1 00:00:07,140 --> 00:00:27,360 ♪ >>> IT'S A SMALL TOWN. IT'S RURAL AMERICA IN EVERY WAY. THIS IS THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR. 2 00:00:27,427 --> 00:00:36,970 >> VERY CONNECTED, VERY LOVING, VERY BONDED. THEY SPENT A LOT OF TIME TOGETHER. 3 00:00:37,036 --> 00:00:49,215 >> THE HAPPY AMERICAN COUPLE. >> ERIC RAN A SUCCESSFUL CONTRACTING BUSINESS. HE WAS INVOLVED IN HIS BOYS' 4 00:00:49,281 --> 00:01:03,096 SPORTS ACTIVITIES. >> HE WAS VERY GOOD TO THE BOYS, AND HE TAUGHT THOSE BOYS SO MUCH. 5 00:01:03,163 --> 00:01:07,834 >> KOURI WAS A REAL ESTATE AGENT THAT ALSO WOULD BUY AND FIX UP AND FLIP HOMES. SHE WAS SMART. 6 00:01:07,901 --> 00:01:15,809 SHE WAS SAVVY. SHE KNEW HOW TO CONNECT. SHE WAS ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE WITH ERIC AND ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE WITH 7 00:01:15,875 --> 00:01:29,822 HER BOYS. >> ERIC AND KOURI WERE PROBABLY AT THE BEST PLACE THEY'VE EVER BEEN IN THEIR MARRIAGE AND 8 00:01:29,889 --> 00:01:36,196 SEEMED GENUINELY HAPPY WITH EACH OTHER. >> THEY HAD IT ALL. I MEAN, IT WAS ONE HAPPY FAMILY. 9 00:01:36,262 --> 00:01:43,102 >> AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING, I GOT A PHONE CALL, AND IT WAS KOURI, AND SHE SAID, GET UP HERE. SOMETHING'S HAPPENED TO ERIC. 10 00:01:43,169 --> 00:01:53,079 HE WENT TO SLEEP AND NEVER WOKE UP. >> SHE IS A COMPLETE WRECK. SHE'S JUST SITTING ON THE COUCH. 11 00:01:53,146 --> 00:01:57,750 SHE'S JUST BAWLING. >> WERE THEY GIVING YOU A SENSE OF HOW HE MAY HAVE PASSED? >> SO THE PARAMEDICS SAID 12 00:01:57,817 --> 00:02:04,190 ANEURYSM, SO WE WERE ALL BELIEVING ANEURYSM. >> I HAD SAW HIM THE DAY BEFORE. HE LOOKED HORRIBLE. 13 00:02:04,257 --> 00:02:11,197 HE SAID, MY CHEST HURTS. >> SO THE LAST TIME YOU'RE SEEING HIM ALIVE, YOU DON'T THINK HE LOOKED VERY GOOD? 14 00:02:11,264 --> 00:02:16,536 >> RIGHT. >> THE LEAD DETECTIVE AND ANOTHER OFFICER CAME TO HER HOUSE AND SAID THEY WERE GOING 15 00:02:16,603 --> 00:02:25,512 TO CLOSE THE CASE. THEY'RE DONE. IT'S AN ACCIDENTAL OVERDOSE. >> THEY COMMUNICATED THAT ERIC 16 00:02:25,578 --> 00:02:35,221 HAD DIED OF A FENTANYL OVERDOSE. >> IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS AFTER ERIC'S PASSING, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE KOURI, HER STATE OF 17 00:02:35,288 --> 00:02:41,995 MIND EMOTIONALLY? HOW WAS SHE HANDLING THINGS? >> IT PROBABLY TOOK HER TWO MONTHS TO GO BACK IN HER OWN 18 00:02:42,061 --> 00:02:52,672 BEDROOM. IT WAS DEVASTATING TO HER. >> SHE WRITES A CHILDREN'S BOOK. SHE DID THIS TO HELP HER WORK 19 00:02:52,739 --> 00:02:58,611 THROUGH THE FEELINGS WITH HER CHILDREN. >> THE BOOK, I THINK, WAS A HUNDRED PERCENT BENEFICIAL TO 20 00:02:58,678 --> 00:03:08,154 THE BOYS. THEN YOU CAN TAKE A SIGH OF RELIEF, IT'S OVER, WE'RE DONE. WE CAN START LIVING AGAIN. 21 00:03:08,221 --> 00:03:19,899 AND THEN I GOT A PHONE CALL, KOURI WAS JUST ARRESTED IN SALT LAKE. >> A SUMMIT COUNTY 22 00:03:19,966 --> 00:03:25,505 WOMAN WHO WROTE A CHILDREN'S BOOK ABOUT COPING WITH GRIEF FOLLOWING HER HUSBAND'S DEATH THAT ACTUALLY KILLED HIM. 23 00:03:25,572 --> 00:03:32,445 >> I THINK SHE FELT THAT THIS WOULD BE TREATED AS AN ACCIDENTAL OVERDOSE, AND NOBODY WAS GOING TO BE THE WISER. 24 00:03:32,512 --> 00:03:38,251 HE TOLD HIS FAMILY, IF I DIE, YOU NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT HER BECAUSE I THINK SHE'S TRYING TO KILL ME. 25 00:03:38,318 --> 00:03:48,962 >> THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PROVE THAT SHE GOT THE DRUGS AND THAT SHE SOMEHOW GAVE THEM TO HIM. 26 00:03:49,028 --> 00:03:53,366 AND UNLESS THEY CAN CONNECT THOSE DOTS, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A HARD TIME PROVING MURDER IN THIS CASE. 27 00:03:53,433 --> 00:04:09,582 ♪ 28 00:04:39,678 --> 00:04:48,654 >> IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF MARCH 4, 2022, LISA DARDEN WAS ATTEMPTING TO CONSOLE HER DAUGHTER, 31-YEAR-OLD KOURI 29 00:04:48,721 --> 00:04:55,561 RICHINS. >> SHE WAS SPREAD OUT ON THE FLOOR, JUST SOBBING. >> KOURI HAD JUST LEARNED FROM 30 00:04:55,628 --> 00:05:03,101 EMERGENCY PERSONNEL THAT HER HUSBAND ERIC WAS DEAD. >> SHE WAS TORE UP. >> HER BROTHERS RONNEY AND DJ 31 00:05:03,169 --> 00:05:10,543 WERE ALSO THERE. >> SHE IS A COMPLETE WRECK. >> I JUST STARTED CRYING. >> ACCORDING TO LISA, THAT NIGHT 32 00:05:10,610 --> 00:05:19,017 KOURI HAD POURED ERIC A DRINK TO CELEBRATE A NEW OPPORTUNITY AT HER REAL ESTATE BUSINESS, THE PURCHASE OF THIS MANSION. 33 00:05:19,085 --> 00:05:23,823 >> SHE TOLD ME SHE MADE HIM A MOSCOW MULE. >> THAT'S A DRINK MADE WITH VODKA AND GINGER BEER. 34 00:05:23,890 --> 00:05:33,900 >> SHE SAID THEY WENT TO BED ABOUT 9:00, 9:15, SHE WENT AND LAID WITH ASH. ASHTON, THE 9-YEAR-OLD, HAS 35 00:05:33,966 --> 00:05:47,747 ALWAYS HAD MAJOR NIGHTMARES. AND WHEN SHE WENT BACK TO GET IN HER BED, HE WAS COLD. SHE WENT TO PUSH ON HIM, AND HE 36 00:05:47,814 --> 00:05:56,255 DIDN'T RESPOND. >> IT WAS AFTER 3:00 A.M., AND LISA SAYS KOURI IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911, AND AT THE 37 00:05:56,322 --> 00:06:00,593 DISPATCHER'S INSTRUCTIONS PERFORMED CPR. WHEN FIRST RESPONDERS ARRIVED, THEY STARTED WORKING ON ERIC. 38 00:06:00,660 --> 00:06:08,501 BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. >> IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE. YOU'RE -- YOU'RE IN SHOCK THAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, 39 00:06:08,568 --> 00:06:14,373 COULD HAPPEN. >> IT WAS THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS WHO INITIALLY SUSPECTED ERIC HAD DIED OF AN ANEURYSM. 40 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:19,212 THE FATHER OF THREE YOUNG SONS WAS JUST 39. >> HOW WERE THE BOYS? DID THE BOYS KNOW WHAT WAS 41 00:06:19,278 --> 00:06:26,085 HAPPENING? >> THEY KNEW SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING, AND THEY COULD SEE THE AMBULANCES AND COPS COMING 42 00:06:26,152 --> 00:06:32,992 IN, VERY DISTRAUGHT. >> THEY ALL JUST SAT THERE ON THE COUCH AND JUST CRIED TOGETHER. 43 00:06:33,059 --> 00:06:42,034 >> THE SAD SCENE WAS A FAR CRY FROM THE HAPPY FAMILY THEY ONCE WERE. >> KOURI AND ERIC MET IN 2009 AT 44 00:06:42,101 --> 00:06:49,008 A LOCAL HOME DEPOT. BACK THEN, KOURI WAS A CASHIER. ERIC WORKED IN CONSTRUCTION AND WAS A FREQUENT CUSTOMER. 45 00:06:49,075 --> 00:06:55,414 >> I HEARD THAT HE WANTED HER NUMBER FOR A LONG TIME, IS KIND OF AFRAID TO GO GET IT. SO HE HAD TO HAVE A FRIEND RUN 46 00:06:55,481 --> 00:07:00,853 IN AND GO GET IT FROM HER. >> ERIC ASKED HER OUT, AND THEY HIT IT OFF. >> WHEN KOURI SAID, I'M DATING 47 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:05,024 THIS GUY, WHAT DID YOU THINK? >> KOURI WAS TERRIFIED OF ME MEETING HIM. >> OH, REALLY? 48 00:07:05,091 --> 00:07:07,693 >> YEAH. >> WHY? >> BECAUSE I'M THE BIG BROTHER, AND -- 49 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:14,100 >> TOUGH. >> YEAH. YEAH. >> BUT DJ AND RONNEY SAID ERIC 50 00:07:14,167 --> 00:07:25,878 FIT RIGHT IN. >> I THOUGHT HE WAS A GREAT GUY. >> IN 2013, KOURI AND ERIC GOT MARRIED AND HAD THE BOYS, FIRST 51 00:07:25,945 --> 00:07:31,684 CARTER, THEN ASHTON, AND FINALLY WESTON. LISA SAYS FATHERHOOD CAME EASILY TO ERIC. 52 00:07:31,751 --> 00:07:42,328 >> HE TAUGHT THOSE BOYS SO MUCH. THEY IDOLIZED THEIR FATHER, AND HE IDOLIZED THE BOYS AS WELL. >> KOURI'S FAMILY GOT TO KNOW 53 00:07:42,395 --> 00:07:51,437 THE RICHINS, INCLUDING ERIC'S TWO SISTERS, KATIE AND AMY. >> THEY'D COME UP FOR BIRTHDAYS HERE AND THERE, AND WE WERE ALL 54 00:07:51,504 --> 00:07:57,276 VERY FRIENDLY. >> EVENTUALLY ERIC STARTED A STONE MASONRY BUSINESS, AND KOURI STARTED HER OWN REAL 55 00:07:57,343 --> 00:08:02,114 ESTATE COMPANY, BUYING HOUSES, FIXING THEM UP, AND SELLING THEM FOR PROFIT. GREG HALL WAS HER MARKETING 56 00:08:02,181 --> 00:08:09,088 DIRECTOR AND GOOD FRIEND. >> KOURI HAD SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T. A LOT OF TIMES YOU FIND AN 57 00:08:09,155 --> 00:08:16,462 INDIVIDUAL THAT IS INTELLIGENT, BUT NO COMMON SENSE, OR COMMON SENSE AND NO INTELLIGENCE. SHE HAD BOTH. 58 00:08:16,529 --> 00:08:23,402 SHE WAS A BRILLIANT YOUNG LADY. >> HOW MANY HOUSES WOULD SHE HAVE ON AVERAGE THAT SHE WAS WORKING ON TRYING TO FLIP? 59 00:08:23,469 --> 00:08:27,874 >> AT ONE TIME? >> YEAH. >> I WOULD SAY ON AVERAGE, THREE. 60 00:08:27,940 --> 00:08:31,944 >> SO IT WAS KIND OF A CONSTANT ROTATION? >> YES. >> OF BUYING A HOME, FIXING IT 61 00:08:32,011 --> 00:08:39,385 UP, SELLING IT? >> YES. >> AND ERIC'S BUSINESS CONTINUED TO FLOURISH. 62 00:08:39,452 --> 00:08:45,892 >> THEY BOTH LIVED VERY WELL, AND THEY BOTH BOUGHT AND SPENT WHAT THEY WANTED. >> IN THEIR SPARE TIME, ERIC 63 00:08:45,958 --> 00:08:51,631 LOVED TO HUNT, AND TOGETHER THEY TRAVELED THE WORLD. >> IT SOUNDS LIKE ON THE SURFACE, ERIC AND KOURI SEEM TO 64 00:08:51,697 --> 00:08:56,402 HAVE IT ALL. WOULD YOU SAY THAT WAS SO, LISA? >> I WOULD SAY THAT, YES. >> I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN EVEN 65 00:08:56,469 --> 00:09:02,475 BEGIN TO OVERSTATE HOW CLOSE THIS FAMILY WAS. THIS WAS A HUGE LOSS. >> GREG SKORDAS IS THE SPOKESMAN 66 00:09:02,541 --> 00:09:10,416 FOR ERIC'S FAMILY. >> HE WAS THIS BEAUTIFUL SON AND -- AND BROTHER, AND TO HAVE THAT TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU, I -- I 67 00:09:10,482 --> 00:09:16,722 CAN'T IMAGINE MUCH WORSE THAN THAT. >> NOT LONG AFTER ERIC'S FUNERAL, AN AUTOPSY REVEALED THE 68 00:09:16,789 --> 00:09:25,731 CAUSE OF HIS DEATH. IT WASN'T AN ANEURYSM. IT WAS A LETHAL DOSE OF FENTANYL. 69 00:09:25,798 --> 00:09:30,535 >> FENTANYL IS MANY, MANY TIMES MORE POTENT THAN OXYS, AND THE OTHER PAIN MEDICATIONS THAT WE TYPICALLY USE. 70 00:09:30,602 --> 00:09:40,578 IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS DRUG. >> BUT HOW DID FENTANYL GET INTO ERIC'S SYSTEM? KOURI'S FAMILY BELIEVES HIS 71 00:09:40,646 --> 00:09:51,691 RECREATIONAL DRUG USE COULD BE TO BLAME. NEARLY EVERY DAY, THEY SAY, ERIC WOULD TAKE A GUMMY WITH THC, THE 72 00:09:51,756 --> 00:09:55,995 PSYCHOACTIVE INGREDIENT IN MARIJUANA. >> IT WAS ALWAYS JUST -- JUST TO RELAX AT THE END OF THE DAY. 73 00:09:56,062 --> 00:10:02,434 >> AND ACCORDING TO RONNEY, ERIC DID NOT ALWAYS GET THE GUMMIES FROM REPUTABLE SOURCES. >> JUST ABOUT EVERY TRIP THAT I 74 00:10:02,501 --> 00:10:07,173 HAD BEEN ON WITH HIM, HE'D BUY JUST FROM SOMEONE OFF THE STREET. >> LISA SAYS ERIC ALSO SOMETIMES 75 00:10:07,239 --> 00:10:12,545 TOOK PAIN PILLS. >> HEY, DO YOU HAVE ANY PAIN PILLS? HEY, CAN YOU CALL AND GET -- OR 76 00:10:12,611 --> 00:10:20,419 HOOK ME UP? >> HE CERTAINLY WASN'T AN OPIOID OR AN ILLEGAL DRUG USER. >> KOURI'S FAMILY THINKS ERIC 77 00:10:20,486 --> 00:10:26,325 HAD TAKEN SOMETHING HE DIDN'T KNOW WAS LACED WITH FENTANYL AND THAT HIS DEATH WAS A TRAGIC ACCIDENT. 78 00:10:26,392 --> 00:10:34,867 ERIC'S FAMILY STRONGLY DISPUTES THIS CLAIM. >> HE DIDN'T DIE OF A SELF-INFLICTED DRUG OVERDOSE. 79 00:10:34,934 --> 00:10:43,809 >> ERIC'S FAMILY WONDERED IF KOURI MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED. >> THEY SAID THIS DOESN'T SMELL RIGHT. 80 00:10:43,876 --> 00:10:57,323 NO QUESTION THE FAMILY THOUGHT THAT RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING. 81 00:10:57,723 --> 00:11:06,766 >>> IN THE MONTHS FOLLOWING HER HUSBAND'S TRAGIC DEATH, KOURI RICHINS STRUGGLED TO FIND HER FOOTING ON HER OWN AND TO 82 00:11:06,832 --> 00:11:13,706 NAVIGATE LIFE AS A SINGLE MOM. >> KOURI WAS STILL COMPLETELY DISTRAUGHT, EVEN NOW, SHE'S NEVER HAD TIME TO GRIEVE. 83 00:11:13,773 --> 00:11:19,545 SHE'S DOING HER BEST TO MOVE ON. SHE DIDN'T KNOW OF A WAY OF DOING THAT. >> KOURI'S BROTHER RONNEY SAYS 84 00:11:19,612 --> 00:11:26,452 IT WAS ALSO HARD FOR THE COUPLES' THREE YOUNG SONS. >> THE BOYS, IT'S SO HARD FOR THEM. 85 00:11:26,519 --> 00:11:31,323 THEY LASHED OUT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON. THEY NEEDED SOME HELP AND KOURI 86 00:11:31,390 --> 00:11:39,765 NEEDED SOME HELP. >> EVENTUALLY KOURI FOUND A WAY TO TURN HER GRIEF INTO ACTION. >> IN MARCH 2023, ONE YEAR AFTER 87 00:11:39,832 --> 00:11:45,037 ERIC'S DEATH, KOURI CAME UP WITH THE IDEA TO WRITE THAT CHILDREN'S BOOK ABOUT COPING WITH LOSS. 88 00:11:45,104 --> 00:11:52,211 "ARE YOU WITH ME?" SHE PROMOTED IT ON A LOCAL TV SHOW, "GOOD THINGS UTAH." >> I JUST WANTED SOME STORY TO 89 00:11:52,278 --> 00:11:59,418 READ TO MY KIDS AT NIGHT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I WAS LIKE, LET'S JUST WRITE ONE. >> THE SELF-PUBLISHED BOOK 90 00:11:59,485 --> 00:12:07,493 FOLLOWS THE STORY OF A CHILD WHO LOST HIS FATHER BUT IS REMINDED HIS PRESENCE STILL EXISTS ALL AROUND. 91 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:14,300 IN THE BOOK, ERIC IS PORTRAYED AS AN ANGEL WHO IS ALWAYS CLOSE BY. "YES, I AM WITH YOU ON 92 00:12:14,366 --> 00:12:19,638 CHRISTMAS," KOURI WRITES, "YOU CAN'T SEE MY SMILE, BUT IT'S THERE. I'M HERE. 93 00:12:19,705 --> 00:12:28,280 AND WE'RE TOGETHER." >> LIKE DAD IS STILL HERE, IT'S JUST IN A DIFFERENT WAY. >> KOURI'S MOTHER, LISA, SAYS 94 00:12:28,347 --> 00:12:33,085 WRITING THE BOOK WAS THERAPEUTIC. >> I THINK THE BOOK WAS A GREAT THING. 95 00:12:33,152 --> 00:12:39,492 >> IT HELPED THEM. >> IT HELPED THEM ALL. >> HER FAMILY SAYS IT FINALLY SEEMED AS THOUGH KOURI AND THE 96 00:12:39,558 --> 00:12:46,365 BOYS WOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD. >> IT SEEMED TO MAKE THE BOYS REALLY HAPPY. 97 00:12:46,432 --> 00:12:53,304 >> WHILE THE FAMILY WAS WORKING TO GET BACK ON TRACK, POLICE HAD BEEN INVESTIGATING ERIC'S DEATH. AND JUST WEEKS AFTER KOURI'S 98 00:12:53,372 --> 00:12:57,576 APPEARANCE ON TV TO PROMOTE HER BOOK. >> NEWS AT 10:00. THIS HAS BEEN A TALKER ALL DAY 99 00:12:57,643 --> 00:13:02,982 TODAY, A SUMMIT COUNTY WOMAN WHO WROTE A CHILDREN'S BOOK ABOUT COPING WITH GRIEF FOLLOWING HER HUSBAND'S DEATH NOW ACCUSED OF 100 00:13:03,048 --> 00:13:09,388 BEING THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY KILLED HIM. >> ON MAY 8, 2023, KOURI, THE GRIEVING WIFE -- 101 00:13:09,455 --> 00:13:21,400 >> THIS IS THE HOME WHERE POLICE FOUND ERIC RICHINS DEAD. >> -- WAS NOW THE PRIME SUSPECT IN HER HUSBAND'S DEATH. 102 00:13:21,467 --> 00:13:23,269 >> YOU MUST HAVE BEEN IN A PANIC. >> I WAS SHOCKED. SHE CAN'T BE ARRESTED. 103 00:13:23,335 --> 00:13:27,606 > A UTAH MOTHER HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER. >> KOURI WAS CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED MURDER AND TAKEN INTO 104 00:13:27,673 --> 00:13:36,549 CUSTODY. COURT DOCUMENTS ALLEGE SHE "COMMITTED HOMICIDE" BY THE" ADMINISTRATION OF A POISON." 105 00:13:36,615 --> 00:13:44,023 GREG SKORDAS, THE SPOKESMAN FOR ERIC'S FAMILY, SUSPECTS KOURI PUT A LETHAL DOSE OF FENTANYL IN THE DRINK SHE MADE ERIC THAT 106 00:13:44,089 --> 00:13:51,063 NIGHT, THE MOSCOW MULE. >> THE DOSAGE THAT HE WAS GIVEN THAT NIGHT WAS OF SUCH A HIGH LEVEL THAT NO PERSON COULD HAVE 107 00:13:51,130 --> 00:14:00,573 SURVIVED IT. >> SKYE LAZARO IS HER ATTORNEY. >> DID POLICE EVER TEST THE GLASS THAT SHE GAVE ERIC THIS 108 00:14:00,639 --> 00:14:10,683 COCKTAIL IN? >> THEY SEIZED A NUMBER OF ITEMS FROM THE HOME, AND THERE WAS NO FENTANYL THAT WAS FOUND ON ANY 109 00:14:10,749 --> 00:14:15,988 GLASSWARE. >> KOURI'S FAMILY SAYS THEY STRUGGLED TO MAKE SENSE OF THE CHARGES. 110 00:14:16,054 --> 00:14:23,429 KOURI DENIES ANY INVOLVEMENT IN HER HUSBAND'S DEATH. >> FOR ANYBODY WHO KNOWS KOURI JUST KNOWS SHE COULD NOT HAVE 111 00:14:23,495 --> 00:14:31,403 DONE THIS. SHE'D NEVER DO THIS. >> LISA SAYS HER DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW HAD A GREAT 112 00:14:31,470 --> 00:14:34,640 RELATIONSHIP. >> NOBODY'S PERFECT, BUT THEY'RE PRETTY CLOSE. >> AND LIKE MANY COUPLES THAT 113 00:14:34,707 --> 00:14:41,547 HAVE DISAGREEMENTS, THEY WERE ABLE TO OVERCOME THEIR DIFFERENCES. >> HE DIDN'T WANT KOURI TO WORK. 114 00:14:41,614 --> 00:14:47,786 HE WANTED HER TO BE A STAY-AT-HOME MOM, AND SHE'S VERY INDEPENDENT, AND THAT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN. 115 00:14:47,853 --> 00:14:56,495 >> ANOTHER ISSUE, SAYS KOURI'S BROTHER, RONNEY, WAS THE AMOUNT OF TIME ERIC SPENT AWAY ON HUNTING TRIPS, SOMETIMES FOUR OR 116 00:14:56,562 --> 00:15:01,867 FIVE MONTHS A YEAR. >> IT JUST KIND OF IRKED HER. BECAUSE THAT -- HIS BIGGEST PASSION IN LIFE IS HUNTING, AND 117 00:15:01,934 --> 00:15:05,604 SHE MIGHT WANT HIM HOME A LITTLE BIT MORE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT GET IN A FIGHT ABOUT THAT. 118 00:15:05,671 --> 00:15:12,511 >> AND THEN, ACCORDING TO KOURI'S MOTHER LISA, THERE WAS ALLEGED INFIDELITY ON ERIC'S PART. 119 00:15:12,578 --> 00:15:21,587 SHE SAYS SHE HEARD ABOUT IT FIRST FROM KOURI AND THEN FROM ERIC. >> IT WAS A TEXT ABOUT TRUST, 120 00:15:21,654 --> 00:15:25,858 HOW I TRUSTED HIM AS A SON-IN-LAW, AS A FATHER, AS A HUSBAND, AND HOW COULD HE DO THIS? 121 00:15:25,924 --> 00:15:31,830 >> KOURI'S FAMILY SAYS THE COUPLE WENT TO COUNSELING, DETERMINED TO WORK THROUGH THEIR ISSUES. 122 00:15:31,897 --> 00:15:40,205 SKORDAS, WHO DENIES ERIC EVER CHEATED ON KOURI, SAYS ERIC HAD A DIFFERENT REASON FOR WANTING TO MAKE HIS MARRIAGE WORK. 123 00:15:40,272 --> 00:15:45,010 >> HE WAS GOING TO DO WHATEVER HE COULD TO MAKE IT WORK BECAUSE HE -- HE LIVED FOR THOSE BOYS. HE WOULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING FOR 124 00:15:45,077 --> 00:15:48,213 THOSE BOYS. LET'S -- LET'S GO TO COUNSELING, LET'S TRY TO KEEP THE FAMILY TOGETHER. 125 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:56,188 >> SKORDAS SAYS AT ONE POINT ERIC HAD CONSIDERED DIVORCE, BUT ULTIMATELY DECIDED AGAINST IT. HE SAYS TO PROTECT THE BOYS IN 126 00:15:56,255 --> 00:16:04,229 CASE THE RELATIONSHIP DIDN'T WORK OUT, ERIC PUT HIS ESTATE INTO A SECRET TRUST, WITHOUT TELLING KOURI, AND NAMED HIS 127 00:16:04,296 --> 00:16:12,204 SISTER KATIE IN CHARGE. BUT IN THE MONTHS LEADING UP TO ERIC'S DEATH, RONNEY SAYS THE COUPLE SEEMED BETTER THAN EVER. 128 00:16:12,271 --> 00:16:20,212 >> HOW WERE THEY DOING AS A COUPLE, AS A FAMILY? >> YEAH, FANTASTIC. THEY WERE PROBABLY ONE OF THE 129 00:16:20,279 --> 00:16:25,517 BEST SPOTS I'VE EVER SEEN THEM IN QUITE SOME TIME. EVERYONE IS HAVING FUN, LAUGHING, JOKING. 130 00:16:25,584 --> 00:16:31,890 YOU KNOW, IT'S -- IT SEEMED REALLY GREAT TO ME. >> SO WHY WOULD KOURI WANT ERIC DEAD? 131 00:16:31,957 --> 00:16:36,128 COURT DOCUMENTS ALLEGE A LIFE INSURANCE PAYOUT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A MOTIVE. SKORDAS SAYS ERIC'S FAMILY 132 00:16:36,195 --> 00:16:46,238 AGREES. >> THIS IS COLD-HEARTED GREED. >> AT THE TIME OF ERIC'S DEATH THERE WERE AT LEAST SIX LIFE 133 00:16:46,305 --> 00:16:58,484 INSURANCE POLICIES ON HIM, TOTALING NEARLY $3 MILLION. COURT DOCUMENTS ALLEGE THAT IN JANUARY 2022, TWO MONTHS BEFORE 134 00:16:58,550 --> 00:17:07,960 ERIC DIED, KOURI "FORGED ERIC'S SIGNATURE," TO GET YET ANOTHER POLICY WORTH AN ADDITIONAL $100,000. 135 00:17:08,026 --> 00:17:19,471 KOURI IS ALSO ACCUSED IN COURT DOCUMENTS OF STEALING FROM ERIC'S PERSONAL ACCOUNTS AND "MISAPPROPRIATING MONEYS 136 00:17:19,538 --> 00:17:23,876 DISTRIBUTED FROM ERIC RICHINS' BUSINESS" DATING BACK YEARS. ACCORDING TO SKORDAS, KOURI DIDN'T JUST WANT THE MONEY, SHE 137 00:17:23,942 --> 00:17:35,487 DESPERATELY NEEDED IT. COURT DOCUMENTS ALLEGE HER HOUSE FLIPPING BUSINESS WAS DROWNING IN NEARLY $2 MILLION OF DEBT. 138 00:17:35,554 --> 00:17:39,057 >> SHE WAS IN WAY OVER HER HEAD. SHE NEEDED SOME MONEY IN A HURRY, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY. 139 00:17:39,124 --> 00:17:48,333 >> SKORDAS SAYS A PREMARITAL AGREEMENT STIPULATED KOURI HAD GIVEN UP CLAIM TO ERIC'S BUSINESS ASSETS, EXCEPT THAT IF 140 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:54,807 HUSBAND SHOULD DIE PRIOR TO WIFE WHILE THE TWO ARE LAWFULLY MARRIED. >> HE WAS WORTH MUCH MORE TO HER 141 00:17:54,873 --> 00:18:00,846 DEAD THAN DIVORCED. SHE FELT THAT THERE WAS EASY MONEY AND FAST MONEY TO BE MADE BY NOT HAVING HER HUSBAND AROUND 142 00:18:00,913 --> 00:18:10,222 ANYMORE. >> KOURI'S ATTORNEY, SKYE LAZARO, STRONGLY DISPUTES ANY ALLEGATIONS HER CLIENT FORGED 143 00:18:10,289 --> 00:18:18,196 ERIC'S SIGNATURE, MISHANDLED FINANCES OR STOLE FROM ERIC. AS FOR THE CLAIM KOURI WAS IN DEBT AND NEEDED THE MONEY, SHE 144 00:18:18,263 --> 00:18:23,535 SAYS THAT'S SIMPLY NOT TRUE. >> SHE WAS IN THE BUSINESS OF FLIPPING HOUSES. THIS IS WHAT THEY DID. 145 00:18:23,602 --> 00:18:30,943 >> LAZARO SAYS TAKING ON DEBT FROM LINES OF CREDIT WAS PART OF HOW THE BUSINESS OF FLIPPING HOUSES WORKED, AND THE MONEY 146 00:18:31,009 --> 00:18:37,883 WOULD BE PAID BACK WHEN A HOME SOLD. >> IT'S NOT AS IF SHE HAD ALL THESE CONVENTIONAL LOANS THAT 147 00:18:37,950 --> 00:18:48,026 SHE OWED PEOPLE MONEY ON IT. SURE, IT LOOKS LIKE A LARGE NUMBER, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS WITH 148 00:18:48,093 --> 00:18:51,530 PEOPLE WHO SHE DID BUSINESS WITH. >> ERIC AND KOURI SAT DOWN EVERY MONTH AND DID THE BILLS 149 00:18:51,597 --> 00:18:57,202 TOGETHER. AT ALL TIMES ERIC KNEW WHAT WAS GOING IN AND WHAT WAS COMING OUT. 150 00:18:57,269 --> 00:19:05,811 >> LISA SAYS ERIC NOT ONLY KNEW ABOUT THE FINANCES, BUT HE WAS ALSO VERY SUPPORTIVE OF KOURI'S NEW BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, LIKE 151 00:19:05,878 --> 00:19:10,082 THE PURCHASE OF THE MANSION THEY WERE CELEBRATING THE NIGHT HE DIED. >> ERIC SAYING, LET'S HAVE A 152 00:19:10,148 --> 00:19:16,688 SHOT. COME ON, LET'S CELEBRATE KOURI. >> IT WAS THAT NIGHT, SKORDAS SAYS, ERIC'S FAMILY BELIEVES 153 00:19:16,755 --> 00:19:25,464 KOURI GAVE HIM THE MOSCOW MULE LACED WITH FENTANYL. AND, HE SAYS, ERIC'S FAMILY BELIEVES IT WASN'T THE FIRST 154 00:19:25,531 --> 00:19:32,471 TIME KOURI HAD TRIED TO POISON HER HUSBAND. >> THE TIME HE DIED WASN'T THE FIRST TIME WE BELIEVED THAT SHE 155 00:19:32,538 --> 00:19:38,777 TRIED TO KILL HIM. 156 00:20:01,032 --> 00:20:10,609 >>> JUST OUTSIDE SALT LAKE CITY, IN THE SHADOW OF UTAH'S WASATCH MOUNTAINS, HOME TO FAMED SKI RESORTS, INCLUDING PARK CITY, IS 157 00:20:10,676 --> 00:20:18,050 THE PROPERTY THAT KOURI RICHINS WAS PLANNING ON FLIPPING, THE DEAL SHE AND ERIC WERE CELEBRATING THE NIGHT HE DIED, 158 00:20:18,116 --> 00:20:23,922 SAYS HER ATTORNEY, SKYE LAZARO. >> IT'S A DECENTLY GOOD SIZED HOME. >> LAZARO SHOWED US THE NEARLY 159 00:20:23,989 --> 00:20:31,563 10-ACRE ESTATE. >> WHERE ARE WE? GIVE US A SENSE OF WHY THIS IS SIGNIFICANT REAL ESTATE. 160 00:20:31,630 --> 00:20:37,736 >> SO THIS IS THE HEBER VALLEY. RIGHT OVER THE HILL IS PARK CITY. ALL THE MAJOR SKI AREAS. 161 00:20:37,803 --> 00:20:45,177 AND THEN TO THE RIGHT IS DEER CREEK RESERVOIR. SO THIS REALLY SITS BETWEEN MAJOR RECREATIONAL AREAS. 162 00:20:45,243 --> 00:20:55,821 >> IT LOOKS GINORMOUS. >> IT'S MASSIVE. >> THE 20,000 SQUARE FOOT MANSION AND ITS 4,000 SQUARE 163 00:20:55,887 --> 00:21:03,862 FOOT GUEST HOUSE WERE ORIGINALLY BUILT IN 2017, BUT NEVER FINISHED. THE PROJECT WAS ABANDONED FOR 164 00:21:03,929 --> 00:21:12,436 TWO YEARS UNTIL KOURI DISCOVERED IT. >> I THINK THIS WAS KIND OF HER DREAM WHEN SHE GOT INTO THIS 165 00:21:12,504 --> 00:21:17,242 IDEA OF FLIPPING HOUSES WAS TO BE ABLE TO DO PROPERTIES LIKE THIS. >> LAZARO SAYS KOURI USED 166 00:21:17,309 --> 00:21:25,217 FINANCING FROM A GROUP OF INVESTORS TO MAKE AN OFFER ON THE HOUSE FOR $3.9 MILLION. >> THE PLAN WAS TO DEVELOP THIS, 167 00:21:25,282 --> 00:21:31,623 TURN IT INTO A RECREATIONAL HOT SPOT, GIVEN THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN THE WORLD AND HOPEFULLY SELL IT 168 00:21:31,690 --> 00:21:37,029 AT A PROFIT. >> HOW MUCH DID SHE THINK SHE COULD MAKE OFF OF THIS HOUSE? >> HER AND ERIC SAT DOWN WITH AN 169 00:21:37,095 --> 00:21:43,402 ACCOUNTANT ONE TIME, AND HE SAID, IF YOU CAN GET IT DONE AND STAY UNDER BUDGET, YOU COULD WALK AWAY WITH $12 MILLION. 170 00:21:43,468 --> 00:21:48,106 >> WOW. THAT'S A -- THAT'S A BIG TURN. >> YES. >> FROM 3.9 TO $12 MILLION. 171 00:21:48,173 --> 00:21:53,979 >> YES. >> THERE WAS A LOT OF EXCITEMENT. I REMEMBER HOW EXCITED SHE WAS. 172 00:21:54,046 --> 00:21:58,750 >> GREG HALL WORKED WITH KOURI. HE SAYS IT WAS A SOLID INVESTMENT. >> IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A REAL 173 00:21:58,817 --> 00:22:04,122 EASY FLIP. THEY WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO -- TO SIT ON THAT FOR LONG. >> AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, ERIC WAS 174 00:22:04,189 --> 00:22:11,063 ON BOARD WITH THIS PLAN? >> OH, A HUNDRED PERCENT. >> BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT ERIC'S FAMILY REMEMBERS, SAYS THEIR 175 00:22:11,129 --> 00:22:15,967 SPOKESMAN, GREG SKORDAS. >> I DON'T THINK HE WAS EVER IN FAVOR OF THAT. HE WAS ON BOARD WITH SUPPORTING 176 00:22:16,034 --> 00:22:23,340 HIS WIFE. THAT DOESN'T MEAN HE AGREED WITH IT. >> IN FACT, THE HOUSE IS 177 00:22:23,407 --> 00:22:29,748 MENTIONED IN THIS LEGAL FILING, CONTAINING NOTES FROM AN INVESTIGATOR WHO INTERVIEWED ERIC'S FAMILY AFTER HIS DEATH. 178 00:22:29,815 --> 00:22:36,088 THEY SAID, "ERIC AND HIS WIFE WERE ARGUING" ABOUT BUYING THE PROPERTY. >> AND THAT WASN'T ALL ERIC'S 179 00:22:36,154 --> 00:22:44,596 FAMILY TOLD INVESTIGATORS. ACCORDING TO THAT SAME FILING, THEY MADE NUMEROUS ALLEGATIONS AGAINST KOURI, INCLUDING THAT 180 00:22:44,663 --> 00:22:51,570 THEY SUSPECTED "HIS WIFE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH HIS DEATH. THEY ADVISED HE WARNED THEM THAT IF ANYTHING HAPPENED TO HIM, SHE 181 00:22:51,636 --> 00:23:00,645 WAS TO BLAME." THEY ALSO TOLD INVESTIGATORS THEY BELIEVED KOURI HAD TRIED TO POISON ERIC BEFORE, ON TWO 182 00:23:00,712 --> 00:23:07,619 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. >> ACCORDING TO THE FILING, ERIC'S FAMILY SAID THE FIRST ATTEMPTED POISONING WAS IN 2019 183 00:23:07,686 --> 00:23:14,526 WHEN ERIC AND KOURI AND SIX FRIENDS WERE ON VACATION IN GREECE. THEY SAID ERIC BECAME "VIOLENTLY 184 00:23:14,593 --> 00:23:21,933 ILL" AFTER KOURI GAVE HIM A DRINK. RONNEY SAYS HE HEARD IT WAS ALL A MISUNDERSTANDING. 185 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:29,407 >> ERIC WAS ON MEDICATION, AND THAT MEDICATION, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DRINK ON. HE ASKED THE WAITRESS TO BRING A 186 00:23:29,474 --> 00:23:34,713 VIRGIN DRINK, A DRINK WITHOUT ALCOHOL. SHE DIDN'T DO IT AND MADE HIM VERY, VERY SICK. 187 00:23:34,780 --> 00:23:39,484 KOURI CALLED HIS DOCTOR, FIGURED OUT WHAT TO DO, AND LATER THAT NIGHT, HE WAS BACK AND -- AND FINE. 188 00:23:39,551 --> 00:23:47,425 EVERYONE THAT WAS THERE WILL TELL YOU THE EXACT SAME THING. >> ACCORDING TO THAT SAME FILING, THE SECOND TIME ERIC'S 189 00:23:47,492 --> 00:23:53,865 FAMILY SAID KOURI TRIED TO POISON ERIC WAS THE MONTH BEFORE ERIC DIED, ON VALENTINE'S DAY 2022. 190 00:23:53,932 --> 00:24:00,238 THEY SAID "HIS WIFE BROUGHT HIM A SANDWICH, WHICH AFTER ONE BITE, ERIC BROKE INTO HIVES AND COULDN'T BREATHE." 191 00:24:00,305 --> 00:24:08,246 KOURI'S FAMILY DENIES SHE EVER TRIED TO POISON HIM. >> THEY ORDERED A SANDWICH, AND THE SANDWICH WAS BAD. 192 00:24:08,313 --> 00:24:16,688 >> HE WENT AND TOOK A NAP, AND THEN WENT AND COACHED ONE OF HIS CHILD'S GAMES. >> ASIDE FROM AN ASSERTION BY 193 00:24:16,755 --> 00:24:26,364 THE FAMILY, THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANYTHING ELSE OUT THERE THAT SUPPORTS THAT. >> ERIC'S FAMILY ALSO CALLED 194 00:24:26,431 --> 00:24:33,772 INTO QUESTION KOURI'S BEHAVIOR FOLLOWING HER HUSBAND'S DEATH. ACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTS, ERIC'S FAMILY TOLD INVESTIGATORS 195 00:24:33,839 --> 00:24:46,952 TWO DAYS AFTER ERIC DIED, KOURI PUNCHED ERIC'S SISTER AMY IN THE NECK AND FACE WHEN AMI TRIED TO STOP HER FROM OPENING A 196 00:24:47,018 --> 00:24:54,359 SAFE THEY SAID CONTAINED BETWEEN $125,000 AND $165,000 CASH. >> THERE WAS AN ARGUMENT THAT BROKE OUT, AND ERIC'S SISTER 197 00:24:54,426 --> 00:24:58,597 SAID THAT SHE OWNS THE HOUSE. EVERYTHING IS PUT INTO A TRUST AND SHE OWNS THE HOUSE. >> REMEMBER, ERIC HAD CREATED 198 00:24:58,663 --> 00:25:07,138 THAT TRUST AND KEPT IT SECRET FROM KOURI WHEN THEY WERE GOING THROUGH THOSE MARITAL PROBLEMS. UNTIL ERIC'S DEATH, KOURI KNEW 199 00:25:07,205 --> 00:25:13,211 NOTHING ABOUT THE TRUST, ACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTS. >> IF ERIC HAD ANY SORT OF DOCUMENTS, HE'D HAVE THEM IN THE 200 00:25:13,278 --> 00:25:17,816 SAFE. SO SHE WENT IN TO GO SEE WHAT WAS IN THERE. AMY CAME AFTER KOURI, AND THEN, 201 00:25:17,883 --> 00:25:21,653 YOU KNOW, KOURI DEFENDED HERSELF. >> THE TWO OF THEM STARTED PUSHING, AND I WAS STANDING IN 202 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:26,358 THE MIDDLE OF THEM. ALL THEY DID WAS PUSH. BOTH OF THEM WERE TRYING TO SWING OVER THE TOP OF ME. 203 00:25:26,424 --> 00:25:32,330 SO THE NARRATIVE THAT'S BEEN PUSHED THAT IT WAS -- POOR AMY GOT ASSAULTED WAS NONSENSE. >> THE BROTHERS SAY AMY STORMED 204 00:25:32,397 --> 00:25:40,739 OFF AND CALLED THE POLICE. A MONTH LATER, KOURI WAS CHARGED WITH ASSAULT AND LATER PLEADED NO CONTEST. 205 00:25:40,805 --> 00:25:46,044 >> HER HUSBAND'S JUST PASSED AWAY. SHE'S HIGHLY EMOTIONAL. EVERYBODY IS -- 206 00:25:46,111 --> 00:25:50,315 >> MM-HMM. >> -- HIGHLY EMOTIONAL. THINGS GOT A LITTLE HEATED BETWEEN THEM. 207 00:25:50,382 --> 00:26:01,026 >> TWO FAMILIES. TWO VERY DIFFERENT STORIES ABOUT WHAT THEY BELIEVE HAPPENED TO ERIC, BUT WITH ACCUSATIONS 208 00:26:01,092 --> 00:26:10,602 FLYING BACK AND FORTH, WHAT DID THE EVIDENCE SHOW? >> THE STATE HAS TO PROVE THAT SHE DID THIS, THAT SHE GOT THE 209 00:26:10,669 --> 00:26:19,144 DRUGS AND THAT SHE SOMEHOW GAVE THEM TO HIM. >> SHE HAD APPARENTLY CONTACTED A DRUG DEALER, A KNOWN DRUG 210 00:26:19,210 --> 00:26:28,619 DEALER IN THAT AREA, AND PURCHASED FENTANYL AND HAD DONE IT ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. 211 00:26:43,768 --> 00:26:53,545 >> ALL RISE. >> HAVE A SEAT, PLEASE. >> IN JUNE 2023, KOURI RICHINS APPEARED IN COURT BEFORE RICHARD 212 00:26:53,611 --> 00:26:59,417 MRAZIK FOR A BOND HEARING. >> THE ISSUE BEFORE THE COURT IS WHETHER DEFENDANT KOURI RICHINS SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE HELD 213 00:26:59,484 --> 00:27:05,924 WITHOUT BAIL DURING THE PRE-TRIAL PERIOD. >> IT WAS THE FIRST TIME SINCE RICHINS HAD BEEN CHARGED IN HER 214 00:27:05,991 --> 00:27:13,932 HUSBAND'S DEATH THAT THE PUBLIC GOT TO SEE HER, AND FOR THE ENTIRE FOUR-HOUR HEARING, SHE SAT IN HANDCUFFS NEXT TO HER 215 00:27:13,999 --> 00:27:20,271 ATTORNEY, SKYE LAZARO. >> I CANNOT IMAGINE HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS FOR KOURI TO SIT THERE AND LISTEN TO 216 00:27:20,338 --> 00:27:26,144 EVERYTHING THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT AT THAT HEARING. >> TO CONVINCE THE JUDGE WHY RICHINS SHOULD NOT BE RELEASED, 217 00:27:26,211 --> 00:27:37,321 PROSECUTORS PATRICIA CASSELL, BRAD BLOODWORTH, AND JOSEPH HILL PRESENTED EVIDENCE AND CALLED WITNESSES TO MAKE THEIR CASE 218 00:27:37,388 --> 00:27:43,128 RICHINS HAD POISONED HER HUSBAND. IT HAD ALL THE ELEMENTS OF A MINI TRIAL. 219 00:27:43,194 --> 00:27:49,501 >> IN ORDER FOR THE JUDGE TO MAKE A DETERMINATION TO DETAIN SOMEONE AT A BAIL HEARING, THE STATE HAS TO PROVE SUBSTANTIAL 220 00:27:49,567 --> 00:27:56,741 EVIDENCE. >> PROSECUTOR JOSEPH HILL CALLED TO THE STAND CELL PHONE EXPERT 221 00:27:56,808 --> 00:28:01,546 CHRIS KOTODRIMOS. >> SIR, IF YOU'D STEP IN FRONT, BRITTANY WILL GET YOU SWORN IN. >> HE ASKED HIM ABOUT GOOGLE 222 00:28:01,613 --> 00:28:07,352 SEARCHES HE SAYS RICHINS MADE ON HER PHONE. >> WERE YOU ABLE TO OBSERVE INTERNET SEARCHES ON THAT PHONE? 223 00:28:07,419 --> 00:28:15,859 >> YES. >> THOSE SEARCHES, WHICH WERE DETAILED IN COURT DOCUMENTS, INCLUDED, CAN DELETED TEXT 224 00:28:15,927 --> 00:28:23,334 MESSAGES BE RETRIEVED FROM AN iPHONE? CAN FBI FIND DELETED MESSAGES? WHAT IS A LETHAL DOSE OF 225 00:28:23,401 --> 00:28:30,241 FENTANYL? >> I DON'T KNOW THAT THESE SEARCHES MEAN AS MUCH WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TIMING OF WHEN 226 00:28:30,308 --> 00:28:37,849 THEY'RE DONE. >> LAZARO SAYS THERE'S AN INNOCENT EXPLANATION, THOSE SEARCHES WERE CONDUCTED AFTER 227 00:28:37,916 --> 00:28:45,123 ERIC'S DEATH. >> I THINK IT'S MORE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS RELATING TO WHAT SHE WAS BEING ACCUSED OF. 228 00:28:45,190 --> 00:28:52,097 >> THE STATE ALSO CALLED TO THE STAND THE LEAD INVESTIGATORS ON THE CASE, DETECTIVE JEFF O'DRISCOLL. 229 00:28:52,163 --> 00:29:00,572 >> I WAS ASSIGNED TO BE THE LEAD -- THE LEAD DETECTIVE IN THIS CASE IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR. >> PROSECUTOR BLOODWORTH 230 00:29:00,638 --> 00:29:04,342 QUESTIONED DETECTIVE O'DRISCOLL ABOUT WHERE RICHINS MAY HAVE GOTTEN FENTANYL. HE SPECIFICALLY ASKED ABOUT AN 231 00:29:04,409 --> 00:29:11,282 INTERVIEW THE DETECTIVE CONDUCTED WITH CARMEN LAUBER, WHO SAID SHE WORKED FOR RICHINS. SHE'S REFERRED TO AS C.L. 232 00:29:11,349 --> 00:29:18,223 >> C.L. IS AN ASSOCIATE OF THE DEFENDANT. SHE CLEANED HOUSES FOR THE DEFENDANT'S BUSINESS, AS WELL AS 233 00:29:18,289 --> 00:29:25,630 HER PERSONAL HOME AT TIMES. DETECTIVE O'DRISCOLL SAID C.L. HAD A CRIMINAL HISTORY WITH DRUGS. 234 00:29:25,697 --> 00:29:30,969 AT THE TIME OF THEIR INTERVIEW, SHE WAS ON PROBATION FOR MULTIPLE DRUG DISTRIBUTION CHARGES, ACCORDING TO COURT 235 00:29:31,035 --> 00:29:41,746 RECORDS. SHE HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH ERIC'S DEATH. >> IN OUR INTERVIEW, C.L. TOLD 236 00:29:41,813 --> 00:29:49,087 US THAT IN EARLY 2022, THE DEFENDANT REACHED OUT TO HER EITHER BY PHONE CALL OR TEXT MESSAGE REQUESTING THAT SHE 237 00:29:49,154 --> 00:29:58,196 PROCURE FENTANYL FOR WHAT THE DEFENDANT REPORTED WAS A INVESTOR WHO HAD A BACK INJURY. >> DETECTIVE O'DRISCOLL 238 00:29:58,263 --> 00:30:02,967 TESTIFIED THAT C.L. TOLD HIM SHE PURCHASED 15 TO 30 FENTANYL PILLS AND THEN SOLD THEM TO RICHINS. 239 00:30:03,034 --> 00:30:08,806 >> C.L. TOLD US THAT AFTER PURCHASING THE PILLS, SHE RETURNED HOME. SHE SAID THAT EITHER LATER THAT 240 00:30:08,873 --> 00:30:15,680 NIGHT OR THE NEXT DAY, THE DEFENDANT MET HER AND DID A HAND-TO-HAND EXCHANGE OF PILLS FOR CASH. 241 00:30:15,747 --> 00:30:24,222 >> THAT TRANSACTION, SAYS DETECTIVE O'DRISCOLL, TOOK PLACE ON FEBRUARY 11th, 2022, THREE DAYS BEFORE VALENTINE'S DAY 242 00:30:24,289 --> 00:30:33,831 WHEN, ACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTS, ERIC'S FAMILY SAID RICHINS HAD TRIED AND FAILED TO POISON ERIC WITH THAT SANDWICH. 243 00:30:33,898 --> 00:30:43,908 BUT THERE WAS MORE. >> WE'RE GOING TO NOW SHIFT TO A SECOND DRUG BUY. >> DETECTIVE O'DRISCOLL SAID 244 00:30:43,975 --> 00:30:51,983 C.L. TOLD HIM RICHINS CONTACT ED HER AGAIN APPROXIMATELY A WEEK LATER. >> THE DEFENDANT REACHED OUT TO 245 00:30:52,050 --> 00:30:57,288 HER AGAIN BY TEXT OR CALL AND SAID THAT SHE WANTED SOME MORE FENTANYL THAT WAS STRONGER THAN THE PREVIOUS BATCH. 246 00:30:57,355 --> 00:31:04,262 >> THIS TIME, DETECTIVE O'DRISCOLL SAID, C.L. TOLD HIM RICHINS PAID BY CHECK. >> THE DEFENDANT CAME TO THE 247 00:31:04,329 --> 00:31:12,237 DOOR AND WROTE HER A CHECK FROM HER BUSINESS, FROM THE DEFENDANT'S BUSINESS, FOR $1,300 FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE 248 00:31:12,303 --> 00:31:16,507 FENTANYL. >> JUST A WEEK LATER, ERIC WAS DEAD. >> WE DISPUTE ALL OF THOSE 249 00:31:16,574 --> 00:31:20,912 ALLEGATIONS. >> IN HER CROSS-EXAMINATION, LAZARO ASKED DETECTIVE O'DRISCOLL IF THERE COULD HAVE 250 00:31:20,979 --> 00:31:27,685 BEEN ANOTHER REASON FOR THAT $1,300 CHECK. >> IT COULD VERY WELL BE THAT KOURI WAS PAYING FOR HER 251 00:31:27,752 --> 00:31:32,523 CLEANING HOUSES, CORRECT? >> I DON'T WANT TO SPECULATE, BUT -- >> IT COULD BE? 252 00:31:32,590 --> 00:31:37,829 >> IT'S POSSIBLE. >> DESPITE WHAT C.L. SAID? CORRECT? OKAY. 253 00:31:37,895 --> 00:31:42,767 >> LAZARO SAYS BECAUSE CARMEN LAUBER IS A CONVICTED FELON, SHE'S NOT CREDIBLE. >> SHE WAS ON PROBATION AT THE 254 00:31:42,834 --> 00:31:52,710 TIME. I THINK ANYTIME YOU HAVE AN INFORMANT-TYPE SITUATION, IT CAN CALL INTO QUESTION THE VERACITY 255 00:31:52,777 --> 00:31:59,117 OF THEIR STATEMENTS OR THE MOTIVE FOR WHAT THEY'RE SAYING. >> IN HER CROSS-EXAMINATION OF DETECTIVE O'DRISCOLL, LAZARO 256 00:31:59,183 --> 00:32:08,026 ATTEMPTED TO SHOW HOW C.L. MIGHT HAVE FELT PRESSURE TO TELL INVESTIGATORS WHAT THEY WANTED TO HEAR. 257 00:32:08,092 --> 00:32:14,632 >> YOU BEGIN THE INTERVIEW BY EXPLAINING TO C.L. ESSENTIALLY HOW DIRE OF A SITUATION SHE'S IN, CORRECT? 258 00:32:14,699 --> 00:32:18,303 >> I DON'T HAVE THE INTERVIEW MEMORIZED, BUT I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, YES. >> OKAY. 259 00:32:18,369 --> 00:32:25,777 WELL, YOU TOLD HER THAT SHE WAS ON PROBATION TO DRUG COURT FOR FOUR FIRST-DEGREE FELONIES, CORRECT? 260 00:32:25,843 --> 00:32:30,548 >> CORRECT. >> YOU ESSENTIALLY TELL HER THAT SHE HAS THE POTENTIAL OF DOING A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF STATE AND 261 00:32:30,615 --> 00:32:36,954 FEDERAL PRISON TIME, POTENTIALLY? >> YES. THIS IS A COMMON TACTIC IN LAW 262 00:32:37,021 --> 00:32:43,328 ENFORCEMENT TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE CHARGES FOR INFORMATION. >> LAZARO ALSO ASKED THE 263 00:32:43,394 --> 00:32:47,632 DETECTIVE WHAT EVIDENCE THERE WAS TO BACK UP C.L.'S CLAIMS THAT SHE HAD SOLD FENTANYL TO RICHINS. 264 00:32:47,699 --> 00:32:51,869 >> BECAUSE C.L.'S WORKING FOR THE DEFENDANT, THERE'S COMMUNICATION, CORRECT? >> CORRECT. 265 00:32:51,936 --> 00:32:59,811 >> BUT DETECTIVE O'DRISCOLL SAID HE SAW NO TEXT MESSAGES WHERE RICHINS ALLEGEDLY ASKS C.L. FOR DRUGS. 266 00:32:59,877 --> 00:33:08,986 >> WE DIDN'T FIND ANY. >> WAS ANYONE WITH HER THAT COULD CORROBORATE THAT SHE SAW C.L. HAND KOURI DRUGS? 267 00:33:09,053 --> 00:33:19,097 >> NOT THAT I KNOW OF. >> 48 HOURS ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT C.L. FOR COMMENT. WE RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. 268 00:33:19,163 --> 00:33:26,137 >> THEY HAVE TO PROVE THAT SHE OBTAINED DRUGS AND GAVE THEM TO HER HUSBAND. >> AND UNLESS THEY CAN CONNECT 269 00:33:26,204 --> 00:33:49,727 THOSE DOTS, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A HARD TIME PROVING MURDER IN THIS CASE. >>> WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF 270 00:33:54,999 --> 00:34:01,105 >>> AS KOURI RICHINS' BOND HEARING CAME TO A CLOSE, HER ATTORNEY, SKYE LAZARO, WAS HOPEFUL HER CLIENT WOULD BE 271 00:34:01,172 --> 00:34:03,875 GRANTED BAIL. >> THIS IS A CASE IN WHICH THERE DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE ANY SMOKING GUN. 272 00:34:03,941 --> 00:34:13,518 THESE CASES ARE GENERALLY MORE FAVORABLE TO THE DEFENSE. >> THE PROSECUTION CLOSED ITS CASE TO DENY RICHINS BAIL WITH A 273 00:34:13,584 --> 00:34:21,025 VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT FROM ERIC'S SISTER AMY. >> I'M HERE TODAY TO REPRESENT MY BROTHER, ERIC EUGENE RICHINS. 274 00:34:21,092 --> 00:34:27,331 ERIC IS GONE, AND I AM BROKENHEARTED. NONE OF OUR LIVES WILL EVER BE THE SAME. 275 00:34:27,398 --> 00:34:32,703 ERIC DIED UNDER HORRENDOUS CIRCUMSTANCES. I AM TORMENTED AT THE THOUGHT OF WHAT HE ENDURED. 276 00:34:32,770 --> 00:34:43,314 PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW KOURI TO HURT ERIC'S MEMORY, OUR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND COMMUNITY ANYMORE. WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH ENOUGH. 277 00:34:43,381 --> 00:34:51,289 >> JUDGE RICHARD MRAZIK SPENT VERY LITTLE TIME MAKING HIS DECISION, RICHINS WOULD REMAIN IN CUSTODY. 278 00:34:51,355 --> 00:34:57,628 >> THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THIS CASE WEIGH SOUNDLY AGAINST GRANTING PRE-TRIAL RELEASE OF ANY KIND. 279 00:34:57,695 --> 00:35:02,767 >> RICHINS' FAMILY WAS DISAPPOINTED. THEY SAY HER TIME IN JAIL WHILE WAITING FOR HER TRIAL HAS TAKEN 280 00:35:02,834 --> 00:35:12,643 ITS TOLL. >> I HEAR HER ON THE PHONE. I HEAR HER SOBBING. >> IN SEPTEMBER 2023, RICHINS' 281 00:35:12,710 --> 00:35:19,517 FAMILY SAYS SHE HAD A MEDICAL EMERGENCY IN CUSTODY WHILE TAKING PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS AND NEEDED TO BE RUSHED TO THE 282 00:35:19,584 --> 00:35:23,286 HOSPITAL. >> WHAT DID SHE SAY HAPPENED TO HER? >> THAT THEY GAVE HER THE WRONG 283 00:35:23,354 --> 00:35:34,232 MEDICINE AND IT CAUSED A SEIZURE. >> RICHINS MADE A FULL RECOVERY, BUT WHILE SHE WAS AWAY, JAIL 284 00:35:34,297 --> 00:35:39,402 OFFICIALS SAY THEY FOUND THIS HANDWRITTEN LETTER IN HER CELL THAT WAS NEVER SENT. THE DOCUMENT LATER FILED IN THE 285 00:35:39,469 --> 00:35:46,244 COURT RECORD HAS BECOME KNOWN FOR THE WORDS SCRAWLED AT TOP OF THE PAGE, WALK THE DOG. PROSECUTORS SAY IT'S FROM 286 00:35:46,310 --> 00:35:50,948 RICHINS TO HER MOTHER. >> I TAKE CARE OF HER 16-YEAR-OLD DOG. >> MM-HMM. 287 00:35:51,015 --> 00:35:58,789 >> AND HER THING IS, BE SURE YOU WALK HAR. SHE'S SO WORRIED ABOUT THIS DOG. >> IN NOVEMBER 2023, PROSECUTORS 288 00:35:58,856 --> 00:36:06,197 FILED THIS MOTION ASKING THE COURT FOR A NO CONTACT ORDER TO DENY RICHINS ACCESS TO HER MOTHER AND BROTHER. 289 00:36:06,264 --> 00:36:12,503 IN THE MOTION, THEY SAY THE LETTER IS EVIDENCE OF WITNESS TAMPERING. THEY SAY RICHINS GIVES HER 290 00:36:12,570 --> 00:36:21,279 MOTHER INSTRUCTIONS ON WHAT HER BROTHER, RONNEY, SHOULD SAY IN COURT. THE LETTER INSTRUCTS LISA DARDEN 291 00:36:21,344 --> 00:36:27,051 TO INDUCE THE DEFENDANT'S BROTHER, RONALD DARDEN TO TESTIFY FALSELY, THE MOTION STATES. 292 00:36:27,118 --> 00:36:36,594 >> TO ME, THIS LETTER IS AN ATTEMPT TO GET A WITNESS TO TESTIFY TO SOMETHING THAT ISN'T TRUE BY SPOON FEEDING THE 293 00:36:36,661 --> 00:36:42,667 WITNESS THE TESTIMONY THAT HE'S SUPPOSED TO GIVE. >> IN THE LETTER, RICHINS WRITES THAT HER DEFENSE WILL NEED TO 294 00:36:42,733 --> 00:36:50,875 ESTABLISH THAT ERIC BOUGHT DRUGS WHILE TRAVELING ABROAD. WE NEED SOME KIND OF CONNECTION. HERE IS WHAT I'M THINKING, BUT 295 00:36:50,942 --> 00:36:55,680 YOU HAVE TO TALK TO RONNEY. HE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO TESTIFY TO THIS. >> IN THE LETTER, IT APPEARS 296 00:36:55,746 --> 00:37:03,321 THAT SHE'S LAYING OUT A LITTLE BIT OF HER DEFENSE, FOR EXAMPLE, YOUR NAME IS BROUGHT UP. ERIC TOLD RONNEY HE GETS PAIN 297 00:37:03,387 --> 00:37:09,060 PILLS AND FENTANYL FROM MEXICO, ALMOST LIKE SHE'S LYING OUT A CASE. >> MM-HMM. 298 00:37:09,126 --> 00:37:18,803 >> SAYING TELL RONNEY. >> RICHINS GOES ON TO WRITE, RONNEY SHOULD HAVE TEXTS FROM ERIC TALKING ABOUT GETTING HIGH 299 00:37:18,869 --> 00:37:24,041 AS WELL. REWORD THIS HOWEVER HE NEEDS TO TO MAKE THE POINT, JUST INCLUDE IT ALL. 300 00:37:24,108 --> 00:37:29,947 THE CONNECTION HAS TO BE MADE WITH MEXICO AND DRUGS. >> IS SHE GIVING YOU INSTRUCTION IN THIS LETTER? 301 00:37:30,014 --> 00:37:36,654 >> I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. >> MOST OF THAT, UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN'T SPEAK ABOUT. 302 00:37:36,721 --> 00:37:46,230 >> THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE LETTER ARE TRUE THINGS, AND EVERYBODY WHO'S IN HER CIRCLE ALREADY KNEW THIS. 303 00:37:46,297 --> 00:37:52,503 >> BUT KOURI HAS A DIFFERENT EXPLANATION. SHE SAYS THE LETTER IS FICTION. IN SEPARATE PHONE CALLS FROM 304 00:37:52,570 --> 00:37:58,075 JAIL THAT WERE RECORDED AND LATER ENTERED INTO THE COURT RECORD, SHE TOLD HER MOTHER AND RONNEY THAT THE LETTER WAS PART 305 00:37:58,142 --> 00:38:07,718 OF A BOOK SHE'S BEEN WRITING AND THAT IT'S PRIVATE. THE JUDGE DENIED THE MOTION FOR NO CONTACT SAYING THE STATE HAD 306 00:38:07,785 --> 00:38:13,257 FAILED TO PROVE WITNESS TAMPERING. >> IT ISN'T WITNESS TAMPERING BECAUSE IT DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE. 307 00:38:13,324 --> 00:38:20,898 AND IT WAS NEVER COMMUNICATED TO ANYONE. >> AS THE FAMILIES WAIT FOR THE TRIAL, THEY SAY THEIR FOCUS IS 308 00:38:20,965 --> 00:38:28,072 ON ERIC AND KOURI'S THREE SONS. >> THE FAMILY IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE BOYS. >> THAT'S THE MAIN FOCUS. 309 00:38:28,139 --> 00:38:34,045 THE BOYS. THAT'S WHO'S IMPORTANT HERE RIGHT NOW. >> BOTH FAMILIES SAY THEY HOPE 310 00:38:34,111 --> 00:38:40,818 TO GAIN CUSTODY. THE BOYS ARE CURRENTLY LIVING WITH A MEMBER OF ERIC'S FAMILY. LISA SAYS THEY'RE ONLY ALLOWED 311 00:38:40,885 --> 00:38:48,359 TO SPEAK TO THEIR MOTHER TWICE A WEEK ON A VIDEO CALL. >> IT'S JUST HEART WRENCHING AS TO WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH. 312 00:38:48,426 --> 00:38:55,800 >> LISA, RONNEY, AND DJ HAVE BEEN DENIED PRIVATE VISITS WITH THE KIDS. BUT LISA SAYS SHE DOES WHAT SHE 313 00:38:55,866 --> 00:39:02,573 CAN TO SUPPORT THEM, AND ATTENDS ALL THEIR SPORTS PRACTICES. >> AND THE REASON I CAN DO THAT, IT'S A PUBLIC PLACE. 314 00:39:02,640 --> 00:39:08,045 I CAN'T BE STOPPED FROM GOING THERE. I STILL GET TO SEE THEM. I STILL GET A HUG AND KISS, AND 315 00:39:08,112 --> 00:39:17,354 THAT KEEPS ME GOING. >> BESIDES THE CRIMINAL CASE, WHICH COULD CARRY A SENTENCE OF 25 YEARS TO LIFE, THERE ARE 316 00:39:17,421 --> 00:39:25,663 MULTIPLE ONGOING CIVIL CASES REGARDING THE FATE OF ERIC'S ESTATE. BOTH SIDES BELIEVE THE OTHER IS 317 00:39:25,730 --> 00:39:28,364 AFTER THE MONEY. >> BOTH FAMILIES ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE BOYS. >> YOU COULD SAY. 318 00:39:28,431 --> 00:39:32,870 YOU COULD SAY THAT. I WOULDN'T. WE BELIEVE THAT THE DEFENDANT'S FAMILY'S CONCERNED ABOUT THE 319 00:39:32,937 --> 00:39:38,743 MONEY THAT THEY CAN GET. >> WHOEVER ENDS UP WITH THE BOYS ENDS UP WITH THE MONEY. THAT'S ALL THEY WANT. 320 00:39:38,809 --> 00:39:47,685 IT'S NOT RIGHT. >> UNTIL THAT'S RESOLVED, BOTH FAMILIES ARE WAITING FOR THE TRIAL TO START AND ARE HOPING 321 00:39:47,752 --> 00:39:54,024 FOR A VERDICT THAT DELIVERS THEIR VERSION OF JUSTICE. >> AND WHAT IS THE FAMILY DOING TO STAY STRONG NOW? 322 00:39:54,091 --> 00:39:59,029 >> YOU KNOW, THE FAMILY HAS THE FAMILY. THEY HAVE EACH OTHER. THEY FEEL LIKE THE STATE HAS PUT 323 00:39:59,096 --> 00:40:08,472 TOGETHER A GOOD CASE, AND THEY'RE GOING TO STAY UNITED AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS CASE. 324 00:40:08,539 --> 00:40:15,880 >> SHE'S INNOCENT. SHE'S BEEN THROWN IN JAIL OVER SOMETHING SHE HASN'T COMMITTED. >> ARE YOU BOTH CONFIDENT THAT 325 00:40:15,946 --> 00:40:20,284 KOURI WILL BE FOUND NOT, LISA? >> I AM, 100%. >> 100%, SHE'LL BE OUT.