The murder trial of Kouri Richins in Summit County, Utah, has delivered another emotional courtroom moment with prosecutors presenting romantic text messages between Richins and her alleged lover, Robert Josh Grossman (a handyman who worked on her real estate projects), exchanged while her husband Eric Richins was still alive. Grossman, a 43-year-old Iraq war veteran, took the stand on March 4, 2026 (Day 8 of the trial), becoming visibly emotional—wiping away tears and appearing heartbroken—as dozens of affectionate texts were displayed for the jury.

The messages, spanning late 2021 into early 2022, included repeated declarations of love. Examples from testimony and court records:

Kouri texted Grossman variations of “I love you,” such as on Valentine’s Day 2022 (“I love you Wanna be one of my valentines”) and other dates like April 8, 2022 (“I love you”).

Grossman reciprocated, responding with “I love you,” “In Love with YOU!,” and expressing deep affection.

In one exchange weeks before Eric’s death, Kouri wrote: “If he could just go away and you could just be here! Life would be so perfect!!! I love you.”

Another chilling pre-death text from Kouri: “If I was divorced right now and ask you to marry me tomorrow, you would?” Grossman replied affirmatively.

Post-death (April 2022), she messaged: “I think I want you to be my husband one day.”

Grossman testified that their relationship turned romantic around early 2020 after he moved to Utah for work with her house-flipping business. He said he loved her and believed the feeling was mutual, though he described it as more fantasy than reality amid her marriage. Prosecutors argue these texts reveal motive: Kouri’s desire for a future without Eric amid severe financial strain (millions in debts from real estate and business ventures) and plans to collect nearly $2 million in life insurance.

Investigators and prosecutors say what happened days later inside the Richins home (leading to Eric’s death on March 4, 2022) is even more disturbing. Eric consumed a single Moscow mule cocktail allegedly prepared by Kouri to celebrate a house closing. Hours later, she found him unresponsive and cold around 3 a.m., delaying the 911 call until 3:21 a.m. Toxicology showed five times the lethal dose of fentanyl in his system—no history of opioid use. Prosecutors allege she laced the drink with fentanyl obtained illicitly (via her former housekeeper Carmen Lauber, who testified to selling it multiple times, including around a prior alleged attempt in February 2022).

The timeline haunts the case: Kouri tended to a child with nightmares after serving the drink, left Eric alone, and only called for help after a significant delay. No immediate drug paraphernalia was found, but later searches uncovered hidden evidence, deleted phone data (hundreds of messages/calls from January–March 2022), suspicious web searches (e.g., luxury prisons, wiping iPhones), and links to drug sources. A chilling post-death conversation Grossman recounted: weeks after Eric’s death, Kouri asked if he had ever “taken someone’s life” or killed anyone (possibly referencing his military service), which he found unusual but not alarming at the time.

The defense counters that no direct evidence proves Kouri administered fentanyl, deletions could be routine, and Eric’s death might relate to pain management for Lyme disease or accidental causes. They challenge witness credibility and evidence handling.

Kouri, who promoted her self-published children’s grief book “Are You With Me?” a year later as a grieving widow, faces aggravated murder, attempted murder, insurance fraud, and forgery charges—potentially life without parole. The trial (now in its third week as of March 9, 2026) nears the prosecution’s close, with emotional testimony underscoring themes of deception, debt-driven desperation, and exploited grief. Eric’s family seeks justice amid the revelations.