Widow charged with murdering husband after writing book to help children grieve asked brother to repeat 'lie'
The Utah woman who has been accused of poisoning her husband allegedly asked her brother to repeat the narrative prosecutors have branded a 'lie'.
Kouri Richins has been charged with murder following the death of her husband, Eric, in March 2022.
Following the loss of her husband, Richins went on to write a children's book on how to deal with grief as she navigated life as widow with her three children.
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She is currently being held in a Utah jail, but the State of Utah has now accused the mom of engaging in witness tampering.
In a court filing, the state claimed Summit County deputies searched Richins' cell block and found a six-page, handwritten letter addressed to her mother.
In the letter, Richins allegedly instructed her brother, Ronald Darden, to repeat a narrative claiming Eric died after receiving drugs and pills from Mexico.
Per Fox 13, the letter read: 'Eric told [redacted name] that he got Pain Pills and fentynal from Mexico from workers on the ranch."
Prosecutors have made clear their belief that this narrative is a lie, saying there is no link to back her story and therefore Richins is attempting to get her brother to lie on the stand.
Richins also allegedly added in the letter that: "[Redacted name] can reword [the narrative] however he needs to, but is super short not a lot to it."
"Tell Ronald I need him to do this," the letter found in the cell added.
It also instructed Richins' mother to pass the instruction on to Ronald in person because Richins allegedly believes her mother's house has been 'bugged'.
The state has told the court it is 'imperative' that Richins does not have any interaction with her mother or brother, who are both set to appear as witnesses when her case goes to trial.
In response to the state's filing, Richins' attorney filed a motion alleging the state violated its gag order by filing the letter.
The attorney claimed the information in the letter has tainted the prospective jury pool and prevents Richins' right to a fair trial.
Eric's death was determined to be a result of fentanyl overdose as he was found with five times the lethal dosage of the drug in his system.
Skye Lozaro, who is representing Richins, has previously told KUTV 2News that all the mother wanted to do after her husband's death was to 'grieve'.
Emily Brown