Woman accused of poisoning her husband now accused of witness tampering

SALT LAKE CITY — Kouri Richins, a woman accused of fatally poisoning her husband, is now accused of witness tampering after a handwritten letter was found in her jail cell.

In the six-page letter, Kouri Richins compelled her mother, Lisa Darden to provide her brother information to give a false testimony, according to prosecutors.

The State of Utah motioned for a no-contact order to “prevent the defendant from further witness tampering.” Judge Richard Mrazik granted the order.

Walk the Dog and witness tampering

The letter, titled “Walk The Dog!!” instructs Kouri Richin’s mom to tell Ronald Darden to testify that Kouri Richin’s husband, Eric, was getting fentanyl from Mexico, which eventually led to his death.

It states: “Eric told [Redacted name] that he got Pain Pills and fentanyl from Mexico from the workers at the ranch,” Kouri Richins goes on to explain that Ronald Darden can “reword [the narrative] however he needs to to make the point just include it all.”

Richins states in the letter that her brother would probably have to testify to this, but “it’s super short not a lot to it.” She later explains, “it can be short and to the point but has to be done. Upon information and belief. LOL.”

Richins wanted her mom to meet with her brother Ronald Darden. She wanted the two of them to meet in person since she worried the “house and phone are bugged.”

“Tell [redacted name] don’t overanalyze it. It was a quick 2 min. conversation. LOL Tell him I need him to do this. Bring me home and then we will get those d*** b******!”

Found inside her cell

The letter was recovered in Kouri Richin’s cell inside a book.

Kouri Richins was first arrested in May 2023 for the murder of her husband, Eric Richins. Eric Richins was found dead in 2022 of a fentanyl overdose. Kouri Richins told police that she and her husband were celebrating and she made him a mixed drink before bed the evening before he died.

Kouri Richins is charged with first-degree felony, aggravated murder, but will not not face the death penalty if convicted.

After her husband’s death, Kouri Richins wrote a children’s book. It dealt with grief after the death of a loved one. In June, a judge ordered that Richins remain in custody as the court case moves forward.

Read more:

• Kouri Richins sued by husband’s estate