The ongoing murder trial of Kouri Richins in Summit County, Utah, has entered its third week (as of early March 2026), with prosecutors intensifying focus on digital evidence from phones to build their case that she deliberately poisoned her husband, Eric Richins, 39, with a lethal dose of fentanyl on March 4, 2022. Eric died hours after drinking a Moscow mule cocktail prepared by Kouri at their Kamas home, toxicology showing approximately five times the lethal level of fentanyl in his system—no history of opioid use on his part supported accidental ingestion.

Prosecutors allege Kouri obtained fentanyl through her former housekeeper, Carmen Lauber, who testified to purchasing it from dealer Robert Crozier on multiple occasions in early 2022. Cell phone data analyst Chris Kotrodimos (using Cellebrite forensics) testified that call detail records (CDRs), cell tower pings, and location data link Kouri’s devices to Lauber and Crozier around alleged buy dates. For instance, phones pinged near each other during purported deals, including one weeks before Eric’s death. Kouri’s phones showed mass deletions of hundreds of texts, web history, and calls from January to mid-March 2022—the window covering alleged drug acquisitions, a prior poisoning attempt (fentanyl-laced sandwich causing Eric hives/blackout in February), and Eric’s death—while Eric’s phone had no such deletions.

Digital forensics also revealed near-daily texts between Kouri and her alleged paramour, Robert Josh Grossman (a handyman working on her real estate flips), starting November 2021. Grossman testified emotionally, tearing up as affectionate messages were read aloud: weeks before Eric’s death, Kouri texted things like “If he could just go away and you could just be here! Life would be so perfect!!!” and “If I was divorced right now and asked you to marry me tomorrow, you would?” Post-death, she wrote about wanting him as her husband someday and shared resort links for future plans.

The “one message sent hours before Eric went to bed” that has investigators digging deeper aligns with late-night activity on March 3–4, 2022 (the night Eric died). Prosecutors highlighted Kouri texting Grossman around 8:30 p.m. on March 3, saying she was busy but loved him, amid plans to celebrate a house closing. Earlier that evening (around 7:22 p.m. March 3), a gift or message was exchanged. Eric went to bed after the celebratory cocktail; Kouri accessed her phone at 3:06 a.m. but didn’t call 911 until 3:21 a.m., when she found him unresponsive and cold. Prosecutors argue this delay, combined with the massive fentanyl dose and no initial paraphernalia found, points to deliberate poisoning—she allegedly served the drink, left him alone (tending to a child), and waited hours before “discovering” him.

Other phone evidence includes suspicious web searches, deleted items, and no texts between Kouri/Eric about illicit drugs (supporting prosecution’s claim she hid it). Defense counters that deletions could be routine, cell data has limitations (not pinpoint precise), no direct proof ties Kouri to fentanyl, and Eric’s death could stem from pain management issues or accidental overdose. They challenge witness credibility and evidence chain.

Kouri, who promoted her 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 in prison if convicted. Trial continues, with prosecution nearing rest (possibly Monday/Tuesday March 9–10, 2026), followed by defense. Eric’s family and community watch closely amid themes of deception, debt (Kouri allegedly owed millions), and exploited grief.