May 13 (UPI) — Kouri Darden Richins, found guilty of murdering her husband, Eric, is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday, her late husband’s birthday.
Kouri Richins, 35, was found guilty in March of all charges — first-degree aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, forgery and insurance fraud — in the death of Eric Richins, 39, of a fentanyl overdose in 2022. Eric Richins would have turned 44 Wednesday.
Kouri Richins faces 25 years to life in prison without parole.
After his death, Kouri Richins commissioned a ghost-written children’s book, Are You with Me?, about grief and dealing with death.
Her three-week trial began in February and included 13 days of testimony at the Summit County Courthouse in Park City, Utah. The defense didn’t call any witnesses, and Kouri Richins did not testify.
In a court filing this week, the Summit County Attorney’s Office used the Richins’ three sons to convince Judge Richard Mrazik to give her the maximum sentence for aggravated murder.
“The boys deserve finality and should not have to revisit their father’s murder at future hearings or worry about the Defendant’s potential parole,” prosecutors wrote. “Given the tremendous trauma and upheaval that the Defendant inflicted upon their childhood, this Court should ensure that she does not harm their adulthood.”
They are also asking for a protective order to block her from contacting the children and members of the Richins family. The boys were 9, 7 and 5 years old when their father died.
“Eric was their coach, their father, but most important, was their very, very best friend,” Eric’s father, Eugene Richins, said in court during the trial.
The Richins’ oldest son, called C.R. in the document, was quoted saying he misses his father.
“I’m afraid if she gets out, she will come after me and my brothers, my whole family,” he said, according to the document. “I think she would come and take us and not do good things to us, like hurt us.”
“I miss my dad, but I do not miss how my life used to be, I don’t miss Kouri, I will tell you that.”
The middle son, called A.R., said he won’t feel safe if his mother is allowed out of prison. He also said he misses his dad.
“My dad can’t be my coach anymore, and can’t be at any of my games,” A.R. said in the document. “He won’t be at my birthdays. He can’t teach me how to drive. He won’t be at my graduation.”
W.R., the youngest son, said he would also feel “so scared” if his mother ever got out, and that she “makes me feel hateful and ashamed.”
The boys are now in the care of Eric Richins’ sister and her husband, the filing said.
Prosecutors are also asking that Kouri Richins be ordered to pay more than $1.3 million to two insurance companies.
Kouri Richins also faces more charges in a separate case filed last year, including allegations that she committed mortgage fraud in 2021. The charges allege she submitted falsified bank statements in mortgage applications for her real estate business, committed money laundering and wrote bad checks.
She has not entered a plea to those charges.