Home US Utah cops say Kouri Richins’ mom may have been involved in planning son-in-law’s poisoning after he died from drinking fentanyl-laced Moscow mule

Utah cops say Kouri Richins’ mom may have been involved in planning son-in-law’s poisoning after he died from drinking fentanyl-laced Moscow mule

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Kouri Richins is accused of poisoning her husband Eric, 39, by dumping five times the lethal dose of fentanyl into a Moscow mule in March 2022

Police in Utah have revealed that the mother of accused killer Kouri Richins may have been involved in her son-in-law’s alleged murder.

Richins, of Kama, Utah, is accused of poisoning her husband by serving him a fentanyl-laced Moscow mule on March 3, 2022.

Now, investigators have revealed a new theory that Richins got the idea from his mother Lisa Darden, 64.

In May 2023, a detective from the Summit County Sheriff’s Office filed a wanted affidavit based on a suspicion that Darden was ‘involved in planning and orchestrating Eric’s death’ based on her previous involvement in a mysterious death in 2006.

“In the investigation of Kouri Richins’ associates, it was discovered that in 2006, Richins’ mother, Lisa Darden, was living with an adult woman with whom she had a romantic relationship,” the detective wrote in the affidavit.

‘In April of that year, her romantic partner died unexpectedly.’

Kouri Richins is accused of poisoning her husband Eric, 39, by dumping five times the lethal dose of fentanyl into a Moscow mule in March 2022

Kouri Richins is accused of poisoning her husband Eric, 39, by dumping five times the lethal dose of fentanyl into a Moscow mule in March 2022

Investigators have uncovered evidence suggesting Richins' mother Lisa Darden, 64, (pictured) may have played a role in Eric Richins' death

Investigators have uncovered evidence suggesting Richins' mother Lisa Darden, 64, (pictured) may have played a role in Eric Richins' death

Investigators have uncovered evidence suggesting Richins’ mother Lisa Darden, 64, (pictured) may have played a role in Eric Richins’ death

The partner was Gertrude Lee Moore, who died aged 49 ‘suddenly’ on 30 April 2006. In Moore’s obituaryDarden was described as ‘her best friend.’

An autopsy revealed that Moore’s ‘immediate cause of death was drug intoxication from an oxycodone overdose,’ Fox News reported.

‘Further investigation revealed that Lisa Darden had been named as the beneficiary of her partner’s estate shortly before her death,’ the detective continued.

“The woman had current prescriptions for oxycodone and reportedly struggled with abusing her medication. However, she was not in a state of recovery from addiction at the time of her death.

“Based on my training and experience, this would likely rule out the possibility of an accidental overdose.”

The detective suggested that based on Darden’s proximity to Moore’s suspected overdose death and her close relationship with Richins, she could have been involved in the ‘planning and orchestration’ of Eric’s overdose death.

Skye Lazaro, the attorney representing Kouri Richins, rejected the detective’s suggestion, saying Darden’s partner was a victim of the national opioid crisis.

‘Summit County is well aware that opioid addiction and fentanyl overdose is a widespread problem across the country. According to the CDC, 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl,” Lazaro said in a statement to Fox.

Skye Lazaro, the attorney representing Kouri Richins, dismissed the detective's suggestion that the mother was involved, saying Darden's partner was a victim of the national opioid crisis

Skye Lazaro, the attorney representing Kouri Richins, dismissed the detective's suggestion that the mother was involved, saying Darden's partner was a victim of the national opioid crisis

Skye Lazaro, the attorney representing Kouri Richins, dismissed the detective’s suggestion that the mother was involved, saying Darden’s partner was a victim of the national opioid crisis

Richins is accused of poisoning husband Eric (pictured right), 39, by putting five times the lethal dose of fentanyl into his drink in March 2022

Richins is accused of poisoning husband Eric (pictured right), 39, by putting five times the lethal dose of fentanyl into his drink in March 2022

Richins is accused of poisoning husband Eric (pictured right), 39, by putting five times the lethal dose of fentanyl into his drink in March 2022

The night Eric died, the mother and daughter were celebrating the Richins’ recent closing on a $2 million mansion. Richins owned a real estate company and her husband owned a successful bricklaying business.

A day after his death, search warrant affidavits show Kouri signed the closing papers on the property and invited friends to a party where she drank and celebrated.

Richins and her husband had previously argued over her plans to buy and flip a $2 million 10-acre home in the days before he was found dead in their Utah home last March, according to court documents.

Prosecutors say Eric found out his wife had taken out a $250,000 line of credit and used it, withdrawing $100,000 from his bank accounts and spending more than $30,000 on his credit cards.

Kouri Richins also stole about $134,000 from her husband’s business intended for tax payments, the documents state.

The documents show that she agreed to repay her husband when he confronted her about the missing money.

Prosecutors allege Kouri purchased four different life insurance policies totaling more than $1.9 million between 2015 and 2017.

Kouri, now 35, was charged with aggravated murder and drug possession in 2023. Authorities allege she poisoned Eric with fentanyl to collect millions in life insurance funds.

Kouri Richins is said to have purchased four life insurance policies on her husband totaling $2 million in the years before his death, according to court records

Kouri Richins is said to have purchased four life insurance policies on her husband totaling $2 million in the years before his death, according to court records

Eric and Kouri Richins

Eric and Kouri Richins

Kouri is said to have purchased four life insurance policies on her husband totaling $2 million in the years before his death, according to court records

Richins and her husband had argued over her plans to buy and flip a $2 million 10-acre home, pictured here, in the days before he was found dead

Richins and her husband had argued over her plans to buy and flip a $2 million 10-acre home, pictured here, in the days before he was found dead

Richins and her husband had argued over her plans to buy and flip a $2 million 10-acre home, pictured here, in the days before he was found dead

Before his death in March 2022, Eric had changed his will to make his sister the sole beneficiary of his life insurance policy and even considered divorcing Kouri, according to his family.

Family lawyer and spokesman Greg Skordas previously told DailyMail.com that Eric was afraid Kouri was trying to kill him after two separate incidents where he became violently ill after drinking or eating with his wife.

Darden told the broadcaster: ‘I think Eric may have been given pain pills and didn’t realize they had fentanyl in them.

‘If you knew Kouri, she would never do this. Not just to Eric, but to those boys.’

Her brother Ronnie also told the show: ‘She loves her boys way too much to take their dad away from them.

‘They were probably the best place we’ve seen them in a long time at the time of his death.’

The family also claimed that Eric ‘loved to party’, with Ronnie adding: ‘Eric loved to party, he loved to have fun.

‘The simplest answer is often the right one, it was most likely an accidental overdose.’

Darden previously said Eric, who came from a prominent Mormon family in Kamas, would cheat on his wife and leave her with a black eye after she confronted his alleged former mistress.

She identified the mistress as Jennifer White, 40, who, like Eric, worked in the masonry business.

Darden said her daughter became suspicious when her husband’s phone rang at home. She picked it up and the woman on the other end immediately hung up.

Richins asked her husband, who confessed to the affair, according to Darden.

Richins then allegedly called the alleged mistress the next day and yelled at her, demanding she leave her husband alone, the mother said.

“Eric responded angrily, and it wasn’t the first time,” Darden said. “He wanted to push her, he wanted to hit her.”

Darden also claimed Eric would cheat on his wife and identified his mistress as Jennifer White, 40 (pictured) - who denied the affair

Darden also claimed Eric would cheat on his wife and identified his mistress as Jennifer White, 40 (pictured) - who denied the affair

Darden also claimed Eric would cheat on his wife and identified his mistress as Jennifer White, 40 (pictured) – who denied the affair

Richins had written a book after her husband's passing and appeared on television promoting it

Richins had written a book after her husband's passing and appeared on television promoting it

Richins had written a book after her husband’s passing and appeared on television promoting it

When contacted by DailyMail.com, White acknowledged the confrontational call but said she denied the affair and that was the end of it.

Shortly after her husband’s death, the mother of three self-published a children’s book entitled ‘Are you with me?’ about an angel-winged deceased father who watches over his sons.

She promoted it on TV and radio, describing the book as a way to help children grieve the loss of a loved one.

She said in an interview that she was motivated to write the book after searching Amazon and Barnes and Noble and finding ‘nothing’ to help them ‘cope’.

‘I went to Amazon and Barnes and Noble to try and find something to help us get through the night, the nights are the hardest. I just wanted a story to read to my kids at night and I couldn’t find anything that suited them so I thought “let’s just write one”.’

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