Kouri Richins: Behind the Facade | Full Episode + Post Mortem | Forensic Files

This case is about a wife and a mother who found herself in perhaps a failing marriage, a business in trouble.
What's your first name? >> And took some could argue an easy way out. >> I think she really wanted to improve her
life and be free and be rich and have this facade of being the successful person that she wanted to be.
>> My name is Eric. >> My name is Laura and we served as jurors in the Corey Richens trial.
>> Please have a seat. Corey Richens didn't seem to me like someone with a very strong moral compass.
>> Eric Richens was found dead in his home on March 4th, 2022. Eric was married to
Corey Richens and they had three children. >> 911 emergency breathing. He's cold. I just came in the
bed, did our bed, and I turned over and he's just cold. He's just cold. >> So, what happened today?
>> I don't know. He was just fine. We were fine. I don't know. It just it didn't really make
sense. The family had been alerted by Eric that if something happened to him to look at
Corey. It was almost like they knew something like this could happen someday. >> This was in the months leading up to his
death. He felt that his life could be at risk. >> Right. They suspected Cory would take
part in his death before it happened. >> The state alleged that Corey Richens killed her husband Eric by giving him a
lethal dose of fentanyl. A Summit County woman who wrote a children's book about
coping with grief following her husband's death, now accused of being the one that actually killed him.
>> The book was to honor him, to express to these boys to remember their father.
>> She's accused essentially murdering the person who is the topic of the book. Words of wisdom, do not write books
while you're being investigated. >> As we were preparing for trial, >> Corey was 100% pure goodness and
kindness. She's a good good human being. >> She might have had these good sides to
her where she was giving, but she was willing to give that part up. >> Did Corey Richens ever ask you to
purchase for her elicit drugs? >> Yes. >> Based upon the testimony and the evidence we saw against Corey, I came to
see her as pretty cold and pretty calculating. You have to understand that the jurors did not know her. They didn't
know her. >> There was no smoking gun in this case. There was never uh one thing in this
case that was absolutely Cory did it and there's no question. >> She basically sacrificed her husband to
get what she wanted. >> My sweet baby boys. And as much as you've been influenced into thinking
that dad was murdered, that I took your dad from you, that is completely wrong and an absolute lie.
Corey did not just kill Eric. She attempted to kill the spirit of everyone who loved him. She lied to his children.
She lied to the world and has shown no remorse while dancing on his grave for profit.
The evidence will prove that Corey Richens murdered Eric for his money and to get a fresh start at life.
>> In February of 2026, in a packed courtroom in Summit County, Utah, Chief Prosecutor Brad Bworth laid out the
state's case against Corey Richens, for the murder of Eric Richens, her husband and father of their three sons.
It had been nearly four years since Eric died on March 4th, 2022 of a lethal dose
of fentinel served to him by Corey in a cocktail, say prosecutors. She had spent
almost three years in jail awaiting trial. >> More than anything, she wanted his money to perpetuate her
facade of privilege, affluence, and success. Eric Richens owned a lucrative contracting business and Corey worked as
a real estate agent buying and flipping houses. She was facing not just murder charges
but also insurance fraud and forgery counts. >> She was absolutely convinced that she
would be found not guilty. >> Greg Hall is a friend and former colleague of Cory's. What made her so
convinced of that outcome? cuz she knows that she didn't do it. >> Initially, authorities thought Eric may
have died from an accidental drug overdose. But as investigators dug deeper, they concluded that Corey
poisoned Eric for financial gain. >> Watch out for Corey. Watch out if something happens to me.
>> According to Greg Scores, a spokesperson for Eric's family, Eric had raised concerns about Corey to his family. The
night Eric died, were they immediately suspecting that Corey took part in his death?
>> They suspected Corey would take part in his death before it happened. And so when it did happen, it was everyone's
worst you nightmare come true. >> Breathing cold. As the state built its case against
Corey Richens, her 911 call saying she found Eric unresponsive in bed was an integral piece of evidence.
>> If you need to put me on speaker, put me on speaker. I'm going to guide you through CPR. Okay.
>> The prosecution used the recording throughout the trial to call into question whether Corey was even trying
to resuscitate Eric. >> Start counting out loud so I can count with you. Okay. The operator repeatedly
asks the phone to be put on speaker so Corey can listen while performing CPR. >> One, two, three, four. Am I on speaker?
>> Yes. >> But a prosecution digital forensic analyst testified that phone receiver
sensor activity showed Corey was actually holding the phone to her ear during the call.
>> There's a proximity sensor inside the device that activates the receiver. The
digital download expert could actually see that Corey did not put the phone on speaker phone. She was still holding it
up to her ear. That means she wasn't doing compressions or if she was, she was doing it with one hand.
>> The 911 call was impactful for jurors Laura and Eric, who requested we not use
their last names. Listening to the call, it didn't seem like there was much effort in the compressions themselves.
>> The impression these jurors had of her resuscitation attempts didn't match Cory's description of events, which she
texted to her friend Chelsea Barney. Prosecutor Bworth read the messages to the jury.
>> His lifeless body on my bedroom floor. I pumped so damn hard. So hard screaming
at him to come back to life that I needed him. some of her text messages to a friend, she said she was screaming and
beating on his chest, and the evidence did not show that. >> Some of Corey's other actions the day
Eric died puzzled the jurors we interviewed, like her behavior on this deputy's body cam footage shown in
court. >> It was strange. Right after Eric died, Corey was holding her face with her
hands. It certainly looks like >> she was trying to hide her face uh and her emotion.
>> Where are your children now? >> Asleep in that room. Two are awake with their ear to the door.
>> And when the jurors compared Cory's behavior in the footage to Eric's sisters, they found the contrast
startling. >> Eric's sister, Katie Riches, came in, she was hysterical. >> Take a deep breath. Take a deep breath.
near hyperventilating and her first thought is where are the kids? Are the kids okay? And through that whole video,
Corey said, "My kids are in that room and one of them's listening." But ne never did she move to go comfort those
kids. >> Eric's sister Katie testified about arriving at the house. >> On the morning that Eric died, did Corey
Richens say anything about the house that they were living in? >> Yes. She told me she was going to sell
it. According to Katie, just hours after Eric's death, Corey was talking real estate, how she planned to sell their
home, and how she needed to close on a house she had just purchased, known as the Midway Mansion. I had just lost
one of the most important people in my whole entire life. And she was planning on
selling the house that he had just been wheeled out of closing on a multi-million dollar
mansion. I could not wrap my head around it. >> Prosecutors also presented evidence of
something accessed on Cory's cell phone that morning. these gifts seemingly celebrating coming into money.
>> I thought the gifts were really odd if she was the one that pulled them up, which it certainly seems like that is
the case. That's just more evidence of her state of mind at the time. >> It was not clear to the jurors whether
the gifts were celebrating Eric's death or celebrating the Midway Mansion purchase. Either way, they found the
timing curious. still inappropriate the day after her husband passed away that she's accessing these. So, it was
strange. Strange behavior aside, the state's case hinged on proving Cory intentionally
poisoned Eric, that he did not die of an accidental overdose. The prosecution contends it was Corey who administered
the fentinel, either in a cocktail called a Moscow mule or in a lemonrop shot that she prepared for Eric.
Investigators found this note in a kitchen cabinet, which the prosecution says chronicles how Corey killed Eric.
>> Notice that here she writes, "Drink in bed." >> And the prosecutor told the jury about
something else authorities found unusual in this incident report. Describing what
happened that night, Corey immediately writes about having a drink around 9:15 p.m. to celebrate work. Her story that
night that she wrote started with Eric drinking a drink that she made. Why would her story start then? Why wouldn't
it start when she walked in the door and found that he wasn't moving? That was just one of these really subtle things
that I thought was really important. >> Also important for jurors was knowing how Corey obtained the fentinel. For
that, prosecutors turned to a witness who became a controversial figure in the case. Cory's housekeeper.
>> Did you ask Corey Richens about Eric's death? >> Yes, I did. >> What did you ask her?
>> I said, "Please tell me these pills were not for him. What ma'am is your name?
>> Carmen Lobber. >> Carmen Lobber was Corey and Eric's housekeeper and she cleaned homes for
Cory's real estate flipping business. Prosecutors say Carmen also did something else. She supplied Corey with
the drugs used to kill Eric. Did Corey Richens ever ask you to purchase for her illicit drugs?
>> Yes. >> How many times? >> Four. >> In a lot of ways, she is the key witness.
>> Skylazaro had been Corey Richen's attorney before resigning from the case due to a conflict of interest.
>> Carmen really was the only person who could tie Corey to obtaining fentanyl. Carmen testified that in the months
preceding Eric's death, Corey asked her to get pain medication for a client, which Carmen did. Then about two weeks
before Eric died, Corey made another request for something stronger. Carmen says she reached out to a drug dealer
friend and told Corey she could get her fentinel. I had text Corey back and told
her that I had a a friend that could get them, but they were fent bills. >> How did Cory Rich into a spot?
>> She said, "Okay, go ahead and give." The state contends Cory mixed that fentinel into the Moscow mule or lemon
drop shot she served Eric. Carmen, though, has an arrest record from drug charges and is not an ideal witness. She
had a history of drug abuse and although I think she's overcome that, those are who you deal with in criminal cases.
They're not always the shiniest people in the world. >> The jurors we spoke with were able to
look past Carmen's history and found her credible. >> I put a lot of weight on Carmen
Loberers's testimony. I found it uh very impactful, very important to the prosecution's case, and her testimony
was corroborated with the digital evidence. The state's digital forensic expert testified about hundreds of text
messages between Corey and Carmen that matched Carmen's timeline of when Corey contacted her for drugs. Because the
messages had been deleted, investigators could only retrieve dates and times, but
not the messages content. >> Between the two of them, about 800 text messages. The prosecution argued
throughout the trial that this was not the first time Corey used drugs to try to kill Eric. Investigators learned that
two weeks before his death on Valentine's Day, Eric became ill after Cory served him what they say was a drug
laced breakfast sandwich. >> On Valentine's Day, it was a sandwich. When she murdered him, it was a drink.
As for a motive, prosecutors say Corey needed money. A forensic accountant testified about her money problems.
>> What was the amount of Corey Richen's liabilities? >> Right about $8 million.
>> She said Corey was in debt for nearly $8 million from her house flipping business. Some of it from the recent
purchase of that Midway mansion. and Eric between the contracting business, property, and life insurance was worth a
lot. >> On the day that Eric died, his estate was worth over $4 million. >> There was also evidence that Cory took
out an additional $100,000 life insurance policy on Eric about a month before he died and that Eric's signature
was forged. >> Question and known signatures were not authored by the same person. A forgery
prosecutors say committed by Corey. >> She used her business address for this policy and made herself the beneficiary.
And frankly, even as a lay person, looking at the signatures, Eric did not sign that document.
>> And there may have been another motive for murder. According to the state, Corey wanted a new life with this man,
Josh Grossman, a handyman she met through her house flipping business. They had an affair for about 2 years.
>> I don't know how much the family knew about the fact that she had a a paramore. I don't even know how much
Eric knew about it. That turned out to be a helpful piece of evidence that was discovered during the investigation.
Josh Gman testified that after he heard Cory had been arrested for Eric's murder, by which time they had broken
up, he reached out to Eric's family. >> I was overwhelmed with guilt, sorrow over my wrongdoings, you know,
infidelity. >> With respect to Josh Gman, he seemed like a believable witness. I think we
all felt really sorry for him. at times that he was crying. >> Josh told investigators about a
conversation he had with Corey that now under the lens of murder took on new meaning. Josh, who had served with the
army in Iraq, was asked about that conversation. >> She asked if if I had ever killed
anybody. >> Did she ask a follow-up question? >> Yes. >> She asked me how it made me feel or
something along those lines. The jury was also shown text messages between Corey and Josh. I mean, you see
those text messages back and forth. Very lovey. Life is going to be different. I
promise. If I was divorced right now, and asked you to marry me, you would. I just want to lay on the couch and cuddle
you, watch a murder documentary, and snuggle. I mean, you know, I don't know that that
gets any closer to the reality of what actually happened in this case. >> Yeah. In hindsight, I don't think those
were uh probably well thought out. These coming in the way they did and the timing of them uh I think certainly did
not help Corey. >> Can I get exhibit 3-1, please? >> Something else that did not help Corey
was this reservation she booked for a romantic getaway with Josh. >> And did you know about a trip planned to
the Secret St. Martins's Resort? >> Yes. Corey sent Josh the reservation she made before Eric died with the trip
planned for April, a month after Eric's death. The reservation for that trip was
damaging to Corey. To me that made it look like she had been planning something for a while and at some point
soon Eric would be out of the picture. >> As the investigation proceeded, Corey said the prosecution was worried about
being caught. It showed web searches Corey made after Eric's death, including luxury prisons for the rich in America.
How long does life insurance companies take to pay? If someone is poisoned, what does it go down on the death
certificate as >> Cory's internet searches, questions that were being searched led me to believe uh
she had a guilty mind. These searches were done after she was handed a search warrant when they searched the home. It
kind of takes the sting out of them. I think it's somewhat understandable. >> This is after the fact.
>> This is after and well after. In fact, >> she was looking for information based on
what she found out after her death. >> It was one of the points that Cory's own defense team made as it tried to poke
holes in the entire prosecution's case. You know what you're never going to hear
is how that fendel got inside of him because there is zero evidence of that. Just outside of Salt Lake City, home to
fame ski resorts, including Park City, is the nearly 10 acre estate that Corey Richens was planning on flipping.
>> It looks ginormous. It's massive. >> Sky Lazaro told us Corey hoped to walk away with nearly $10 million in profit.
I think this was kind of her dream when she got into this idea of flipping houses was to be able to do properties
like this. >> And it was that estate, said Corey Richens defense attorney, Katherine
Nester, in her opening statement. The couple were toasting the night Eric died. >> Eric and Corey Richens were celebrating.
They were celebrating because Corey was about to close on the biggest real estate deal that her company had ever
done. They had a lot to celebrate. They also had a wonderful family. >> Nester showed jurors a family photo of
Eric and Corey with their three sons, seemingly happy, and spoke about the love they shared for their boys.
>> And what's more important is that the boys adored their father. And Corey knew
that about her sons and about her family. >> Netor asked jurors to consider why Corey
would poison Eric, knowing the impact it would have on their three sons. Now, after you've listened to all the
evidence in this case, you're going to have to decide if Corey Richens intentionally and knowingly poisoned the
father of her kids, knowing that she was going to cause those little boys to feel
pain every day for the rest of their life for the loss of their father. >> Corey's friend, Greg Hall, says Corey
would never do that. She was loving. She was kind. She was giving. A wonderful mother.
>> Eric suffered from pain a lot. >> Nester told jurors Eric Richens lived with chronic pain.
>> He suffered from knee and back pain related to his work. He did hard work. >> And used drugs recreationally, often
taking marijuana gummies. >> These are all gummies that the police found in Eric's things. Nester said Eric
also used pain medication. >> You're also going to hear that there was an empty pill bottle right next to him.
>> The label on that pill bottle was for the painkiller hydrocodone and it had expired in 2020. Netor suggested it was
Eric who may have come into contact with fentinel. >> You're going to hear that just a few
weeks before Eric died. Guess where he was? Mexico. Guess where the fentinel comes into this
country from? Mexico. >> One by one. >> We'll proceed with cross-examination of Ms. Rich and Spencen.
>> The defense challenged the state's witnesses, beginning with Eric's sister, Katie, and her account of Cory's
behavior the night Eric died. >> And you also said that she just stood there and did not comfort you in any
way. Not that I recall. Okay. Your honor, we'd like to play a clip. This is states exhibit 1-4.
Okay. So that's Corey. Freeze it right there. And that's her squatting down to comfort you while you're on the ground.
And that's your hugging, right? Correct. So your memory about that was clearly wrong.
To be fair, it was four years ago. Okay. >> When it came to the state's key witness,
Carmen Lober. >> Good afternoon, Miss. >> Good afternoon. The defense pointed out
that she made a deal with police in order to stay out of prison. Defense attorney Wendy Lewis played a portion of
one of Carmen's interviews with investigators. >> They're looking to pull your drug court
deal and ask for seven years on your two first. The only exception to that and the only thing that they're willing to
kind of help you out with is if you can help us out with this. And by so he he means like give us the details that will
ensure Cory gets convicted of murder. >> So that's what they said to you. >> Yes. You may be getting seven years in
prison on your state case. >> Correct. >> But if you help them out, that's not going to happen.
>> Correct. >> The investigators keep pushing on her. We need more. That's not enough. And
finally, in the last interview, they basically just spell it out. I love Eric. It was done intentionally. He did
not deserve it. >> We believe you and that's why we're here working on what your get out of jail
free card looks like. >> You know, it's this is your one get out of jail free card. Uh you have to
basically say it's fentanyl. >> And you are willing to do whatever it takes to save yourself from drug getting
kicked out of drug court and going to prison. Correct. >> I'm willing to go forward with the
truth. Yes. I think the defense was really hammering her and I don't think it went over that well.
>> She said, "Okay, go ahead and get the fentanyl." >> That's your testimony today.
>> When I told her what I had, that's what she said. Yes. >> Even if Carmen bought fentinel for
Corey. The defense said there was no proof that Corey used the drug to poison her husband. Katherine Nester told the
jury the cups Corey served the drinks in were never tested that night. >> The nanny ended up putting them in the
dishwasher the next morning. >> I think the most powerful point the defense made is that we don't know
exactly how the fentanel got into Eric Richen's stomach. >> When you have to prove murder, uh you
have to prove that she's the one that administered the fentanyl to him. The defense pushed back on the state's
claim that Corey had tried to poison Eric weeks earlier with that Valentine's Day sandwich. Cory's friend Ally Staking
said the couple downplay that episode as Eric having an allergic reaction. >> He took a bite of the sandwich and got
an allergic reaction and had to shoot himself with a nappy pin. >> Was everyone laughing?
>> Yes, we were all laughing and we jokingly said, "Don't eat what Cory feeds you."
>> Okay. And did Eric appear upset about what had happened prior with the sandwich?
>> No. >> And as for the financial motive that Cory was broke, Sky Lazaro says Cory
Richen's multi-million dollar debt was typical in the house flipping business. >> That's what they do for a living is they
invest in homes to flip. >> So you're saying it's part of the business, right? You get in in debt and
then you flip the house, you sell it, and then you make your money back. >> Absolutely. And that $100,000 life
insurance policy the state claimed wasn't signed by Eric. Nester said there is an innocent explanation.
>> I'm telling you right now, wives everywhere sign their husband's names on a lot of things. You've got to find that
she did it without his knowledge. And I don't know how they're going to prove that.
>> The defense also downplayed Cory's affair with Josh Gman, who testified they never went on that romantic getaway
Corey had booked for them. Then Corey ended the relationship. Correct. >> Right.
>> It was a little bit difficult to understand what the situation was with Josh Gman because she did seem to drop
him pretty quickly. >> Do you think that Josh Gman's relationship with Corey had anything to
do with Eric's death? >> No. If that were the case, after Eric passed away, that relationship would have continued,
not been tapered off. It doesn't make any logical sense. >> On March 12th, 2026, after three weeks
and 40 witnesses from the state, >> your honor, the state rests its case. >> The jurors say they were expecting to
see defense evidence and hear from their witnesses. >> Okay, now we can hear the rest of the
story. >> But what happened next, >> who's uh defense council's first witness, >> caught everyone offguard. My mouth just
dropped open. I was just like, "What?" I was so shocked and I was actually really
disappointed. >> States council and defense council are present. Miss Richens is present.
13 days into the trial, Judge Richard Morazzic asked Corey Richen's defense team about their first witness.
>> I was totally prepared for however many days or weeks of vigorous defense. >> Who's uh defense council's first
witness? >> Um, can we have just a moment? Yeah, >> we have >> we have a couple of options.
>> Understood. But the option defense attorneys Wendy Lewis and Katherine Netor chose was one
these jurors were not expecting. Actually at this time the defense intends to arrest me.
>> I was like seriously now we've seen just about everything in this trial. >> I was disappointed because I'm like you
know I felt like there was more to the story and they denied us access to that. I just want to make sure
you've consulted with your client about this. >> Absolutely. >> M. Richens, may I ask you two direct
questions? >> Yes. >> Do you understand that you have the right to testify at trial?
>> Yes, I do. >> Are you following your attorney's advice and waving your right to testify at
trial? >> Yes, I am. >> I accept your waiver. I find it's knowing and voluntary.
Laura says she at least expected the defense to present testimony about Eric's alleged drug use and what role,
if any, it played in his death. They were just hinting ever so slightly at these things without backing it up. So,
I was really hoping for some testimony if that's really true or you just trying to confuse everything. Greg Scoris, who
happens to be an attorney himself, says perhaps the defense saw no need to call witnesses because it felt there was
enough reasonable doubt. >> If you think you're winning after the prosecution puts on its case, then
there's no reason to put on a case because you could only hurt yourself. So, why why even risk putting on a
witness that could hurt you? >> Laura says throughout the trial, she would sometimes look over at the defense
table. There was really no vibe coming from her. Like I couldn't sense whether she was upset or angry or sad. She had a
very flat effect. >> Was that part of it? The likability of Corey Richens at that point? Do you
think they saw a woman who was having an affair, who was in debt? >> I think that's how it certainly could be
taken. There never was a real opportunity to humanize her, to make her likable, to make her seem like a person
who wouldn't do that. >> Mr. Bledworth, would you like to proceed? >> In its closing, the prosecution
portrayed Cory Richens as a ruthless social climber, chasing a life beyond what she had at her family's expense.
>> Behind the facade, however, Cory Richens was incompetent. Her business was imploding.
All the while, Corey Richens was more interested in spending time with Josh Grossman than
Eric. But she did not have the money to leave Eric or the money to salvage her business. She is a risk taker.
There was a way forward. Eric had to die. The defense used its closing argument to
lay out its entire case. >> They want you to look at a woman in the worst moment of her life,
>> citing several reasons why there was reasonable doubt. >> The investigation in this matter was
nothing but sloppy. It was driven by bias. Wendy Lewis told jurors the investigators developed tunnel vision
early on, driven by Eric's family's belief that Corey was guilty. Everything about this investigation was led by the
Richens family. >> It did give me pause whether there was this bias in the entire investigation
that started with the Richen family. >> What else do we find on that first day that Eric died? Lewis pointed to that
trip Eric took to Mexico shortly before his death and that empty pill bottle on his nightstand.
>> The hydrocodone bottle. What was kept in that bottle? What might be the best way to bring
illegal pills back from Mexico? But they're in a prescription bottle. So what's another explanation? What could
have happened? Maybe he thought it was something else and he accidentally got fentanyl.
Maybe had they tested that bottle, we would know, but they didn't. >> She urged the jurors to stand with Corey
Richens. >> Cory Richens did not kill Eric Richens. The state did not prove this case beyond
a reasonable doubt. And you have the courage, have the courage to tell them this and find Corey Richens not guilty.
>> How was Corey feeling? Did she ever feel like this may not go her way? >> No, absolutely not. Honestly, not at
all. She was upbeat, hopeful, enthused. She was absolutely convinced that she would be found not
guilty. You were just fine. You were fine. I don't know. It just it didn't really
make sense. After sitting through the three-week trial, jurors Eric and Laura had no way
of knowing what other jurors were thinking, nor how long reaching a verdict could take.
>> I was thinking, "This is going to be a very long week." >> But in the end, deliberations would only
last about 3 hours. Laura, one of the two women on the eight-person jury, was selected as four person.
>> When we got back there, I think everyone was bursting. I felt like I was bursting
at the seams. >> For the jurors, Corey's money trouble proved to be a motive for Eric's murder.
>> She was in such a position that she had to take drastic action to dig out of the
financial hole that she was in. I shared that I thought the evidence was devastating against Corey and that she
was guilty. I think that opened the door to other people to share exactly where they stood.
>> And when the decision was made to vote, the rest of the jury agreed not just that Cy murdered Eric, but that she
previously attempted to kill him with that poison laced Valentine's Day sandwich and that she committed two
counts of insurance fraud and forgery. >> Ms. Richards, please stand. >> On March 16th, 2026, Judge Richard
Morazzic read the verdict. >> Count one, aggravated murder. We, the jury, unanimously find that the
defendant, Corey Richens, is guilty of aggravated murder. Corey Richens was stunned as she learned
she was found guilty of all five counts related to Eric's death, says her friend
Greg Hall. >> Totally unexpected. She was absolutely crushed and heartbroken. >> Cory Richens declined our request for an
interview. >> State of Utah versus Cory Richens. Two months later, on what would have been
Eric Richen's 44th birthday, Corey Richens, now wearing a prison uniform, was back in court to receive her
sentence. Eric's family gave heartfelt statements. His sister Amy emphasized the impact his loss has had on his three
sons. >> This crime didn't just happen once. It happens every single morning when those
boys wake up and realize their father is still gone. The boys were 5, seven, and nine when
their world was shattered. Today, they are 9, 11, and 13. And through written statements read by each of their
counselors, for the first time, the world got to hear from them. The first statement read aloud was written by the
youngest, Weston. When someone talks about Corey, it makes me feel hateful and ashamed. She took away my dad. It's
made me have a hard time trusting people. >> The middle child, Ashton, called Corey
greedy and said she did not properly care for him and his brothers. >> When we got hurt, you didn't even care.
He accused her of harming the family pets. >> You wouldn't let me put my kitten in the
garage for safety at night, and we found it eaten by raccoons the next day. You wouldn't let us turn on and use the
heater lamp for the chickens and bunnies and they froze to death. >> Carter, the oldest, said Corey was often
drunk and would lock him in his room. >> This happened pretty much daily. I feel
angry that she locked me in my room. I miss my dad, but I do not miss how my life used to be. I don't miss Corey. I
will tell you that. All three boys asked the judge to give their mother, whom they only referred to as Corey, the
harshest possible sentence. >> What she did is very sick. >> When it was their turn, Cory's friends
and family pleaded for leniency. Her brother Ronnie, >> the injustice that's occurred here in
this courtroom, it'll be right in in time. And until then, little sister, just I'm right by your side. I know what
you're right here for. I love you. Then Corey Richens was allowed to speak. She did not testify at trial, but now
she approached the podium and used her time to address her kids. >> I will use any opportunity I can to get
a message to you. >> She says she has been cut off from them for the past two years.
>> As much as you've been influenced into thinking that dad was murdered, that I
took your dad from you, that is completely wrong and an absolute lie. And just because someone may not be
perfect, that's a far reach for them to be capable of murder. >> Judge Morazzic had two options when
considering Corey Richen's sentence. Either 25 years to life with the possibility of parole or life in prison
without parole. And he made it known he carefully considered each. The court's duty is to make a decision, a weighty,
longlasting decision based on the best information available today. Accordingly, Miss Richens, the court
hereby sentences you to life without parole. For Eric's family, it was the end to a
year's long nightmare. Greg Scoris, the family spokesperson, says the true heartbreak is for the kids who are now
living with Eric's sister, Katie. I can't think of anything worse as a child to lose your father,
except to know that it was because of your mother. I mean, think about that. my sweet baby boys,
I know that today you don't want to speak to me, have a relationship with me, or you may think you hate me, and
that's okay. I will never be angry at you for your feelings. That was Corey Richens addressing her
children on May 13th at a sentencing hearing. It was the first time any of us heard from Richens since the Utah mother
of three was found guilty of aggravated murder in her husband Eric Richen's 2022
fentinel overdose death. She was also found guilty of four other charges including attempted aggravated murder,
two counts of insurance fraud and forgery. And now I will use any opportunity I can to get a message to
you. Even if that means sharing it publicly to the world fully restrained in my jail clothes and one of the most
horrible situations possible. She was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Welcome to the season finale of
Postmortem. I'm your host 48 hours correspondent Ann Marie Green. And joining me today is 48 Hours
correspondent Natalie Morales to discuss the dramatic conclusion of a case that has certainly gripped the nation.
Natalie, welcome. >> Thank you, Anorie, for having me again. And boy, is this explosive, this
sentencing hearing. Um, we not only heard statements from Corey for the first time, but also from Eric's
sisters, also from Eric and Corey's children in a statement, which you'll hear as read by their counselors. Now,
this is a case, as you know, it's been getting a lot of media attention. We've reported on it extensively as well.
We're going to break it all down for you today. All right. So, we are going to get into this, but first, a reminder, as
usual, everyone, if you haven't watched or listened to this episode, it is called Corey Richen's Behind the Facade.
Go check it out now and then come on back for this conversation. And so, as you sort of point out, uh, Natalie, a
lot of people had been following this case. Um, but it has gone on for quite a while. So, why don't you give us a bit
of a recap? Well, let's go back to March of 2022, and you know, Corey Richens at
the time was 31 years old, Eric 39 years old. They seemed to have it all by outward appearances. They seemed to be
in a good marriage. They had three young sons. But it was in the early morning hours of March 4th, 2022 that Corey
called 911. And she called and told the first responders that she had fallen asleep with one of the kids when she put
him to bed. And then when she woke up, she went back to her bedroom. And she found Eric cold to the touch and not
breathing. So when the first responders arrived, they tried to save Eric, but it
was already too late. Now, initially, authorities thought that Eric may have died from an accidental drug overdose,
but as investigators dug deeper, they suspected that Corey poisoned Eric for financial gain. So, I think part of the
reason why this case caught so many people's attention is because Richens notoriously published a children's book
about grief. This is following her husband's death before being charged with murder along with the insurance uh
fraud charges and the forgery charges. But then in February of 2026, nearly 4 years after Eric's death, the trial
finally begins in Utah in a courthouse there. What was the prosecution's case? The prosecution alleged that Corey
poisoned Eric with fentinyl that was served to him either in a Moscow mule cocktail or a lemon drop shot after
apparently previously attempting to poison him via a breakfast sandwich. This was on Valentine's Day, which was
two weeks earlier. The prosecution painted Corey as a killer who was set on taking her husband's money because she
was deeply in debt with her house flipping business. and they pointed to the evidence that she was also the
beneficiary of multiple life insurance policies on her husband and forged a policy as well. Now, the prosecution
said that Eric Richens was considering divorcing his wife when he was killed and that they had argued over this
purchase of this multi-million dollar mansion that she was trying to flip for her real estate business. The
prosecution also said that Corey was having an affair and her former paramore, Robert Josh, he I think he
goes by Josh more commonly Gman. He actually testified to their relationship in the affair that they had during the
trial. And the prosecution presented evidence that about 3 months before Eric's death, Corey had even gone so far
as to book a Caribbean vacation for herself and for Grossman. Although it turns out they never ended up going on
the trip because they broke up apparently after Eric died. >> Huh. Okay. So then a lot of motive
there. What about the defense? What did the defense argue? >> So the defense said Eric was dependent
on drugs to deal with his chronic pain and he had back issues apparently. And they maintained that he most likely died
from an accidental overdose. Now, Cory's attorney said that Eric might have actually gotten the fentinel himself
when he had traveled to Mexico just a few weeks before he died. The defense also implied that he might have taken a
marijuana gummy that he didn't know was laced with fentinel. And what was really
interesting and I think uh kind of shocking to the jurors and you're going to hear from them in just a little bit.
The defense made the decision not to call any witnesses and Cy did not testify during the trial.
>> Why did the defense think that this was the best approach? Many defense attorneys would advise their clients
against testifying on their own behalf because it just opens themselves up to then being cross-examined and harshly
generally cross-examined by the prosecution. And you know, in fact, I asked Sky Lazaro, who was Corey's
original defense attorney, about that. She made the point that if the defense also had called witnesses,
>> the state then would have the opportunity to rebut the witnesses and it's not the defense that has the burden
of proof here. It is the prosecution and Sky pointed out that the defense likely thought they were in a strong
position. And in fact, um, Greg Hall, who is Corey's really good friend and has been her supporter through all of
this, he was there during a lot of the trial, Greg said that when the case wrapped that the defense felt, and Corey
in particular felt really strong about their position. They felt like they were winning. Well, I mean, their their
senses were off because the jury deliberated for about 3 hours before returning the verdict, right? They found
her guilty on all five counts, including aggravated murder, attempted murder, and
two counts of insurance fraud, and forgery. One of the things that is new in this episode is 48 Hours actually
interviewed two of the jurors from the trial, Laura and Eric, and they requested that we only use their first
names, but they gave us some insight into, you know, what the jury was considering,
how they deliberated, what did they have to say. They both said um Eric and Laura
that the minute the trial ended and they walked back into the deliberation room,
they felt completely convinced of Corey's guilt, but they didn't know how the others felt yet. And Laura was the
four person on the case. Um but she said she could just see that everybody was bursting at the scenes to talk. They
share what they thought about the witnesses, >> the strengths, the weaknesses. Um, but
when they did take that vote, Laura said it was quick. I mean, deliberating for just three hours. It was pretty short,
especially when you consider this is a murder charge and all these other charges as well. Um, what evidence was
the most convincing for them? >> So, the juror, Eric, felt there were some inconsistencies with Corey's story
and with what was actually presented as evidence. They pointed to her behavior right in the aftermath after discovering
her husband was cold to the touch. They first talk about that 911 call as well as the video that came from the
responding officer's body cam. And they said it didn't seem like Corey was trying very hard to resuscitate him.
Now, you can contrast that with these text messages that Corey exchanged with a friend where Corey said that she was
screaming. She was beating on Eric's chest trying to get him to come back to life. They were also looking on the body
cam footage of the responding officers to see how Corey >> was acting in those moments. And Corey
is hiding her face a couple of times behind her hands. Like, you don't see tears. Laura, the juror said it's
difficult to judge how someone grieavves or how somebody acts in a traumatic situation. But again, what was most
impactful to Laura was the time that it took for Corey apparently to start the CPR. So, the prosecution in its closing
arguments actually had a stopwatch to show that it was approximately six minutes between when the 911 operator
told Corey to start and when it appears that Corey on the other side of that call actually says she started. Wow. And
the most convincing piece of that evidence came from the digital download expert who an was able to analyze the
phone data and determined that Corey did not put her phone on speaker phone that
she was still holding it up to her ear when she said she was doing CPR, which again should be done with both hands,
suggesting she wasn't actually doing it or she was doing it one-handed, so not really giving it the full effort. Then
beyond that, you know, Corey's money trouble really was the biggest motivating factor that they saw. That
was the main motive that that convinced them that Corey was responsible for Eric's murder.
So then 2 months after her conviction, on what would have been Eric's 44th birthday, Corey Richens is back in court
for sentencing. She's now convicted. She's in shackles. She's wearing a prison uniform.
This sentencing hearing lasts nearly 5 hours. The judge allowed a lot of statements um into the record, including
Corey's three children who are still quite young, 9, 11, and 13. They have prepared written statements that are
read by counselors. Right. And again, this is the first time that we're hearing from these three
boys. um the first time that they're expressing their feelings publicly. Uh I want to play a few portions from that
court hearing. Now, the first statement was written by the youngest of the boys,
Weston. His counselor read his statement. I feel a lot better about myself now than I did with Corey. I can't ever see
my dad again. I want her to go to prison forever. If she got out, I would be so scared, really mad, and I wouldn't want
to go with her anywhere. >> I mean, it is heartbreaking. All of the three boys expressed feeling safer with
Corey being locked up. The oldest explicitly asked the judge to give her that life sentence. So, it gives you a
sense of, >> you know, what what has been lost in this relationship with her children. So
Ashton is Corey Richen's middle child who accused Corey of of not caring for him or his brothers, but he also accuses
Corey of harming the pets. He referred to his brothers in the statement just by their initials. Let's listen to some
portions of his statement read out loud by his counselor. >> You took away my dad for no reason other
than greed, and you only cared about yourself and your stupid boyfriends. You were not caring and watching over me and
my brothers. I had to be a parent to W C and I would walk him to the bus stop, feed him and
watch him. You wouldn't let our dog outside and then the dog would pee inside. You created this problem. Then
you would smack my dog on the head as hard as you could. You wouldn't let me put my kitten in the garage for safety
at night. and we found it eaten by raccoons the next day. You wouldn't let us turn on and use the heater lamp for
the chickens and bunnies and they froze to death. >> This is kind of all new information,
right? This wasn't was this sort of stuff brought up at the trial? >> Nothing. Nothing of this was brought up
at the trial. What came into question was how she was as a wife. >> Um not as how she was as a mother. These
two children would have been quite young at the time when they were living with her. Um Carter is the eldest son and
Carter says that Corey was often drunk that uh that she would lock him in his room. Um here's another counselor
reading his statement. I felt like I had to take care of my siblings. Ash mostly
took care of me though because I was locked in my room. Ash would bring me food. Corey would
lock me up if I told her she was drunk. This happened pretty much daily. I feel angry that she locked me in my room.
>> We should point out that about these statements. They're not calling her mom.
They're calling her Corey. But we don't know if prompts were given to the children to get those kinds of
statements or what kinds of questions they were even asked by their counselors. >> Um the court also heard from Katie, that
is Eric's sister. I want to play some of that sound. >> There is no question that this case is
famous and that Corey is now famous. But what Corey never mentions in talking about her fame and notoriety are the
reasons why this case is now famous. It is famous for how appalling and sickening it is. It is famous because a
mother meticulously planned to kill her husband, killed him while their children
were sleeping in the next room, and then had the audacity to hold herself out as
the author of a children's book about grief and loss. It is famous because she spent time googling luxury prisons for
the rich in America. It is famous because from her jail cell, she scripted a bunch of phony testimony so that her
brother could perpetrate a fraud on the court. No love lost there. >> Absolutely not. I mean, she's not just
angry about the loss of her brother, but she clearly is disgusted by Corey Richens and her character, the type of
character she thinks she is. Eric has another sister. Her name is Amy. She also spoke.
>> I didn't just lose my brother. I lost my sister-in-law. I lost someone I considered my friend.
We had good times together. That loss is so complicated now, your honor. Because it forces you to grieve someone
who is still alive while facing the horror of what they have done. It is grief that doesn't resolve. It
just sits there heavy every day. This crime has fractured our family in ways outsiders cannot understand. Corey
did not just kill Eric. She attempted to kill the spirit of everyone who loved him. She lied to his children. She lied
to the world and has shown no remorse while dancing on his grave for profit. >> Amy, I think, is a little more
retrospective and looking back on the relationship that she had with Corey >> and talking about that loss. Interesting
to hear her say, "I didn't just lose my brother. I lost my sister-in-law. I lost
someone I considered my friend. Um, there were other people who spoke though on behalf of Corey, like her friend
Greg, who described her as a loving mother who always went out of her way to help other people who were in need. And
then her brother Ronnie said this and as Ronnie was speaking, Corey was crying. >> We don't with 100% certainty know what
happened, Eric. No one does. But we do know with 100% certainty that it wasn't caused by you. We know that, the police
know it, the prosecution knows it, and everyone watching this trial knows it. They could not prove their theory. Just
the opposite. And yet, here we are. For some reason, unbeknownst to us, really bad things happen to really good people.
Corin, you were just really too good of a person, I guess. >> Very stark contrast to the other
statements that we heard. >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, one side paints her as just so heartless and so evil and so
greedy, and here you have, you know, the other side is like, no, she was an incredible mother and an incredible
friend and an incredible sibling, right? The too good of a person. Um, you know,
we did speak with Ronnie when we first reported on this case on 48 Hours and he clearly believes in her innocence and
the same goes for Greg Hall, who I interviewed once again for this most recent hour. And they they all feel that
the jury missed the opportunity to get to know her. And you know, I mentioned that Corey had been crying when she was
listening to her one brother there, but she had a lot of facial expressions during the sentencing hearing. She
looked surprised. She looked incredulous. She wasn't stonefaced. Let's put it that way.
>> No, certainly not. I mean, the one thing that you you could say about Corey, she
was very expressive. She at one point appeared to be smirking. She rolled her eyes, it seemed, when Katie was
speaking, Eric's sister. People look at that and and they will make judgments based on that. Of course, she's already
been judged by the jury. They've already found her guilty, but now it's her sentencing hearing. And then of course
we heard from Corey Richens herself and she spoke for about 30 minutes in a statement that was sort of a letter for
her sons. She expressed, you know, regret for some of her behavior, but notably she maintained her innocence,
even apologizing to her sons for how the case unfolded. I'm going to play a clip of that.
>> I'm sorry. that eight people from a jury who have never met you or me or our family
had the right to determine our future. And they did that in less than three hours.
In a perfect world, there might be justice, but in a perfect world, nothing ever
goes wrong. Tragedies don't happen. Some think a verdict or this sentencing will be the answer that they seek or
that they need, but it won't. It will only give them something else to think about for a while.
It may help to disperse some of their hurt or their resentment, but it won't relieve it.
This grief will outlive us all. What's so interesting of of you know what she said there in my opinion is she says,
"I'm so sorry for the jury's decision. I'm so sorry the jury found me guilty." She said that her sons have the right to
be angry, of course, sad and confused, and that quote, "One day when this is all over, we can sit down and talk about
all of this and sort it all out." And she ended by saying she will continue to call her boys every day, even if her
calls are blocked and that she loves them forever because, you know, Corey has not had any uh real contact with the
boys in all of these years since she was um you know, awaiting trial. So, the judge is taking all of this in and the
judge sort of openly debates whether or not to sentence Corey Richens to 25 years to life or life without parole. Uh
he weighs the impact of the sentence on her three sons and really expresses a desire that everyone impacted by Eric's
death find their way to a state of peace. Ultimately, the judge sentences Corey Richens to life without the
possibility of parole. Natalie, is this the last we will hear from Corey Richens? Probably not. Um, according to
her team, Corey plans to appeal the verdict. So, this is going to keep going. Um, you know, but for the boys, I
think, and for Eric's family, they feel that it's over >> and they want it to be done with.
>> And and I mean, do we have any idea how her sons are doing today? >> Well, we know that they're living with
with Katie, that's Eric's sister, and her husband Clint. They've really tried to keep them
away from all of this attention. You know, now they've lost both parents. um and extended family as well. So um the
ripple effects of something like this will continue and and unfortunately you know it's the children who really pay
the greatest price. >> Absolutely. Um well Natalie, thank you so much for joining me today for
postmortem. >> Good to talk about this with you again an Marie. If you like this episode,
please rate and review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.

Watch "Kouri Richins: Behind the Facade" and then catch up with "48 Hours" correspondents Anne-Marie Green and Natalie Morales on "Post Mortem" as they discuss the case of Kouri Richins, a Utah mom who was sentenced to life in prison without parole for murdering her husband.

00:00 Kouri Richins: Behind the Facade 42:18 Watch the "Post Mortem" podcast

True crime. Real justice. "48 Hours" investigates the most intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all areas of the human experience including greed and passion. "48 Hours," which premiered in 1988, has developed a rich history of original reporting and impact journalism that has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, caused cold cases to be reopened and solved, and along the way changed lives.

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Brief Summary

Corey Richens was found guilty of murdering her husband Eric for financial gain, leading to a life sentence without parole.

Key points

Corey Richens: A Mother's Betrayal. Corey Richens is accused of murdering her husband Eric for financial gain, despite her facade of being a loving mother and author.
The Motive: Financial Gain. Prosecutors argue that Corey killed Eric for his money, revealing her financial troubles and motives.
A Shocking Warning. Eric warned his family to look at Corey if anything happened to him, foreshadowing the tragic events that unfolded.
The 911 Call: A Key Piece of Evidence. Corey's 911 call raised suspicions about her actions during Eric's emergency, leading jurors to question her sincerity.
Suspicious Behavior After Death. Corey's actions immediately following Eric's death raised eyebrows, including discussing real estate deals.
Cory Richens Found Guilty. On March 16th, 2026, Corey Richens was found guilty of aggravated murder and other charges.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

Watch out for Corey. Watch out if something happens to me.

Eric's warning to his family about Corey before his death.

6:24WatchJun 14, 2026

Tension

75/ 100High tension

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