Kouri Richins Denied Bail, to Remain in Jail Until Murder Trial

Kouri Richins, a Utah mother accused of fatally poisoning her husband with a lethal dose of fentanyl, will remain in jail until her murder trial next year, a judge ruled on Tuesday. Richins has been incarcerated in the Summit County Jail since her arrest in May 2023.

The decision was made by Judge Richard Mrazik, who initially denied Richins bail in 2023 when she faced the death penalty. Although the state later announced it would no longer seek the death penalty, Richins’ defense team still sought to have her bail conditions reconsidered to allow her release from jail. However, Judge Mrazik denied this request, citing the severity of the charges and the potential for lengthy prison sentences that could lead to her “dying in prison,” which he believed created a strong incentive for her to harm herself, witnesses, or flee the jurisdiction.

Richins is charged with aggravated murder and attempted murder, both first-degree felonies, as well as other counts including insurance fraud, filing fraudulent insurance claims, and forgery. Her defense team had also filed motions to sever the attempted murder charge from the aggravated murder charge and to expand the number of jurors from 8 to 12, both of which were denied by the judge. However, the judge did grant the motion to separate the real estate case against Richins from her murder trial and dropped two drug charges related to distributing a controlled substance.

The judge also noted that Richins’ connections to the community had weakened since her initial arrest, as her business had closed and her children were now under the guardianship of her husband’s family. This lack of structural ties to the community was another factor in the judge’s decision to deny bail.

The trial is scheduled for next April, and the next hearing in the case is set for December 12. Richins’ defense team argued that keeping her in jail hampers their ability to prepare for her defense effectively, but the judge’s ruling stands.