Texts about cash, marriage gasoline Kouri Richins homicide trial

Text messages about marriage, cash and a “fresh start” took heart stage within the homicide trial of Utah creator Kouri Richins, as prosecutors laid out what they are saying was her plan to maneuver on from her husband and revenue from his dying.

Richins, 35, is charged with aggravated homicide, tried aggravated homicide and a number of monetary crimes within the March 3, 2022, dying of her husband, Eric Richins. Prosecutors allege she poisoned him with a fentanyl-laced Moscow mule so she may accumulate life insurance coverage cash and start a brand new life together with her boyfriend. She has pleaded not responsible.

During opening statements, Summit County Deputy Attorney Brad Bloodworth learn aloud a sequence of textual content messages he mentioned have been exchanged between Richins and a person recognized in courtroom as her boyfriend.

In one message despatched the day earlier than Eric’s dying, Richins allegedly wrote: “If I was divorced right now and asked you to marry me tomorrow, you would?”

Weeks earlier, prosecutors mentioned she despatched one other message: “If he could just go away, and you could just be there, life would be so perfect.”

Jurors additionally heard that 16 days after Eric’s dying, Richins allegedly despatched her boyfriend a hyperlink to a Caribbean resort and wrote, “Are we there yet?” About a month after the dying, prosecutors mentioned she texted him, “I think I want you to be my husband one day.”

Bloodworth argued the messages reveal Richins’ want to start out over and pointed to what he described as mounting monetary stress.

According to prosecutors, Richins was going through substantial debt and believed she would inherit hundreds of thousands from Eric’s property if he died. Bloodworth informed jurors a prenuptial settlement would have restricted what she acquired within the occasion of a divorce.

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“Kouri Richins murdered Eric for his money and to get a fresh start at life,” Bloodworth mentioned in courtroom.

Prosecutors additionally highlighted telephone exercise from the early morning hours of March 4, 2022.

Bloodworth informed jurors Richins first accessed her telephone at 3:06 a.m. however didn’t name 911 till 3:21 a.m.

The state additional referenced web searches performed after Eric’s dying, together with: “Can cops uncover deleted messages iPhone?”

Jurors have been additionally informed that three money-themed memes — together with one which learn “I’m rich!” — have been accessed on Richins’ telephone the morning Eric died.

Prosecutors allege the killing was tied to life insurance coverage proceeds.

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Court paperwork state Richins bought a number of life insurance coverage insurance policies totaling practically $2 million and later modified the beneficiary designation to herself with out Eric Richins’ authorization. Authorities say Eric found the change and switched the beneficiary again to his enterprise companion.

Investigators additionally allege Richins supposed to make use of insurance coverage cash to finish and flip a roughly $2 million Wasatch County mansion, an funding Eric’s household has mentioned he didn’t approve of.

Defense lawyer Kathryn Nester informed jurors Eric struggled with persistent ache and substance use and died from an unintentional overdose. In pretrial filings, Richins’ authorized workforce has argued {that a} key prosecution witness modified their story and that the proof in opposition to her is basically circumstantial.

“No family ever wants to believe that behind closed doors someone you loved is using drugs,” Nester mentioned throughout opening statements.

The protection performed Richins’ 911 name in courtroom, through which she may be heard crying and telling a dispatcher her husband was not respiratory.

“Those are the sounds of a wife becoming a widow,” Nester informed jurors.

The third day of testimony ended unexpectedly after roughly an hour on the stand from the state’s lead crime scene technician.

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Chelsea Gipson, the CSI technician who processed the Richins dwelling, confronted cross-examination centered on the proof she collected, together with prescription medicines faraway from the scene and whether or not she noticed alcohol or THC gummies contained in the residence. Gipson acknowledged the hydrocodone bottle recovered from the house was not examined for fentanyl and testified that no drug paraphernalia was discovered.

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Defense attorneys additionally questioned how sure areas have been documented, noting that no pictures have been taken of the kitchen, sink or closet throughout the preliminary processing of the scene.

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Judge Richard Mrazik known as a recess round 9:30 a.m., citing a scheduling battle. When courtroom resumed shortly after 10:30 a.m., he dismissed jurors for the day, referencing “unforeseen emergency circumstances unrelated to the case.”

On Thursday, Kouri Richins’ housekeeper testified that she purchased ache tablets for her after repeated requests in early 2022. Carmen Lauber mentioned Richins requested in early February 2022 for ache meds for an “investor,” took the tablets and deleted their texts, and later left $1,000 at her Midway dwelling for Lauber to select up for an additional buy.

Lauber additionally mentioned she helped Kouri Richins get hold of more and more stronger medication. She mentioned she first sought out sturdy painkillers by means of a buddy after Kouri Richins allegedly mentioned her “investor” needed one thing stronger, calling it the “Michael Jackson stuff.”

Lauber’s testimony adopted a state toxicologist’s testimony acknowledging that Eric Richins may have taken fentanyl earlier than having a drink, probably undercutting prosecutors’ declare that Kouri Richins laced his Moscow mule.

Richins was arrested in May 2023. The case later drew nationwide consideration after she revealed a youngsters’s e book about grief following her husband’s dying.

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The trial is predicted to proceed for a number of extra weeks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Stepheny Price covers crime, together with lacking individuals, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tricks to stepheny.worth@fox.com.

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