A Utah writer on trial for her husband’s homicide after allegedly spiking a Moscow mule with a deadly dose of fentanyl is now accused of witness tampering, in keeping with just lately filed court docket paperwork.
Kouri Richins is particularly accused of concocting a false narrative by requesting that her brother, Ronald Darden, inform protection counsel a particular story in an try to hyperlink her husband’s loss of life to his alleged buy of medicine.
Richins, who authored the guide Are You With Me? to assist kids deal with grief a yr after her husband’s loss of life, was arrested and charged with killing Eric Richins at their dwelling in Klamas, Utah, southeast of Salt Lake Metropolis.
Richins was arrested in Might on expenses of aggravated homicide and different crimes. She is in custody at Summit County Jail in Park Metropolis, Utah awaiting trial.
Throughout a search of the Richins’ cell final week, a six-page letter, addressed to her mom, was discovered inside a guide which instructed her to get the writer’s brother, Ronald, “to testify falsely on this matter,” per a movement filed Friday by the State of Utah.
The movement requested no contact between Richins and her mom and brother.
“Here’s what I’m pondering however you must speak to Ronney,” Richins wrote about her brother Ronald. “He would most likely must testify to this however its tremendous brief not so much to it.”
Within the letter, Richins writes that the protection counsel intends to hyperlink her husband shopping for medicine and ache drugs from Mexico to the fentanyl that triggered his loss of life.
No such hyperlink exists, in keeping with the prosecution.
The letter goes on to explain an occasion that allegedly occurred a yr earlier than her husband’s loss of life the place he informed her brother that her husband “will get ache drugs and fentanyl from Mexico.” The letter additionally states that Richin’s husband informed her brother to not inform Richins “as a result of I’d get mad as a result of I all the time mentioned he simply will get excessive each night time and will not assist handle the youngsters.”
Richins alleges within the letter that this dialog really occurred.
The letter says that her brother can “reword this nevertheless he must” and instructs her mom to fulfill him in individual to relay this data to him.
“Inform him I would like him to do that,” Richins wrote.
The letter additionally instructs Richins’ mom to talk to some of her pals about what they need to point out throughout an upcoming “Good Morning America” interview.
“Please inform Chelsea to convey up that he hasn’t been to church within the 13 yrs she has identified him,” Richins wrote about her husband, Eric. “And Eric would brag to her about how a lot he drank and did drugs in highschool.”
“We’re so near the tip, let’s push by means of,” Richins wrote.
The prosecution says Richins’ letter exhibits that she’s “keen to witness tamper by means of a 3rd celebration.”
“To guard the integrity of this continuing, it’s crucial that the Defendant haven’t any contact with Lisa Darden or Ronald Darden whereas this matter is pending,” the doc states. “The Defendant’s conduct in drafting and hiding the letter establishes her intent to witness tamper. Her reliance on Lisa Darden and Ronald Darden suggests their predisposition to tampering.”
An lawyer for Richins didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
Richins was arrested and charged with killing Eric Richins final yr throughout a quiet celebration at their dwelling after she closed on a house for her enterprise, in keeping with authorities.
A medical expert mentioned Eric, 39, had 5 occasions the deadly dosage of fentanyl in his system on the time of his loss of life on March 4, 2022.
Legal professionals for Kouri Richins have denied the allegations, saying in a June court docket submitting that there “has not been a single textual content message or different doc turned over in discovery to assist the allegation that Eric ever believed Kouri tried to poison him.”
The attorneys added there was “no substantial proof to assist the fees.”
