Utah Mother Accused of Husband’s Murder Faces New Court Hearing

PARK CITY, Utah (KUTV) — Kouri Richins, the Utah mother accused of killing her husband and later authoring a children’s book about grief, appeared in court Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, in Summit County. The case, which has drawn national attention, revolves around the death of her husband, Eric Richins, and the charges against her.

During the hearing, Richins’ attorneys grilled detectives about the handling of evidence, particularly the seizure of her cell phone during a traffic stop on April 13, 2022. The defense questioned whether proper legal procedures were followed, including whether Richins was read her rights, which could affect the admissibility of the evidence.

Detectives were also pressed on the legality of the traffic stop and whether Richins’ statements and actions during the incident were voluntary. The courtroom scrutinized security footage from the jail, where correctional officers were seen handling an envelope and papers in Richins’ cell. An officer testified that they “found something” while reviewing the video, though no further details were disclosed.

The judge did not issue any rulings during the hearing, and a follow-up hearing is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 3.