Eric Richins’ family was not surprised to see new criminal charges filed against his wife ahead of her scheduled court date in a few weeks.
Greg Skordas, a spokesperson for the family, said the Richins were expecting the charges — attempted homicide, fraud and forgery — because they were “well aware” of the alleged crimes.
The Summit County Attorney’s Office accused Kouri of trying to poison Eric at least once before his death and other unlawful acts in the court documents first filed after her arrest in May 2023. However, prosecutors did not file charges against her until this week when there was enough information to do so.
“There was no question that there was mortgage fraud and that there were some forgeries which had occurred,” Skordas said. “But the County Attorney, to its credit, did significant research and found out how to establish those crimes and now have enough evidence to charge them.”
The timing is significant because Kouri’s next scheduled court appearance is a preliminary hearing on May 15. Third District Court Judge Richard Mrazik at that time will hear witness testimony and evidence to determine whether there’s probable cause that a crime has been committed. The case could be dismissed if there is insufficient evidence.
If the County Attorney’s Office waited to file the new charges, the defense could have asked for another preliminary hearing date.
“Given the long period of time that it’s taken to get this case to a preliminary hearing, it’s probably best that we not put this off for another few months,” Skordas said.
Prosecutors accused Kouri of attempting to poison Eric with a drug-laced sandwich on Valentine’s Day, just around a month before he died in the early hours of March 4, 2022, of a fentanyl overdose.
New court filings also allege Kouri was having an affair, an indication of a motive, Skordas said. She communicated with a “paramour” in the months before and after Eric’s death, including during the alleged poisoning on Feb. 14 and when Kouri learned she would not inherit her husband’s estate.
Kouri’s “paramour” also texted her a photo of two people kissing with the caption “love you” around 7:22 p.m. on March 3. She responded “love you” about an hour later with a kiss emoji. Kouri told law enforcement she had a drink with Eric at 9 p.m. to celebrate closing on a house for work before going to bed.
The Kamas mother of three said she left the bedroom around 9:30 p.m. because one of their children was having a nightmare, according to court documents. She returned around 3 a.m. and discovered Eric cold to the touch. Kouri allegedly waited 13 minutes before calling 911.
“I think Kouri’s infidelity is relevant to … her desire to get rid of her husband in order to have as much money as possible when she starts up her new relationship with her paramour,” Skordas said.
Kouri’s mother Lisa Darden has accused Eric of being unfaithful, too. According to court documents, Kouri told a lender in 2021 that she and her husband “are in the process of separation for one of many reasons” after she attempted to secure a mortgage loan with credit delinquencies.
Skordas said he didn’t think Eric was engaged in any sort of infidelity. He could not say whether the couple actually considered a separation.
Darden is under investigation for her possible involvement in “planning and orchestrating Eric’s death.” Summit County Sheriff’s Office deputies began looking into her after learning Darden’s romantic partner died of an unexpected overdose in 2006.
Darden was living with the woman at the time and was named as her beneficiary a short time before her death. Her proximity “to her partner’s suspicious overdose death” and her close relationship with Kouri was a concern, and deputies sought a search warrant for possible evidence of a “conspiracy to kill Eric Richins.”
“I’m not sure Kouri had the sophistication to plan this out by herself, and so it wouldn’t surprise us that someone had either given her information or knowledge about how to do something like this,” Skordas said. “Hopefully that person will also be brought to justice.”
Darden has not been charged with a crime as of Tuesday afternoon.
Kouri is being held without bail for the duration of her trial. A preliminary hearing date has been set for 9 a.m. on May 15 at the Third District Court.
Skordas said nothing has been disclosed to him, but he expects new information to be presented then. He maintained Kouri is presumed innocent until proven guilty.