KAMAS, UTAH: Kouri Richins, the Utah woman who is accused of killing her husband Eric and writing a children’s book about grief titled ‘Are You With Me?’, is currently in custody awaiting her murder trial. She is facing allegations of murdering her husband using a lethal dose of fentanyl in March 2022 and has been charged with criminal homicide, aggravated murder, and three counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
Latest court documents revealed that Richins had an “incriminating” internet search history on her phone that included searches about “fentanyl” and “luxury prisons,” among other things. The author’s search history came under scrutiny during a detention hearing on Monday, June 19, before the judge called Richins a “substantial danger” to society and denied bail, ordering her stay behind the bars.
What did Kouri Richins’ search history show?
As per court documents, some of Richins’ search history showed questions like, “what is a lethal dose of fentanyl?” “If someone is poisoned what does it go down on the death certificate as” and “can cops force you to do a lie detector test?” She also searched “luxury prisons for the rich in America” and “death certificate says pending, will life insurance still pay” as well as “how to permanently delete information from an iPhone remotely?”
Investigators had previously alleged that Richins made a series of illicit fentanyl purchases in the months leading up to her Eric’s death. The latter died nearly six days after Richins made her last purchase of fentanyl pills for $900. An autopsy and toxicology report revealed that Eric had about five times the lethal dosage of fentanyl in his system at the time of his death.
After the revelations about Richins’ search history, defense attorney Clayton Simms said the former was simply researching her case to see how evidence is processed. The lawyer added “there's nothing there that indicates guilt.” The defense team also alleged that there is no evidence that proves their client gave her husband the lethal dose of fentanyl, CNN reported.
“Law enforcement never identified or seized any fentanyl or other illicit drugs from the Family Home… the State has provided no evidence that there was fentanyl found in the home. Nor have they provided any evidence that Kouri gave Eric the fentanyl at issue,” the team wrote in a motion as per the publication.
Kouri Richins was denied pre-trial release
On Monday, June 19, Judge Richard E Mrazik denied Richins’ pre-trial release and said that the woman should be held without bail. The judge cited the severity of the punishment of aggravated murder and the “uniquely dangerous nature" of fentanyl. “The circumstances of this case weigh soundly against granting pre-trial release of any kind,” Mrazik stated.
He also added that the array of possible penalties in a murder case “creates a powerful incentive for a defendant to resort to desperate acts that might include harming themselves, harming the members of their family or harming witnesses in the case.” The judge told Richins that she has the right to file an expedited appeal within 30 days of the ruling. The court will reportedly reconvene on June 22 for a scheduling conference to decide on a date for preliminary hearing.
