Defense attorneys representing Kouri Richins, a Utah mom of three and children’s book author accused of killing her husband in 2022, have filed to withdraw from the case due to an irreconcilable situation. Richins, now 35, is facing charges of attempted murder, aggravated murder, and drug possession after allegedly poisoning her husband, Eric Richins, with illicit fentanyl in order to collect millions in life insurance funds. The defendant’s lead attorney, Skye Lazaro, emphasized the need to appoint new counsel to continue the vigorous defense of the criminal charges against Richins following a hearing on May 15 where her preliminary hearing was pushed back to June 18.
Richins’ defense team also filed a motion to disqualify state prosecutors, specifically Chief Prosecutor Brad Bloodworth, citing severe violations that compromise adversarial fairness. The defense alleges that prosecutors improperly obtained evidence, including jail calls and a confidential letter under attorney-client privilege, to build their case against Richins. Summit County Attorney Margaret Olson refutes these allegations, stating that the County Attorney’s Office has acted professionally and ethically throughout the case. Lazaro has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the situation.
According to prosecutors, Kouri Richins allegedly killed her husband Eric in order to collect life insurance funds and profit from a $2 million mansion under construction at the time of his death, which his family claims he did not approve of. On the night of Eric’s death, Kouri, Eric, and her mother were reportedly celebrating the closure of the mansion. Eric was allegedly given a cocktail laced with fentanyl, leading to his death. A medical examiner found lethal levels of fentanyl and Quetiapine in Eric’s system during the autopsy. The following day, Kouri closed a deal on the mansion alone after her husband’s death.
In addition to Eric’s death, Kouri has been charged with attempted murder for allegedly trying to poison her husband’s sandwich on Valentine’s Day with the intent to kill him. Eric noticed something was wrong and survived after taking his son’s Epipen and Benadryl. Despite the charges against her, Kouri has maintained her innocence in her husband’s death. Following Eric’s passing, she authored a children’s book about grief titled “Are You With Me?” and made media appearances discussing the inspiration behind the book, which was her husband’s death. The case continues to unfold as the defense seeks to withdraw from representing Richins and accuses state prosecutors of unethical behavior in handling evidence.
