A mother who authored a book for children on dealing with loss following her spouse’s passing has been found guilty of his homicide. Kouri Richins, aged 35, administered a lethal dose of fentanyl to Eric Richins in their residence. Driven by significant debts, she harbored false hopes of inheriting his estate valued at over $4 million (£3 million) upon his demise. In addition to murder, the mother of three was convicted of unlawfully claiming insurance benefits after her partner’s death.

During the trial, it was revealed that Richins shamelessly self-published a grief-themed children’s book, “Are You with Me?,” to aid her sons and other bereaved children. By promoting the book on various media platforms, prosecutors argued that Richins meticulously orchestrated the killing and subsequent cover-up. The jury, deliberating for less than three hours in Park City, Utah, unanimously found the writer guilty of the charges.

Prosecutors contended that Richins had a clandestine relationship with another man and had plotted a future with him while orchestrating her husband’s demise in March 2022. Allegations were also made that she attempted to poison her husband on Valentine’s Day with a fentanyl-laced sandwich, causing adverse reactions. Richins’ defense team argued that Mr. Richins had requested opioids due to an alleged addiction, a claim contradicted by his previous statements to law enforcement.

Despite maintaining her innocence, Richins faced multiple felony charges, including attempted murder, for which she was convicted. The trial, initially scheduled for five weeks, was expedited after Richins opted not to testify and her defense refrained from presenting witnesses. The unanimous verdict by the jurors highlighted Richins’ covert procurement of multiple life insurance policies on her husband, unbeknownst to him, with a cumulative value of around $2 million (£1.5 million).

Richins, a real estate agent and children’s author from Park City, is set to be sentenced on May 13 at the Utah court.