Gene and Linda (Carter) Richins welcomed Eric Eugene Richins into the world on May 13, 1982 in Bountiful, Utah. Eric spent countless hours helping his father with ranch work, such as hauling hay, tending to the animals, and fixing fences, as he grew to enjoy caring for horses and cows. He was a devoted son, brother, and uncle who had an unwavering love for his family.

Eric divorced his first wife Julie Jorgenson, whom he married in 2005, in 2009. Julie was tragically killed in a car accident in January 2011 at the age of 26. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, a pickup truck smashed into Julie’s vehicle at 70 mph while she was stopped at a red light, causing it to burst into flames.

The driver of the pickup truck, who was later sentenced to prison, had been under the influence of marijuana and was unable to see through his frost-covered windshield.

Eric’s Marriage with Kouri

Eric valued his role as a devoted family man and worked tirelessly to be the best husband and father he could be. He adored his three sons, Carter (9), Ashton (7), and Weston (5), and lavished love and devotion on his wife of nine years, Kouri (Darden) Richins. Eric went to great lengths to ensure that his family had access to all of the resources they needed to foster their growth, learning, and enjoyment.

Eric’s decision to draft a prenuptial agreement was influenced by his previous divorce from his first wife, Julie Jorgenson, in 2009.

According to the prenuptial agreement, Eric and Kouri agreed that neither of them would have any right to the ‘present or future income, or assets of the other, including, but not limited to, the business known as C&E Stone Masonry LLC [which] is owned in partnership between Husband and a third party,’ unless Eric died before Kouri while they were still married.

The prenuptial agreement, which was signed alongside the wedding certificate on June 15, 2013, stated that in the event of Eric’s death, his assets would be smoothly transferred to Kouri without any complications.

Without Kouri’s knowledge, Eric moved their family home, all personal belongings, and his share in the masonry business he co-owned with his friend and partner, Cody Wright, into a trust that he entrusted to his sister Katie Richins-Benson, who was 38 years old at the time.

According to the prenuptial agreement, Eric’s ownership stake in the company was worth about $2.5 million in 2013. The actual value of Eric’s share at the time of his death, however, had significantly surpassed that sum, according to legal documents submitted by Kouri.

Kouri & Eric’s Family

Soon after Eric’s passing, Kouri’s relationship with the Richins family deteriorated. Tensions started to build between them 48 hours after his death.

Kouri has claimed that several people, including Eric’s sister, spent the night at the home on March 5, the evening following Eric’s passing. Kouri asked Eric’s sister to leave the following morning, March 6, 2022, to give her time and space to grieve the loss of her husband.

Eric’s sister allegedly refused to leave the family home despite Kouri’s requests and started verbally and physically harassing her. Eric’s sister allegedly asserted that Kouri did not have ownership of the family home and threatened to evict her after Kouri insisted that she leave.

On March 28, 2022, Kouri filed her claim against Eric’s estate and his sister to execute her brother’s will. This was less than two weeks after Eric’s sister Richins-Benson started the probate action to do so.

Kouri Writes and Promotes Her Book

After her husband’s passing, Kouri Richins authored a picture book titled “Are You With Me?” aimed at helping children deal with the loss of a loved one.

Earlier this month, Kouri made an appearance on a local Utah television station to promote her book. She claimed that she and her three young sons worked together to create it in order to illustrate the range of feelings and grieving processes they had experienced over the previous year.

Kouri Richins is Charged For Murder

Police claim that between February 11 and February 26, 2022, Kouri spent $1,800 buying street-grade fentanyl from a friend, according to the charging documents. After a Valentine’s Day dinner with his wife, Eric became violently ill just three days after her first alleged purchase. He confided in a friend that he thought his wife might have poisoned him.

Eric had previously expressed concern about his wife’s plans on several occasions. He called his 35-year-old younger sister Amy in 2020 while on vacation in Greece and told her that he had become ill after consuming a drink made by Kouri. He had said then that he thought Kouri might have poisoned him.

The preliminary court hearing for Kouri Richins, who is currently being held, is set for this coming Friday, May 19.