Entertainment
Grief author accused of murder, expert reveals texts to alleged lover
In a hearing on whether Utah funeral book author Kouri Richins will stand trial for her husband’s death, a forensic expert revealed that she had texted her alleged lover in the days leading up to what the police murder. RadarOnline.com can reveal.
If RadarOnline.com previously reported, Richins is accused of killing Eric Richins on March 4, 2022, with a fentanyl-laced Moscow mule.
In the two days leading up to her husband’s fatal overdose, Richins allegedly sent text messages to Robert Grossman, digital forensics expert Chris Kotrodimos testified in a Park City courtroom. New York Post reported.
During the hearing, prosecutor Joe Hill asked Kotrodimos, “Were there ongoing messages between Mr. Grossman and Ms. Richins around the time of Mr. Richins’ death?”
Kotrodimos replied: “Yes.”
This is evident from court documents obtained by the Daily mailthe day before Eric Richins’ death, the suspect sent a message to Grossman that read, “I love you.”
Kotrodimos confirmed that Kouri Richins kept Grossman informed about her arrival time while she was driving to see someone on Feb. 14, 2022 — marking the first time she allegedly tried to poison her husband with a fentanyl sandwich, the suits allege prosecutors.
“She said she was on her way to visit him,” Kotrodimos said. “He asked if she was about an hour away and she said yes and sent him a screenshot.”
Kotrodimos also alleged that Richins and Grossman began messaging in November 2021, and continued to do so after Eric Richins’ death.
“The volume varied depending on the day,” he said, noting that the two spoke almost daily, including on the phone.
Prosecutors said investigators collected “a lot of data” from Richins’ cellphone between January and March 2022, including her call logs, text messages and internet search history.
Richins initially hired Grossman, a handyman, to renovate houses for her real estate company.
The hearing for Kouri Richins, which started on August 26, will last three days, with witnesses testifying to determine whether prosecutors have enough to try her for aggravated murder and related charges.
If convicted, the suspect faces a maximum prison sentence of 25 years.
Earlier in the hearing, Summit County Detective Jeff O’Driscoll testified that Richins’ housekeeper, Carmen Marie Lauber, allegedly sold fentanyl to Richins on three separate occasions: on February 11, February 26 and March 9, 2022.
Prosecutors alleged that Eric Richins began to suspect his wife was cheating on him and plotting to kill him, so she devised the elaborate plan.
Eric Richins had recently changed his life insurance policy and cut Kouri Richins out of his will, officials said.
After Eric Richins’ death, Kouri published the children’s book Are you with me? about dealing with grief.
