Children’s Book Author Texted Handyman Lover Leading Up to Husband's Poisoned Moscow Mule Murder: Prosecutors

In a hearing on whether or not Utah grief book author Kouri Richins will stand trial in the death of her husband, a forensics expert revealed she had texted her alleged lover in the days leading up to what police believe was murder.

As Front Page Detectives previously reported, Richins is accused of killing Eric Richins with a fentanyl-laced Moscow mule on March 4, 2022.

In the two days prior to her husband’s fatal overdose, Richins allegedly sent text messages to Robert Grossman, digital forensic expert Chris Kotrodimos testified in a Park City courtroom, the New York Post reported.

During the hearing, prosecutor Joe Hill asked Kotrodimos, “Around the time that Mr. Richins passed away, there were ongoing messages between Mr. Grossman and Mrs. Richins?”

Kotrodimos answered, “Yes.”

According to court documents obtained by the Daily Mail, the day before Eric Richins' death, the suspect messaged Grossman, writing, “Love you."

Kotrodimos confirmed that Kouri Richins kept Grossman in the loop about her arrival time while she was driving to see someone on Feb. 14, 2022 — which is the first time she allegedly tried to poison her husband with a fentanyl-laced sandwich, prosecutors claim.

“She said she was on her way to see him,” Kotrodimos said. “He asked if she was about an hour away and she said yes and sent him a screenshot.”

Kotrodimos also claimed that Richins and Grossman started messaging in November 2021, and they continued to do so after Eric Richins’ death.

“The volume varied depending on the day,” he said, noting the two talked near daily, including speaking on the phone.

Prosecutors said investigators collected “a lot of data” from Richins’ cell phone between January and March 2022, which included her call logs, text messages and internet search history.

Richins initially hired Grossman, a handyman, to renovate homes for her real estate company.

The hearing for Kouri Richins, which kicked off on Aug. 26, is slated to last three days, with witnesses testifying to determine whether prosecutors have enough to try her for aggravated murder and related charges.

If convicted, the defendant could face up to 25 years in prison.

Never miss a story — sign up for the Front Page Detectives newsletter. Be on the scene the moment news breaks.

Earlier in the hearing, Summit County Detective Jeff O’Driscoll testified that Richins’ housekeeper, Carmen Marie Lauber, allegedly had sold fentanyl to Richins on three different occasions — Feb. 11, Feb. 26 and March 9, 2022.

Prosecutors claimed Eric Richins began to suspect his wife was cheating on him and plotting to kill him, so she came up with the elaborate scheme.

Eric Richins had recently changed his life insurance policy and cut Kouri Richins out of his will, officials said.

After Eric Richins’ death, Kouri published the children’s book Are You With Me? about coping with grief.