Woman Who Wrote Book On Husband's Death Charged With His Murder

KAMAS, UT — A Utah woman who wrote a children's book on grief following the death of her husband was arrested this week and charged with his murder, according to court documents.

Kouri Richins, 33, is charged with first-degree criminal homicide after prosecutors said she poisoned her husband with a lethal dose of fentanyl at their home in Kamas, according to court documents obtained by Law And Crime.

Richins is also charged with multiple counts of possession of a controlled substance, according to court documents.

The charges come months after Richins self-published "Are you with me?" — an illustrated storybook about a young boy wondering about his father's presence in his life after the father dies.

Richins' husband, Eric Richins, was found dead by authorities on March 4, according to a probable cause statement. Prosecutors said Richins called 911 after discovering her husband's unresponsive body was "cold to the touch."

According to prosecutors, Richins told investigators that around 9 p.m., she made Eric a mixed drink before bed to celebrate him selling a house. According to court documents, she went to soothe one of their children in the next room before finding her husband's lifeless body hours later.

An autopsy by a medical examiner later discovered the level of fentanyl in Eric Richins' system at the time of his death was approximately five times the lethal dosage, according to court documents. The autopsy also determined the drug was ingested orally.

According to court documents, authorities charged Richins after discovering text messages between her and an acquaintance on her phone. Authorities said the acquaintance sold Richins opioids and fentanyl multiple times, adding that Richins purchased $900 worth of fentanyl six days before her husband's death.

Court documents said that Richins deleted text messages from the night of her husband's death before handing her phone over to authorities. Prosecutors also said she may have tried to poison her husband on Valentine's Day, a month before his death.

Richins told local media she decided to write "Are you with me?" after her husband unexpectedly died last year, leaving her widowed and raising three boys. She said she looked for materials for children on grieving loved ones and found few resources, so she decided to create her own. She planned to write sequels.

In Richins' book, the boy wonders if his father, who has died, notices his goals at a soccer game, his nerves on the first day of school, or the presents he found under a Christmas tree.

Richins' attorney, Skye Lazaro, declined to comment on the charges when contacted by The Associated Press.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.