Woman who wrote book on grief after husband’s death charged with his murder

(CMR) A US woman who published a children's book on processing grief following the death of her husband last year has now been accused of murdering him with a lethal dose of fentanyl.

Kouri Richins (33) is facing charges in connection with the death of her husband, Eric Richins (39), who was found dead at the foot of their bed on March 4, 2022. The couple were married for nine years and had three young sons together.

Richins reportedly told police that they were celebrating her closing on a house for her business that night, and she “made Eric a Moscow Mule in the kitchen and brought it to their bedroom where Eric consumed it while sitting in bed,” according to the probable cause statement.

According to the charging document, she said she went to sleep with one of their children, who was having a night terror and returned to her and her husband's bedroom around 3 a.m., where she found him “cold to the touch,”

Kouri Richins said she attempted CPR; however, when first responders arrived, they “advised that it had not appeared that she had done any CPR, due to the large amount of blood that came from Eric's mouth.”

An autopsy determined that Eric Richins died from a fentanyl overdose and that the level of fentanyl in his system was five times the lethal dosage, according to the charging document.

Detectives obtained a search warrant for their residence following the toxicology report, including for electronics, according to the charging document.

According to the charging document, Richins allegedly told law enforcement that upon going to bed, she did not use her phone until calling 911; however, it was revealed that messages had been sent and received during that time and deleted.

Police also uncovered “several communications” with an acquaintance of hers who had various drug counts. The acquaintance revealed he procured 15 to 30 fentanyl pills in exchange for $900 on February 11, 2022, for Richins.

Eric, who had become sick on Valentine's Day after eating a sandwich his wife bought for him, had reportedly told a friend he thought his wife was trying to poison him.

Kouri Richins allegedly contacted the acquaintance about two weeks later “asking for another $900 of fentanyl pills,” which were procured on Feb. 26, 2022, the charging document stated.

“Six days later, on March 4, 2022, Eric was found dead of a fentanyl overdose,” the charging document stated.