Overview
- Opening statements detailed the state’s claim that Eric Richins died from orally ingested illicit fentanyl at about five times a lethal dose, allegedly delivered in a cocktail weeks after a suspected Valentine’s Day attempt.
- Kouri Richins pleaded not guilty as the defense suggested an accidental overdose tied to pain medication and Lyme disease, and jurors heard her 911 call and saw body-camera footage from the night Eric was found unresponsive.
- Prosecutors said Richins owed roughly $4.5 million and believed she could benefit from more than $4 million from Eric’s estate, pointing to multiple life insurance policies totaling over $2 million and a policy application weeks before his death.
- A housekeeper who told investigators she supplied Richins with fentanyl is expected to testify under immunity, while the defense plans to attack her credibility and cite a supplier’s affidavit claiming he sold OxyContin, not fentanyl.
- The trial is underway in Summit County after a venue-change bid was denied, is scheduled through March 26, and carries a potential life sentence on the top charge, with prosecutors not seeking the death penalty.