Katie Richins-Benson, the sister of a Kansas man who was fatally poisoned by his wife, has released an emotional statement after the woman convicted of killing her brother was sentenced.
Eric Richins was discovered dead at his home in Utah in March 2022, after his wife, Kouri Richins, contacted police and said she had found him ‘cold to the touch’.
Investigators later alleged that earlier the same day, Kouri had served Eric a Moscow Mule cocktail that had been spiked with Fentanyl. The opioid caused Eric to overdose and die.
During last month’s trial, prosecutors argued that the killing was premeditated, pointing to evidence that the children’s author had taken out $2 million in life insurance policies in her husband’s name.
The jury returned its verdict after roughly three hours of deliberation, convicting Kouri of murder. She was also found guilty of attempted aggravated murder, two counts of insurance fraud, and one count of forgery.
On Wednesday (May 13), the court sentenced Kouri to life in prison without the possibility of parole, though she has indicated she plans to appeal.
After the sentencing, Katie spoke to reporters outside the courtroom and reflected on what the outcome meant for her family.
She stated: “Today does not bring my brother back. It does not restore the years his children lost with their father, the milestones he should have been here for, or the life our family believed he still had ahead of him.
“But today does matter. Today, the court recognized that what happened to Eric Richins was not an accident, not unexplained, and not something our family imagined.”
Katie also emphasized who Eric was beyond the public attention that followed his death.
Speaking of her brother, Katie went on: “Eric was more than the headlines that followed his death. A father, a friend, a person deeply loved by so many people. The public has heard about the investigation, the evidence and the trial.
“I remember the man himself, his laugh, his presence, his loyalty to the people he cared about and the place he held in our family that can never truly be filled. No sentence can undo the trauma this has caused.”
During the proceedings, Kouri did not testify, and her defense team did not call any witnesses.
Her only statement in court was directed at her children, as she became emotional and said: “The one thing I need you boys to know is that I did not abandon you. Regardless of what anyone tells you, I would never ever leave you boys. And I am so sorry that even for one second you think that I did.”