Author accused of killing husband appears in court

Kouri Richins wrote a children's book about grief after her husband's death
Prosecutors allege she spiked her husband's drink with fentanyl
The state is not pursuing the death penalty in the case

Updated: Sep 1, 2023 / 10:55 PM CDT

(NewsNation) — A Utah woman accused of killing her husband by adding fentanyl to his Moscow Mule is appearing in court on Friday.

Kouri Richins is a mother and author who wrote a children’s book about grief after her husband’s death. At the time, she was thought to be a grieving mother trying to make the best of her tragic situation.

Then she was arrested two months later and charged in her husband’s death.

A hearing on Friday in Park City, Utah, did not result in a set date for a preliminary hearing, but the judge ordered both sides to reconvene for a status hearing later this year.

The defense is still working through material handed over during discovery, which has been amicable so far.

The judge set a status hearing date for Nov. 3, 2023, with the goal of setting a date for a preliminary hearing then.

Defense attorneys said, based on the volume of evidence they have to go through, they would not be ready for a preliminary hearing until after the first of the year. The team may be hoping to push the date to February or March.

The preliminary hearing is expected to include prosecutors presenting the evidence they have that indicates Kouri is behind the murder of Eric Richins.

Some of the evidence has already been made public. Back in June, three witnesses took to the stand, detailing the thorough investigative techniques they used to track Kouri’s drug purchases of the illicit fentanyl they believe was used to poison Eric.

Kouri was visibly distraught during that hearing as she heard the evidence pile up against her.

Some of Eric’s family also gave powerful testimonies about how their brother’s death has hurt the community and his three sons.

Kouri faces a number of charges, including first-degree aggravated murder and second-degree drug possession with intent to distribute. Richins is also charged with financial crimes, but both the state and defense anticipate changes to some of those charges.

The state will not be pursuing the death penalty in the case, but if convicted, Kouri could face 25 years to life in prison.