A Utah jury has convicted children's author Kouri Richins of murdering her husband with a fentanyl-laced drink at their home near Park City.
Richins, 35, was found guilty of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, insurance fraud, and forgery in the 2022 death of her husband, Eric Richins.
Jurors returned the verdict on Monday after roughly three hours of deliberation following several weeks of testimony. Sentencing is set for May 13, and she faces a possible life sentence, according to the New York Times.
Prosecutors said Richins obtained fentanyl from an acquaintance and mixed a large dose into a cocktail she served her husband on the night he died.
A medical examiner testified that Eric had an extremely high level of fentanyl in his system, far beyond any medical use. Court records state he was found unresponsive in the couple's bedroom in March 2022 and could not be revived.
Read more: North Carolina Wife Used ChatGPT to Find Poison to Put in Husband's Energy Drinks, Cops Say
The state also presented evidence that Richins tried to poison Eric weeks earlier on Valentine's Day. According to filings and witness statements, he became suddenly ill after eating food she prepared and later told others he suspected she had tried to harm him. Prosecutors argued these incidents showed a pattern of attempts to kill him.
Investigators and court documents described Richins as under heavy financial pressure, alleging she was in debt by millions of dollars, CBS News reported.
She was named on several life insurance policies on Eric worth about $2 million and believed she would control an estate valued at more than $4 million after his death, according to prosecutors. Evidence also showed Eric had moved to change some policies and limit her access to his assets before he died.
About a year after Eric's death, Richins self-published a children's book on grief titled "Are You With Me?" about a father who watches over his child from heaven. She promoted the book in interviews as a way to help her three sons cope. Prosecutors told jurors the book and publicity were part of an effort to shape her image after the killing, as per Yahoo News.
