Utah mom Kouri Richins to be sentenced to life without parole for murdering husband

May 13 (UPI) -- Kouri Darden Richins, found guilty of murdering her husband, Eric, was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison without parole.

Richins caused "the absolute tragedy that has befallen Eric Richins' sons and family and a person convicted of those things is simply too dangerous to ever be free," Judge Richard Mrazik said in his decision.

Richins, 35, was found guilty in March of all charges -- first-degree aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder, forgery and insurance fraud -- in the death of Eric Richins, 39, of a fentanyl overdose in 2022. Eric Richins would have turned 44 Wednesday.

At her sentencing hearing, Richins became emotional while her children's victim impact statements were read aloud on their behalf by their social workers.

"You have never said sorry for anything you have done to me and my brothers," her 11-year-old son, A.R., wrote.

Each of the boys asked the judge to sentence Kouri Richins to life in prison without parole.

"I think Kouri should get a life sentence because what she did is very sick," C.R., 13, wrote.

The youngest, W.R, 9, wrote, "once she is gone I will feel happy and I will feel safer and relaxed."

Eric Richins' sister Katie Richins-Benson gave a victim statement.

"Today is Eric's birthday. I stand before you because he can't," Richins-Benson said. "He was taken away from my dad, my sister, his nieces, his friends, our community, and worst of all, from his three amazing sons. He was taken away from us by a person he should have been able to trust."

She asked for life in prison without parole.

"Kouri's selfishness and cruelty did not end with Eric's murder. In the time after Eric's death, Kouri has done nothing but isolate, manipulate, deceive, and do harm to those boys. Almost immediately after Eric died, she cut those boys off completely from our family," Richins-Benson said.

Kouri Richins' mother, Lisa Darden, asked the court in a statement for a sentence that allows for "mercy and hope."

"I do not believe that Kouri did this, nor can I believe that Kouri could possibly be capable of this crime. I can't validate what she did financially one way or another, and that's something Kouri will have to live with," the statement said.

Kouri Richins' brother Ronnie told her in court: "We don't know with 100% certainty what happened to Eric, but we do know with 100% certainty that it wasn't caused by you," he said.

When Richins spoke, surrounded by her lawyers, she directed her comments to her "sweet baby boys."

"I did not just walk out of your lives one day, never return, to never call, never show up, regardless of what anyone tells you. I would never, ever, and I am so sorry," she said. "And one day when this is all over, we can sit down and talk about all of this, sort it all out. I promise you, boys, one day it will be over."

She also claimed all contact with her sons was cut off by her husband's family two years ago.

"Live the life that you choose to live in. Just be safe, be healthy and be happy," she told her sons, in an extended speech giving them life advice.

"Be like your dad," she said through tears.

After Eric Richins' death, Kouri Richins commissioned a ghost-written children's book, Are You with Me?, about grief and dealing with death.

Her three-week trial began in February and included 13 days of testimony at the Summit County Courthouse in Park City, Utah. The defense didn't call any witnesses, and Kouri Richins did not testify.

In a court filing this week, the Summit County Attorney's Office used the Richins' three sons to convince Judge Richard Mrazik to give her the maximum sentence for aggravated murder.

"The boys deserve finality and should not have to revisit their father's murder at future hearings or worry about the Defendant's potential parole," prosecutors wrote. "Given the tremendous trauma and upheaval that the Defendant inflicted upon their childhood, this Court should ensure that she does not harm their adulthood."

They are also asking for a protective order to block her from contacting the children and members of the Richins family. The boys were 9, 7 and 5 years old when their father died.

"Eric was their coach, their father, but most important, was their very, very best friend," Eric's father, Eugene Richins, said in court during the trial.

The Richins' oldest son, called C.R. in the document, was quoted saying he misses his father.

"I'm afraid if she gets out, she will come after me and my brothers, my whole family," he said, according to the document. "I think she would come and take us and not do good things to us, like hurt us."

"I miss my dad, but I do not miss how my life used to be, I don't miss Kouri, I will tell you that."

The middle son, called A.R., said he won't feel safe if his mother is allowed out of prison. He also said he misses his dad.

"My dad can't be my coach anymore, and can't be at any of my games," A.R. said in the document. "He won't be at my birthdays. He can't teach me how to drive. He won't be at my graduation."

W.R., the youngest son, said he would also feel "so scared" if his mother ever got out, and that she "makes me feel hateful and ashamed."

The boys are now in the care of Eric Richins' sister and her husband, the filing said.

Prosecutors are also asking that Kouri Richins be ordered to pay more than $1.3 million to two insurance companies.

Kouri Richins also faces more charges in a separate case filed last year, including allegations that she committed mortgage fraud in 2021. The charges allege she submitted falsified bank statements in mortgage applications for her real estate business, committed money laundering and wrote bad checks.

She has not entered a plea to those charges.

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This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 12:33 PM.