Kouri Richins, a Utah woman who built a successful house-flipping business with dreams of a massive payday on a luxury estate, was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murdering her husband Eric — weeks after a jury convicted her of killing him as their biggest real estate deal fell through.
Background
Kouri and Eric Richins had been married nine years and had three young sons. Beyond their family life, Kouri operated a real estate business specializing in buying and flipping houses for profit. According to her mother Lisa Darden, Kouri could be working on three different properties at any given time, constantly rotating new projects.
"A lot of times you find an individual that is intelligent, but no common sense or common sense and no intelligence. She had both," said Greg Hall, a friend who served as Kouri's marketing director. "She was a brilliant young lady."
The centerpiece of her business ambitions was a 10-acre estate in Heber City, Utah — not far from the famed Park City ski resort. The property featured a 20,000-square-foot mansion and a 4,000-square-foot guesthouse that had been originally built in 2017 but never finished. Kouri discovered the abandoned project in 2019 and made an offer along with a group of investors for $3.9 million.
Her plan, according to her attorney Skye Lazaro, was to "turn it into a recreational hotspot" and sell at a profit. Darden said the potential payoff was jaw-dropping: "If you can get it done and stay under budget, you could walk away with $12 million."
But Eric's family told investigators they believed he was never in favor of the purchase. Spokesman Greg Skordas said Eric and Kouri had been arguing about buying the house just days before his death.
The Verdict and Sentencing
On March 4, 2022, Kouri told investigators she found Eric unresponsive in their bed early that morning after giving him a Moscow mule drink before bed. She claimed his death was an accident. However, prosecutors later alleged otherwise, and Kouri was arrested roughly a year later and charged with murder.
In March 2026, a jury convicted Kouri Richins of murder and other charges related to her husband's death. On Tuesday — exactly four years after Eric's body was discovered — the court sentenced her to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Prosecutors noted that just one day after Eric died, Kouri closed on the Heber City property anyway. Following her arrest, the mansion was put back on the market and recently sold for $3.75 million — slightly less than the original $3.9 million purchase price.
Key Takeaways
- Kouri and Eric Richins were married nine years with three young sons
- The 20,000-square-foot Heber City mansion represented her biggest house-flipping deal, with potential profits estimated at $12 million
- Eric's family told investigators he opposed the mansion purchase and the couple had been arguing about it
- Kouri claimed Eric's death was an accident before she was charged a year later
- The property closed one day after Eric died; following her conviction, it sold for $3.75 million
What's Next
Kouri Richins' defense team has indicated plans to appeal the verdict. No date has been set for appellate proceedings. The three sons are being raised by family members according to court documents.