was paid for in person. Total was $41.99. Now we see a breakdown of Megan’s transactions at the end of her shift from that day.
11:05 a.m. Chervenak follows up. “When Kouri Richins told you it would be better if Eric were dead, was she joking?” Nester objects. Judge sustains. Chervenak asks about Kouri’s tone of voice – was she laughing, smiling. No. Lloyd did not believe she was joking. Nester asks if they were drinking. Lloyd says she had had one drink. Nester says she wants to recall the witness. Questioning of Lloyd is done for the day.
11 a.m. Chervenak asks some follow up questions. Nester follows up and Lloyd says it’s a very difficult position to be on the stand saying things like this. “I don’t want to be here. No one has supplied my testimony to me. I know that it happened. I know she said that. I don’t want to say it, but I know she said it.” Nester asks about Lloyd’s conversation with Katie – Eric’s sister. Nester asks Lloyd who else she told about this statement Kouri made. She told her partner, her friend, Katie and the private investigator.
10:57 a.m. Correction – not the transcript, but a recording of the interview. We hear the recording. Lloyd says, “I swear she said it, but if you put me on the stand, I would not be confident enough to say it.” Nester asks Lloyd if she did say that. She says she did. We hear another part of the recording. “I am 90% sure she said the comment about him being better dead,” Lloyd said in the interview with the investigator. Nester says you can’t say for certain she said that statement. Lloyd says, “Correct.” Nester has nothing further but says she will ask more questions when it’s time for the defense’s case.
10:55 a.m. Nester asks Lloyd about her telling the private investigator that she wasn’t sure she could 100% say under oath that Kouri said what she said. Lloyd doesn’t recall. Nester wants to admit the transcript where she says that.
10:52 a.m. Nester asks Lloyd about her having “girl talk” while she and Kouri were wrapping gifts. Nester asks about Lloyd talking to the prosecutor’s private investigator. Nester says in that interview, Lloyd didn’t mention anything about Kouri saying it would be better if Eric were dead. Lloyd doesn’t recall. During a second interview two years later, Nester says that’s when Lloyd said that Kouri stated it would be better if Eric were dead. Nester says it happened after Lloyd spoke with Katie Richins, Eric’s sister.
10:50 a.m. Kouri looks agitated and annoyed during this testimony. Chervenak has no further questions. Defense attorney Kathryn Nester now questioning Lloyd. She asks if Kouri helped Lloyd get her job. She did. Kouri was on the payroll of C&E Masonry but after Eric died, Kouri asked Lloyd to take her off the payroll.
10:47 a.m. On Dec. 17, 2021, Lloyd and Kouri were wrapping gifts as part of a secret Santa project. Lloyd had divorced a few months before and she and Kouri were talking about their marriages. Kouri said she and Eric had a fight that day. Kouri was invited to a work gala and at the same time, Eric had booked a family sleigh ride. It was a scheduling conflict and they did not agree about what they should do. Kouri told Lloyd that she was feeling trapped, like there wasn’t an easy way forward out of the marriage, that she was worried about her kids and she was going to lose them and that Eric’s family was going to turn the community against her. Kouri said in many ways, it would be better if Eric was dead. “She definitely had a very serious tone. We weren’t joking. It was a very heartfelt conversation. You could tell she was frustrated and struggling with where she was at.”
10:46 a.m. Lloyd works for C&E Stone Masonry. She is the estimator. She has been with the company for five years. She was hired as an admin. in February 2021. She met Eric in 2017. Lloyd met Kouri around the same time. In 2021, Lloyd knew Kouri as a neighbor, a friend and the mother of her kids’ friends.
10:43 a.m. Kouri says that anything she did, Eric did, so they cancel themselves out “you f***** idiots.” Kouri says she’s going to ask if she (referring to another woman) can testify. Kouri says she’s annoyed. They talk back and forth. Call is over. Next witness is Becky Lloyd.
10:41 a.m. Kouri is talking to Ronald Darden on the phone. He tells her that nothing came out of her side but a lot came out of the other side. Kouri says, “I just went in for a consultation. That was it. So why is that so bad? Am I misunderstanding something?” Darden says they are probably trying to hold something against her. She responds that he did it first. Darden says he did it first and took action on it illegally. Darden says “that person” is probably about to be brought in. Kouri says she told “that person” she didn’t want to fill out the packet, but the lady told her she had to fill out the packet.
10:40 a.m. Jury is back in the courtroom. Judge tells jurors they are about to hear a phone call from Dec. 18, 2023, and they can consider Kouri’s statements on the call for any purpose. They can not consider the statements made by the male voice on the call.
10:30 a.m. Prosecution asks if the date of the call can be told to the jury. Defense objects. Kouri was in jail at the time of the call. Judge will allow the date to be said.
10:25 a.m. Chervenak says the beginning of the call helps paint a picture of Kouri’s state of mind and is relevant to the situation. She says it’s important context to the call, and starting it halfway through would be confusing. Judge says the call will start at page 4 – not from the beginning.
10:22 a.m. Court is back in session. Jury remains outside of the courtroom. Judge asks Lewis if she and Chervenak have reached an agreement on redactions. Lewis says there has been a partial agreement. State agrees to redact the end portion of the call, but wants the beginning to remain. Lewis does not want it included.
10:06 a.m. Bloodworth says the next time a jail call will be played is when Detective O’Driscoll takes the stand. He will likely be the state’s last witness – either late Monday or early Tuesday. Court taking restroom break. Court back in session at 10:15 a.m.
10:04 a.m. State will be calling Cody Wright and Josh Case today. Part of their testimonies can’t be admitted because it’s hearsay – things that Eric Richins told them. Judge asks prosecutor Brad Bloodworth if he has spoken with the two witnesses to reinforce that they can’t repeat what Eric told them. Bloodworth says he has and will elicit their responses about Eric’s demeanor and what they said to him – not what he told them. Judge says this will create a safety margin to make sure the witnesses don’t unintentionally say anything excluded by the court.
10:01 a.m. They have reviewed the transcript of the call. Lewis says some of the call needs to be redacted because they’re not relevant. Judge says this is part of a larger conversation. He’s been waiting on the defense’s position on the jail calls, and they need some closure on the issue so it’s not being discussed in real time. Lewis wants to review the call with the prosecution to look at what portions she believes should be redacted.
9:54 a.m. Prosecution is now playing the call without the audio so all parties can review the transcript of what is being said. We can’t see the transcript.
9:53 a.m. Judge says Lewis has the right to subpoena anyone in relation to the call. The judge says he can give jurors an instruction to discard the parts of the call that are hearsay. Lewis says she needs a moment to review the call.
9:50 a.m. Lewis says that introducing calls randomly without a witness on the stand violates Kouri’s Sixth Amendment rights because they can’t cross-examine the witness. Lewis insists the call needs to come in through a witness and there could be more context to call that the witness could explain.
9:48 a.m. Sidebar over. Judge says he needs to sort out some legal issues to make today flow smoothly. He excuses jurors. Judge asks Lewis about the call the prosecution wants to play. It’s a jail call. Lewis says these calls should be introduced through a witness and playing them randomly will be confusing for the jury.
9:42 a.m. Chervenak asks to play a phone call and says the foundation has been laid through other witnesses. Lewis objects and says the call needs to come in through a witness. Judge asks attorneys to approach for sidebar.
9:40 a.m. Chervenak admits a check Kouri wrote to Bramwell. No further questions. Defense attorney Wendy Lewis has questions and admits a section of Bramwell’s website showing her bio. Lewis has nothing further. Witness is excused.
9:37 a.m. First witness on the stand today is Marie Bramwell. Bramwell is a domestic relations attorney. She is the 34th witness to testify in the trial. She is being questioned by prosecutor Lindsay Chervenak. Bramwell met with Kouri in person in May 2021. They exchanged approximately five emails between May 2021 and January 2022.
Kouri Richins, a Utah mother of three boys, is accused of fatally poisoning her husband, Eric Richins, in 2022. She is on trial in Summit County, Utah, on charges of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, insurance fraud and forgery. Today is the ninth day of the trial. It is scheduled...
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