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Kouri Richins: Utah mother charged with killing husband accused of witness tampering as cops retrieve letter from jail cell

Kouri Richins, who is at Summit County Jail, was accused of killing her husband by lacing his evening cocktail with a lethal amount of fentanyl

KAMAS, UTAH: Kouri Richins, a Utah mother of three and a children's book author who penned a work on grief following her husband's sudden death, is now facing additional legal troubles for supposed witness tampering.  

Kouri had previously been accused of murdering her husband, Eric Richins, by allegedly lacing his evening cocktail with fentanyl, five times the lethal amount.

Why is Kouri Richins being accused of witness tampering?

Recent developments hint Kouri Richins, who is currently incarcerated at Summit County Jail, was "engaging in witness tampering," directing her brother, Ronney Darden, "to testify or inform falsely." The allegations stem from a six-page letter found concealed within a book in her jail cell.

In March 2022, shortly after Eric's death, Kouri told investigators that she had prepared a bedtime cocktail for her husband and it's said to have caused his death. However, authorities had never tested the cocktail glass for traces of fentanyl, the drug that is supposed to have killed him. 

Currently, those close to Kouri claim that Eric's family has portrayed her as a scapegoat, alleging that her husband had a hidden drug addiction.

The letter, which was allegedly written by Kouri to her mother, Lisa Darden, apparently hints at a defense strategy stating that her lawyer, Skye Lazaro, "wants to link Eric getting drugs & pills from Mexico," as per PEOPLE Magazine. 

What does the letter written by Kouri Richins say?

In the letter, Kouri Richins purportedly instructs her brother, Ronney Darden, to testify to a memory that is "super short" about Eric's confession to a pain pill and fentanyl habit while watching a Sunday football game, a year before his death.

Eric had apparently obtained these drugs from the family's ranch hands and had instructed Ronney not to disclose this information to Kouri "because I would get mad because I always said he just gets high every night and won’t help take care of the kids," as per the letter. 

It further claims that there are photographs and texts to support the assertion about Eric.

Kouri allegedly told her mother that her brother could "reword this however he needs to, to make the point. Just include it all." She purportedly instructed her mother to personally convey to her brother the narrative he was expected to provide to her lawyer, opting for an in-person discussion rather than using the telephone.

"I worry sometimes your house and phone are bugged," allegedly wrote the mother of three.

The letter also emphasizes the importance of Ronney's testimony, as Kouri allegedly states that "the connection has to be made with Mexico and drugs. Ronney will have the messages to prove Eric confided in him about getting high. It can be short and to the point but has to be done. Upon information and belief. LOL," as per PEOPLE Magazine. 

Allegedly, she further wrote, "Tell him I need him to do this."

She also references Eric's sisters, Katie Richins-Benson and Amy Richins, saying, "Bring me home and then we will get those damn b*****s!" 

Kouri Richins' letter accuses Eric Richins' sisters of being jealous and having financial motives

Eric's sisters, Katie Richins-Benson and Amy Richins, allegedly "have always been jealous of me because anything they could do Kouri could do better. Being a mom, college, stay at home wife until she built a million-dollar company. A nice house, car, everything she had they wanted," as per the letter written by Kouri Richins. 

It also notes, "This comes down to jealousy, money, and Eric’s partying that they don’t want to acknowledge and sadly an accidental overdose." 

Notably, Eric's sisters had hired a private investigator to examine their brother's death and had been involved in legal disputes with Kouri over her late husband's estate. Their efforts played a role in her arrest a year after his sudden death.

While both prosecutors and defense lawyers are bound by a gag order that prevents them from discussing the case with the media, recent filings by prosecutors have called for a no-contact order between Kouri and her mother and brother.

Prosecutors allege that during a video conference visit on September 13, Kouri "held up yet another letter for her mother to read silently to herself," and that it was subsequently "destroyed or flushed," as per PEOPLE Magazine. 

Amid the legal proceedings surrounding her husband's supposed drug use and her potential involvement in his death, Kouri's letter also included a seemingly unrelated request, asking her mother to purchase "Crest White Strips," citing, "My teeth are yellow from so much coffee and tea all day," accompanied with a sad face emoji. 

Internet reacts to claims of Kouri Richins' supposed witness tampering

The Internet has been embroiled regarding the charges of Kouri Richins', and after the recent developments, many suggest that she should face permanent incarceration.

"She's gone. Good riddance," wrote one, as Another added, "Lock this b***h murderer up & throw away the key! We all know who she is! Her poor husband, children & their families! Omg evil of the biggest kind!!!!"

One remarked, "She's indefatigable," while a user said, "Well, she just can’t help herself can she??? Tell me your guilty without telling me."

A frustrated person wrote, "Let her be put in an underground jail."