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A juror in the murder trial of Utah children’s book author Kouri Richins is speaking out for the first time, describing how the panel went from early sympathy to a unanimous guilty verdict in the fentanyl poisoning death of her husband.
Richins, 35, now faces the possibility of spending the rest of her life in prison after the jury found her guilty on all counts. Her sentencing is scheduled for May 13 at 9:30 a.m. MST.
In an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America,” a juror named Laura said her initial impression of Richins shifted dramatically as the trial unfolded.
“The first thing we hear is these terrible things about her … and she’s just sitting there like all by herself,” Laura said. “At first, I was thinking … that Kouri was definitely feeling trapped.”
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That changed once prosecutors presented forensic evidence.
“I was blown out of the water,” Laura said, pointing to cellphone data that helped jurors track movements tied to alleged drug purchases.
“We all led to the same conclusion that she was guilty.”
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Rather than taking an immediate vote, jurors held a roundtable discussion to talk through the evidence and their reactions.
“People were really sad because they did not want to find her guilty … and it was really heartbreaking,” Laura said.
Laura also described Richins as largely emotionless during the trial, saying she appeared “like a statue” and showed little reaction even when the verdict was read.
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As Richins awaits sentencing, growing attention is also focusing on her mother, Lisa Darden, amid new court filings and past allegations referenced by investigators.
Defense attorneys have made multiple attempts to have counsel appointed for Darden, an unusual move that suggests she could face potential legal exposure if called to testify.
Richins’ former attorney, Skye Lazaro, told Fox News Digital the defense initially filed a motion requesting the court appoint counsel for Darden, but the state objected. Both the defense request and the prosecution’s objection remain sealed by the court.
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According to Lazaro, the defense renewed that effort in December, and portions of the filing were made public.
“It is my understanding from what was made public they asked for her to be appointed counsel to protect her constitutional rights,” Lazaro said, adding that the defense also sought court-appointed attorneys for several other potential witnesses.
The filings suggest Darden could be a key witness, though the exact scope of her potential testimony remains unclear.
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Defense attorneys Kathy Nester and Alex Ramos did not respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
But this isn’t the first time Darden has drawn scrutiny.
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In a May 2023 search warrant affidavit, a Summit County Sheriff’s Office detective wrote that Darden may have been “involved in planning and orchestrating Eric’s death,” citing her proximity to a separate, earlier death.
According to the affidavit, Darden was living with a romantic partner in 2006 when the woman died unexpectedly. An autopsy determined the cause of death was oxycodone toxicity.
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The detective noted Darden had recently been named the beneficiary of her partner’s estate and wrote that, based on his training and experience, the circumstances would “likely rule out the possibility of an accidental overdose.”
The affidavit further stated that, given Darden’s “proximity to her partner’s suspicious overdose death” and her close relationship with her daughter, “it is possible she was involved in planning and orchestrating Eric’s death.”
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Lazaro pushed back on that characterization, telling Fox News Digital previously that the earlier death was consistent with the broader opioid crisis.
“[She] was one of the millions that suffered from, and ultimately succumbed to, opioid addiction,” Lazaro said. “It is tragic, and, unfortunately, quite common.”
Darden could not immediately be reached for comment.
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Prosecutors alleged Richins killed her husband in March 2022 by lacing a drink with fentanyl in a bid to collect millions in life insurance and gain control of the couple’s finances.
The case drew national attention in part because Richins later authored a children’s book about grief, “Are You With Me?,” for her three sons.
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A medical examiner found Eric Richins had more than five times the lethal amount of fentanyl in his system.
Richins denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to [email protected].
