The Kouri Richins Trial (Part 3)

Summary

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Court Junkie – The Kouri (Corey) Richins Trial (Part 3)

PodcastOne | June 10, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode marks the conclusion of Court Junkie’s intensive coverage of the Kouri (Corey) Richins murder trial. Host Gillian draws on testimony, court transcripts, and impact statements to provide a vivid account of the final days of the trial, closing arguments, and the emotional sentencing hearing. The episode explores not only the forensic and circumstantial evidence against Corey, but also the devastating aftermath for the Richins family—particularly the three sons left behind.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Testimony of Robert Joshua Grossman

[00:40–14:01]

• Grossman, a former employee and romantic partner of Corey’s, detailed his relationship with Corey, including their work and eventual romantic involvement.
• Described their financial arrangement: “We didn’t have any contractual agreement...she gave me money whenever I needed it. I just, you know, I liked her, so I'd worked for free.” (Grossman, 01:39)
• Text messages between Grossman and Corey indicated an ongoing relationship, with Corey discussing dreams of a future with him (08:24).
• Grossman became emotional recounting his relationship with Corey and the time surrounding Eric’s death, requiring a break from the witness stand (08:08–08:24).
• After Eric’s death, Corey texted Grossman about the autopsy and police search at her home, expressing bewilderment and frustration at the investigation.

Memorable Moment:
When asked if Corey had ever asked him about killing, Grossman recounted Corey asking if he’d ever killed anyone during his service in Iraq and how it made him feel. He described this as “not out of the normal…given what had just happened” (13:13–14:01).

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2. Friends & Employee Testimony Regarding Eric and Corey’s Marriage

[15:50–19:33]

• Ally Staking, a friend of Corey’s, recounted that Eric once jokingly said Corey tried to poison him on Valentine’s Day; the group laughed, including Corey herself (15:53–16:39).
• Becky Lloyd recalled Corey confessing her feeling of being “trapped” in her marriage and once seriously stating “it would be better if he [Eric] were dead” (18:46; 18:56).
• The episode highlights the serious tone of Corey’s comments according to Lloyd: “It was a very honest conversation and a very heartfelt conversation. You could tell from her body language that, you know, she was frustrated and she was struggling with where she was at.” (Becky Lloyd, 18:58)

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3. Testimony Regarding Eric’s State Before His Death

[19:33–24:07]

• Friends Joshua Kayes and Cody Wright detailed conversations with Eric around Valentine’s Day 2022. Both noted a serious, uncharacteristically somber mood, with Cody Wright specifically recalling urgency and fear in Eric’s voice.
• Both friends did not directly state Eric suspected poisoning, but their testimony supported the prosecution’s timeline that something was seriously wrong with Eric following a confrontation with Corey on Valentine’s Day.

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4. Private Investigator & Law Enforcement Testimony

[24:36–34:43]

• Todd Gabler, PI hired by Eric’s sister, described his extensive investigation, including identifying Corey’s suspicious drug connections and repeatedly alerting law enforcement to evidence found at the Richins home.
• The defense questioned the bias and conduct of Gabler’s investigation, suggesting confirmation bias and selective investigatory focus.
• Detective O’Driscoll, lead investigator, discussed the investigation into Eric’s death and introduced key evidence, including Corey’s “orange notebook” and the “Walk the Dog” letter (34:43–39:13), both crucial for the prosecution.

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5. Evidence and Incriminating Documentation

[34:43–39:13; 53:10–60:39]

• The orange notebook (found on Corey’s bedside): Described the night of Eric’s death, the preparation of drinks, sleeping arrangements, the discovery of Eric unresponsive, the ensuing panic, and her 911 call. Prosecutors alleged inconsistencies and possible staging.
• The “Walk the Dog” letter: Written to Corey’s mother, instructed family to create a false narrative blaming Eric for his own fentanyl use, with specific requests for perjury (“The connection has to be made with Mexico and drugs. Ronnie will have the messages to prove Eric confided in him…”).

Notable Quote:
“She knew that she bought fentanyl and she has to explain it. And how does she explain it?...it is a story, it's a fake story that she wants her brother to testify to.” (Prosecutor, 56:02)

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6. Prosecution’s Closing Arguments

[43:24–60:08]

• Prosecutor Brad Bloodworth portrayed Corey as someone who wanted the financial benefits of Eric’s death without divorce, citing the prenuptial agreement and her business failures:
  “A homicide poisoning requires a calculating intelligence.” (43:24)
• Emphasized evidence of premeditation, including changing life insurance beneficiaries, discussing “Michael Jackson drug” (propofol) with multiple individuals, and deleted text messages after Eric’s death.
• Detailed Corey’s Google searches about poisoning, and scrutinized the 911 call:
  “The first minute is not the sound of a wife becoming a widow…It’s the sound of a wife becoming a black widow.” (49:32)
• Claimed Corey staged the death scene, delayed 911, and presented self-serving, inconsistent narratives to police and friends.

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7. Defense’s Closing Arguments

[60:39–71:19]

• Defense, led by Kathy Nestor, stressed reasonable doubt and alternative explanations for every piece of evidence.
• Argued the investigation was biased and incomplete, citing the lack of certain forensic tests (e.g., hair follicle analysis) and the possibility that Corey’s deleted texts reflected her affair, not concealment of murder.
• Criticized reliance on testimony from Carmen Lauber, suggesting she testified against Corey in exchange for leniency.
• Highlighted gaps: “[Prosecutors] cannot tell you how Eric ingested that fentanyl. They haven't done their job. And now they want you to make inferences based on paper thin evidence.” (70:02)
• Suggested, at most, Corey may have unwittingly provided fentanyl-laced oxycodone, arguing this did not meet the standard for aggravated murder.

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8. Verdict and Sentencing

[71:19–73:08]

• Jury found Corey Richins guilty on all charges, including aggravated murder, after less than three hours of deliberation.
• Prosecutor asked the court to impose life in prison without parole:
  “Such a person should never again lurk among the rest of us. Her children should never worry that they may one day encounter her.” (72:05)

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9. Sentencing Hearing and Victim Impact Statements

(A central, deeply emotional segment) [73:49–92:15]

• Katie Richins Benson (Eric’s sister) delivered a powerful statement about the trauma inflicted on Eric’s sons and the family’s ongoing legal battles with Corey:

  • “They are going to get to know their dad more from the stories we tell about them than their actual experiences...And they have to go through life without their dad because their mother planned and carried out his murder.” (73:49)
  • Asserted Corey isolated the boys and attempted to manipulate their inheritance.

• The three sons’ statements (read by therapists):

  • Vividly recalled fear, confusion, and trauma on the night of Eric’s death.
  • Outlined allegations of ongoing mistreatment, animal neglect, and coercion at Corey’s hands.
  • Expressed hatred, anger, and relief at no longer being in Corey’s care, requesting she remain in prison for life.
  • “She took away my dad. It's made me have a hard time trusting people…Once she is gone, I will feel happy and I will feel safer...” (Therapist, 80:44)
  • “You took away my dad for no reason other than greed. And you only cared about yourself and your stupid boyfriends.” (AR’s statement, 82:25)
  • “I want the judge to know. My dad was a good person and I miss my dad. I miss my dad, but I do not not miss how my life used to be. I don't miss Corey. I will tell you that.” (CR’s statement, 89:06)

• Additional Details from the Prosecutors’ Memorandum:

  • “Eric was a good father. He knew that the defendant tried to murder him on Valentine's Day and he also knew that it was unsafe for his children if he were to leave the home. Eric died protecting his boys and they know it.” (89:06)
  • DCFS found evidence of both emotional and physical abuse after Eric’s death.

• Corey was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

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Notable Quotes & Standout Moments

• On Corey’s motive: "Corey wanted to leave Eric but didn’t want to leave his money." (Prosecutor, ~43:24)
• On forensic evidence: "She bought illicit street drugs to kill Eric Richards." (Prosecutor, 43:24)
• On the 911 call: "It’s the sound of a wife becoming a black widow." (Prosecutor, 49:32)
• On the defense’s theme of reasonable doubt: "Reasonable doubt. It's not just a slogan...It is the state that has that high burden, the highest burden under the law, to prove each and every single element...beyond a reasonable doubt." (Kathy Nestor, 60:52)
• From Eric’s son (victim impact): "She took away my dad. It's made me have a hard time trusting people...When someone talks about Cory, it makes me feel hateful and ashamed." (WR’s statement, 80:44)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Robert Grossman Testimony: 00:40–14:01
• Friends/Employee Testimony: 15:50–19:33
• Eric’s Last Days and Life Insurance: 19:33–24:07
• Private Investigator & Law Enforcement: 24:36–34:43
• Key Physical Evidence (Notebook, Letter): 34:43–39:13
• Prosecution’s Case and Closing Arguments: 43:24–60:08
• Defense’s Closing Arguments: 60:39–71:19
• Guilty Verdict Announcement: 71:19–73:08
• Sentencing Hearing & Victim Impact: 73:49–92:15

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Tone and Language

The episode is measured but emotional, with Gillian’s narration complementing the raw testimony and deeply personal victim statements. Prosecutors’ closing arguments are confident, sharp, and sometimes harshly critical; the defense is impassioned and skeptical of the state’s case. The most powerful language comes from the children’s statements, delivered with heartbreaking bluntness.

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Summary

This episode provides a thorough, multifaceted view of the Corey Richins trial’s conclusion—balancing legal analysis with a deeply human account of loss and grief. The story is as much about the devastating collateral damage of murder as it is the verdict itself. Ultimately, through the lens of court transcripts and those most affected, the podcast offers a sobering meditation on crime, justice, and the lives irreversibly changed by both.

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Transcript

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[Narrator / Podcast Host]

Robert Joshua Grossman answered a help wanted ad about a decade ago to help Corey Richards flip a house in South Carolina. And now, years later, Josh was testifying at her murder trial, recalling how he moved out to Utah.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Did there come a time you moved to Utah?

[Robert Joshua Grossman (Witness)]

Yes.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

When, sir, was that?

[Robert Joshua Grossman (Witness)]

It was just as Covid was kicking off, so 2020, I believe, early in the year.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

And why did you move to Utah?

[Robert Joshua Grossman (Witness)]

To work with her, help her flip houses.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

And when you moved to Utah, where did you stay?

[Robert Joshua Grossman (Witness)]

Initially, I stayed at a flip that she had acquired in Heber.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Other than accommodations, did she pay you for your services?

[Robert Joshua Grossman (Witness)]

I mean, we didn't have any contractual agreement. You know, she took care of me. You know, I lived for free. She did. She gave me money whenever I needed it. I just, you know, I liked her, so I'd worked for free. Not that, not that she didn't, you know,

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

pay me.

[Robert Joshua Grossman (Witness)]

She did from time to time in lump sums.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

Shortly before that move, his relationship with Corey turned romantic.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

During that time that you were romantically involved with Ms. Richards, did you love her?

[Robert Joshua Grossman (Witness)]

Yes.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

During that time, did you feel that she loved you?

[Robert Joshua Grossman (Witness)]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I have a tendency of going head over heels, though, probably more than most. So, you know, I think she did.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

In the last two episodes we've been covering this trial, Corey Richards was accused by prosecutors of murder of poisoning her husband, Eric Richins, with fentanyl in March 2022. Today, we'll conclude our coverage with the remaining witnesses, closing arguments and beyond. This is Gillian in partnership with Law and Crime. You are listening to Court Junkie. There was a point, probably somewhere between having two kids and running a business where I realized that I had just been tolerating my sleep. I'd wake up and feel fine. But fine isn't at all the same as rested. And I started to notice that how I Sleep actually affects everything. My mood, my focus, my patience with my kids, all of it. But thankfully everything changed when I stopped ignoring my bedding. And that's when I found Bolen Branch. I've talked about it before, but it all started with the signature sheets and honestly I was not prepared for how good they would feel. Like the moment you get into bed you just notice it. They're 100% organic cotton and they have the softness that doesn't go away, but they actually get better with every single wash. So then I added the waffle blanket which has become my year round. Go to this perfect weight where it's cozy but not hot. And then most recently we got the Dream Duvet set and now I fully understand why people become obsessed with their bedding. Getting into bed at the end of the day is now one of my favorite parts of the day. It feels like a five star hotel that's somehow also perfectly broken in. This is the kind of sleep you stop compromising on. Sleep Cooler this summer with Bolen Branch during their annual summer event For a limited time, get 20% off site [e-mail] court with the code court that's Bolandbranch B O L L A N D B r a n c-h.com court code court to take 20% off bulendbranch.com court code court exclusions apply. I have a few non negotiables during the week that I've been really good at sticking with. One is my morning workout and two is my morning post workout Cachava shake. I've recently been really into Cachava's coconut acai flavor and it is so yummy. I love to add some ice, a banana, some cottage cheese and I'm telling you it tastes like an actual treat. I've tried pretty much every flavor at this point from strawberry, chocolate, matcha, vanilla, chai and I have not met one that I didn't love. Which if you know me, is saying something because I am picky. But here's the thing I love about cachava beyond just the taste. It's doing so much for me nutritionally without me having to think about it. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, probiotics, omegas, electrolytes. It's all in there. It supports my energy, keeps my digestion on track, and helps with muscle recovery after workouts. And I recently discovered they have travel packs which is kind of a game changer for those days when I'm in a rush and I need to get somewhere right after the gym. Especially in the summer when kids sports start dominating my life. I can just throw a few packs in my bag and I am good to go. No artificial flavors, no fillers, non GMO plant based just clean nutrition that actually tastes delicious and they have a love it guaranteed so you can try it totally risk free. Take your daily ritual with you. Go to cachava.com and use the code court for 15% off your order. That's Kachava K A C-H-A V A.com code court. Robert Josh Grossman told the jury about the months leading up to Eric Richen's death. As text message conversations between him and Corey were shown to the jury, Josh put his head down on the witness stand, seemingly upset. The two talk a lot back and forth about their relationship and she acknowledges that she's married but in love with him. They talk about how they could be great together, but Corey also says in another text that she can't break up her family. He tells her he thought she was getting a divorce and she says yes, but that could be in another year or two and that she can't ask him to sit around and wait for her. There's another text conversation from January 9, 2022, two months prior to Eric's death, where Corey references pills she had in her cabinet. February 23rd was when Corey texted him about a dream she had where she got divorced, made millions, and then the two of them lived in the Midway House together. Josh asks her if that's a dream or a goal. She says she's been thinking about that dream for weeks. It's not possible, but I've been thinking about it, she says. At one point during the showing of their lovey text messages, Josh appeared to wipe away tears on the stand as he put his face in his hands. Oh man. He could be heard saying, sir, would

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

you like to take a break?

[Attorney / Prosecutor Brad Bloodworth]

Mr. Grossman, level with me. Do you need a minute or two?

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

Sure.

[Robert Joshua Grossman (Witness)]

I don't know what I need.

[Attorney / Prosecutor Brad Bloodworth]

Just start with that.

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

Why don't we take a 5 pause for a moment if you don't mind. Let's take a five minute break.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

When the break was over and the jury came back in the room, more text messages were shown. On the morning of March 4, 2022. A little after 10:30 in the morning, Josh texts Corey, hey babe, how are you feeling today? I'm proud of you. In reference to her upcoming closing on the Midway House. Then at noon, he writes, hey, what's going on with you? You good? Corey responds. Two hours later, and writes, no. Then Eric passed away. And she tells him they will talk later. Josh writes back, what? And Corey responds, no words. Turning phone off. Eric passed away last night. Josh responds, no words either. Lost. Nuts. I can't do this. She writes, I am devastated. Josh replies, I can't comprehend. I don't know what to say or do. I want you to be safe. You're everyone. What happened? Who are you with? Corey writes, 3:00am I called the ambulance. Been up since then. People, family, friends, still here. Then they think in aneurysm. On March 20, just a couple weeks later, Corey sends Josh a link to a resort and asks, are we there yet? They continue to talk about their upcoming vacation. On April 8, Corey tells him, I think I want you to be my husband. One day on April 15, she tells him that 22 cops were searching her house. She writes, the autopsy report isn't done yet, but the toxicology report came back and he had a trace of fentanyl in his system. I didn't even know what the hell that was until they showed up at my door. My attorneys are fighting it because they detained me. No reading me rights. They never told me why they were at my house and what the hell were they looking for. I was like wtf? They had a search warrant and everything. This is so ridiculous and all that and drug dogs and everything. And they didn't find a damn thing but Eric's weed gummies. Congratulations, idiots. They were so disappointed. My attorney said in order to get a search warrant they would have had to have some kind of proof a crime was committed. Whether it's drugs being sold in and out of my house or me having something to do with this. I don't even know what the that is. I thought it was cocaine. The detective isn't corrected me. They took all electronics out of my house. Even my kids stuff. She then writes, eric does not do drugs. He ate a shit ton of edibles four to five times a week but rarely ever drank. This is absurd. And they don't even have a COD yet. How can they just jump to this bullshit before we even know? Ronnie swears the gummies are laced with it because it was a new pack. This is all just so freaking stupid and crazy. On the stand, Josh was asked when he first saw Corey after Eric's death. He said they met up about two weeks later. They went up into the mountains together and talked in her car. It was the first time they had talked about what happened to Eric.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Did there come a time during that discussion that Corey, Rich. Corey Richards asked you about killing.

[Robert Joshua Grossman (Witness)]

Do you want me to contextualize it?

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Please.

[Robert Joshua Grossman (Witness)]

So, yeah, you know, we sat there and talked for quite a while. You know, I had never seen her that way. Obviously it was a heavy conversation. And I'm not used to that with her. She's not used to being open like that. So at one point, my opinion then, probably still now looking back, was that, you know, she was looking for any reason. I think she was exhausted emotionally

[Attorney / Prosecutor or Court Participant]

and

[Robert Joshua Grossman (Witness)]

I think she was looking for a reason to divert the conversation away from herself. Because she does that. She does that about lots of things in normal life, you know,

[Attorney / Prosecutor or Court Participant]

And I

[Robert Joshua Grossman (Witness)]

think that's what she did. She asked me, go, go ahead, I'll let you ask.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

I know you sure, but did she ask you a question about killing?

[Robert Joshua Grossman (Witness)]

She did. Asked me if I. If, yeah.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

What sir? What, sir, did she ask?

[Robert Joshua Grossman (Witness)]

She asked if I had ever killed anybody.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

And was that specific to killed anybody while serving in Iraq.

[Robert Joshua Grossman (Witness)]

Right.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Did you respond?

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

I did.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Did she ask a follow up question? Yes, sir. What was that follow up question?

[Robert Joshua Grossman (Witness)]

She asked me how it made me feel or something along those lines. And then I answered her. I took it as not out of the normal, though, really.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

He said he and Corey remained in a romantic relationship for a while after Eric's death. But then things changed. They eventually had a falling out. He said there was a lot on both of us on cross. Josh said his and Corey's relationship was on and off and was more of a fantasy than reality. He said it was something he wanted but couldn't really picture it in the future. He said he was trying to figure out what happened after Corey was arrested. He told the jury that an investigator told him that Corey was guilty and that changed everything for him. He said the conversation where Corey asked him if he had ever killed anyone didn't seem weird to him. That he and Corey had just experienced something supernatural and that in the broader context it wasn't strange to him. He was asked how Corey was different after Eric's death. And he said she was different in the normal ways. Anyone would be different after something of that magnitude had happened. He said she did not come across as happy that Eric was dead, that she was grieving and sad. Ally Staking grew up with Corey Richards. They met in junior high and they spoke frequently. She said she was one of Corey's best friends. She said Corey first told her about her affair with Josh in June 2020, just prior to Eric passing away in February 2022. Corey told her she had ended things with Josh and that it had been over for about nine months. That same weekend, she was with Corey and Eric and their group of friends when the topic of Eric getting sick on Valentine's Day came up.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

What did Eric Richten say?

[Ally Staking (Friend of Corey Richards)]

He said that he thought that Corey had tried to poison him, but it was more of a funny story. It was. It was like an allergic reaction is

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

what we die was.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

So Eric jokingly is this. I want to accurately, accurately clarify.

[Ally Staking (Friend of Corey Richards)]

We were laughing at the story. So did Eric, along with Eric.

[Attorney / Prosecutor or Court Participant]

Right.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Did Eric jokingly say that Corey Richards had tried to.

[Ally Staking (Friend of Corey Richards)]

Yes. And we all teased Corey for trying to kill him or poisoned him, whatever he thought it was.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Okay. How did Cory Richards react to Eric Richards jokingly say that she tried to poison him on Valentine's?

[Ally Staking (Friend of Corey Richards)]

She laughed about it. We were all laughing.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Did she say anything about what happened on Valentine's?

[Ally Staking (Friend of Corey Richards)]

She said, no, that's not what happened. That he had. That it was an allergic reaction or something or it wasn't that dramatic. It didn't happen like that. Something along those lines.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Did she say how it happened or what happened?

[Ally Staking (Friend of Corey Richards)]

No, not that I can recall.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

Becky Lloyd was an employee at the company. Eric and his business partner, Cody Wright, owned C and D Masonry. She started working there in February 2021, but had met Corey and Eric in 2017. She was neighbors with them. On December 17, 2021, she had a conversation with Corey that stood out to her. She and Corey were doing a Secret Santa gift wrap for families in need in the neighborhood. Was there a topic of conversation that

[Becky Lloyd (Employee and Neighbor)]

came up related to Corey Richardson's marriage? Yes.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

How did that come up?

[Becky Lloyd (Employee and Neighbor)]

I had recently gotten divorced a couple months before, three months before. And she was asking me how that was going, and I was asking her about how her marriage was going. And her and Eric had had a fight that day. So it was definitely on the top of her mind.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

What did Corey say to you?

[Becky Lloyd (Employee and Neighbor)]

They had. Corey had had an opportunity to go to a work event of some sort, like a Christmas gala, something like that. And it was going to be a really good opportunity for her career. She was excited about it. At the same time, Eric had booked a sleigh ride with the family for Christmas, a good family activity. And they had a scheduling conflict, and they did not agree about what they should do for that scheduling conflict.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

What else did Corey say during that conversation about her marriage with Eric?

[Becky Lloyd (Employee and Neighbor)]

She talked about how she was feeling trapped.

[Joshua Kayes (Friend of Eric)]

She.

[Becky Lloyd (Employee and Neighbor)]

She was feeling like there wasn't an easy way forward out of the marriage. She felt like she was worried about her kids. She was worried that she was going to lose them and that Eric was going to take the kids from her and that his family was going to turn the community against her.

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

And

[Becky Lloyd (Employee and Neighbor)]

she said that in many ways,

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

it would be better if he.

[Becky Lloyd (Employee and Neighbor)]

If he were dead. What was the tone of Corey's voice during that conversation?

[Katie Richins Benson (Eric's Sister)]

It was serious.

[Becky Lloyd (Employee and Neighbor)]

She definitely had a very serious tone. We weren't really joking. It was a very honest conversation and a very heartfelt conversation. You could tell from her body language that, you know, she was frustrated and she was struggling with where she was at. Yeah, serious tone.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

What was your reaction to Corey saying

[Becky Lloyd (Employee and Neighbor)]

it would be better if Eric were dead? To me, it really signified just how far their marriage was off track and how serious the situation was. And I felt bad for both of them. That's a heavy conversation.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

Joshua Kayes was a friend of Eric's. He said he never saw Eric use any kind of drugs. He recalled a concerning conversation he had with Eric. Eric called him at around 2pm on Valentine's Day in 2022. Remember, this is when prosecutors say Corey first tried to poison him.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Without saying what Eric said to you, why is it you remember that phone call?

[Joshua Kayes (Friend of Eric)]

It was notable, I think, for a couple reasons, but the main reason was just,

[Attorney / Prosecutor or Court Participant]

Well, the.

[Joshua Kayes (Friend of Eric)]

The topics of the things we talked about, but also the emotion, I guess it was unlike any other conversation I'd had with Eric. Mostly just kind of. His spirits felt almost like somber. And anybody that knows Eric, most of the time you would call and he would already be talking upbeat, you know, and this one was a lot different.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

How did he sound to you?

[Joshua Kayes (Friend of Eric)]

Like I said, somber would be maybe a way to describe it.

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

Very serious,

[Joshua Kayes (Friend of Eric)]

Maybe. Sincere, which

[Todd Gabler (Private Investigator)]

can be.

[Joshua Kayes (Friend of Eric)]

Is a little like. Especially for friends that joke around a lot and kind of rib each other quite a bit, which we did. It was just very outside the norm.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Had you ever heard Eric sound like that before?

[Joshua Kayes (Friend of Eric)]

No.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Based on what Eric said to you and without saying anything that Eric said, did you offer Eric any advice?

[Joshua Kayes (Friend of Eric)]

I don't know that I would say advice other than maybe like questions, like suggestions and questions.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Was my response based on that conversation? Did you ask Eric Richards if he was okay now?

[Joshua Kayes (Friend of Eric)]

Yes.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Did you ask Eric if he was going to go to the hospital?

[Todd Gabler (Private Investigator)]

Yes.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Did you ask Eric, what are you going to do about it?

[Joshua Kayes (Friend of Eric)]

Yes.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

He said after that call, he talked to his wife about it. A day or two later, he told two mutual friends of theirs about it. Cody Wright said Eric was his business partner and very good friend of his. He said he had a buy sell agreement with Eric in case something happened to either of them.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Are you familiar with the new law, New York life insurance policy, A set of New York life insurance policies that were associated with that buy sell agreement?

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

Yes.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Are you familiar with the series of beneficiary changes to the New York life policy on your life in January of 2022?

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

I was told those happened.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Did you make those beneficiary changes to your New York life policy in January of 2022?

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

I did not.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Did you ever make any beneficiary changes to that New York life policy?

[Robert Joshua Grossman (Witness)]

No.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Did you ever observe Eric Richards make any beneficiary changes to that New York life policy?

[Attorney / Prosecutor or Court Participant]

No.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

He said he too received a call from Eric on Valentine's Day, 2022, without

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

saying what Eric said to you. Why is it you remember that phone call?

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

The fear in his voice, the urgency of the situation, the seriousness of what was going on.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Had you ever heard Eric sound like that before?

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

The only other times I heard that urgency and that fear when he called me telling me that his mother had passed away in the hospital, I also heard that urgency or that fear when he had been rear ended in an accident and feared that the person that had hit him had passed away as well or had hit him hard enough that he was scared of what had just happened.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

Todd Gabler is a private investigator who was hired by Katie Richens, Eric's sister, to look into Eric's death. He said he gave Katie the same speech he gives all of his clients.

[Todd Gabler (Private Investigator)]

You're hiring me to find the truth? The truth is sometimes very difficult for us to accept. I've often said that the truth is half what you most fear that it is and half what you most desire it to be. And you cannot separate those two from the truth. I told them that they would have to accept the truth about what happened to their brother, no matter what that truth was. If he took his own life, they would have to accept that if someone was responsible for his death, they would also have to respect my investigation and accept that truth. They agreed, sir.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

From that point forward, did you conduct an independent investigation?

[Todd Gabler (Private Investigator)]

I did,

[Attorney / Prosecutor or Court Participant]

sir.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Who paid for that investigation?

[Todd Gabler (Private Investigator)]

I was paid by Clint Benson. But my understanding is that the legal sort of line of authority for which I was engaged was for the estate and Katie Richards Benson as the personal representative.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

He said he started with a couple theories that either Eric took his own life by an overdose or Corey surreptitiously had Eric ingest a massive amount of fentanyl and Killed him. He estimated that he conducted about 45 to 50 interviews in this case, all of which he turned over to the sheriff's office. He said it was immediately apparent to him that Carmen Lauber had an extensive criminal record regarding drug use and sales. He said he alerted the sheriff's office about her and the number of contacts between Corey and Carmen around the time of Eric's death. He had access to Corey's and Eric's phone records through Eric's business partner on cross. Corey's attorney grilled him on how he conducted searches at the Richins home with the Richins family's permission, and then would call the police if he found something.

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

So they come back because you call them and say, hey, I found something. Come back. Here's where it is.

[Todd Gabler (Private Investigator)]

Yep.

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

And they know you're doing that. They know that you're. You have full access to this house, right?

[Todd Gabler (Private Investigator)]

I don't know what they know. I can't answer that.

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

Well, you're calling them every time you find something.

[Todd Gabler (Private Investigator)]

Well, what opinion they formed in their mind is not within my knowledge.

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

Okay, fair. True. You call them every time you found

[Todd Gabler (Private Investigator)]

something that I thought was of evidentiary value in their investigation.

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

Did any of them ever say, you know what? We're good. Stop calling us?

[Todd Gabler (Private Investigator)]

No, I don't recall that at all.

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

So then the converse of that is they encourage you to keep doing that.

[Todd Gabler (Private Investigator)]

Well, no, that is not the converse of your hypothetical, and I do not agree with your assessment.

[Attorney / Prosecutor or Court Participant]

Okay.

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

Did you feel like you were helping them?

[Todd Gabler (Private Investigator)]

I was following the instructions of my client to turn over anything I thought was relevant to the criminal investigation. This is not my case. My case is in the civil court. Anything that we thought was of value to the criminal case, we turned it over.

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

And the police were happy with that?

[Todd Gabler (Private Investigator)]

I don't know if they were happy or sad or distraught. I have no idea as to their emotional condition.

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

They sure never told you to stop.

[Todd Gabler (Private Investigator)]

The police never directed me to do anything. And if they had told me to stop, I would have ignored them.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

Detective Jeff o' Driscoll was the lead investigator on the case with the Summit County Sheriff's Office. He said at first he didn't know if Eric had died from an accidental overdose, a suicide, or homicide. He said he became aware that Corey Richards had released a children's book and that she was giving an interview to a local news station. He found out that she had filled out a form requesting to go on. On the form she wrote. I have just written what appears to be the first children's book about losing a parent. My husband passed away last year and we have three young boys. I wrote this book to help kids find comfort and peace when losing a parent or anyone close to them. I hope to promote it on your show to help parents comfort their children with such a tragic life event. Text messages were then shown to the jury where Corey talks about hiring a ghost writer to write the book for her and how much money she will make. She says her goal is to sell 100,000 books by the end of 2023. Detective O' Driscoll then detailed his investigation into Eric's death, he said with Carmen Lauber, they executed a search warrant on her house and found drugs and an obituary for Eric Richards. He said they interviewed her and told her that what they found in her house could potentially violate the conditions of her drug court, which would put her on the hook for multiple felonies. He told her if she helped them with their investigation, they would help her with her charges, he said. He stressed to Carmen that she needed to be truthful and only tell them what she remembered, he told the jury an orange notebook was found during one of the searches investigators did of the Richens home. It was located on the nightstand on Corey's side of the bed in the primary bedroom. Inside, Corey had written down what happened on March 3, 2022. She wrote how the kids went to bed around 9 and that shortly after that Eric said let's have a celebration drink about her closing on the Midway House. That was going to happen the following day. She said they went into the kitchen and started making Moscow Mules and lemon drop shots. They then made their way back into the bedroom and brushed their teeth. As they climbed into bed, they could hear one of their sons moaning and tossing and turning. She wrote that she told Eric she would go sleep with him. They kissed, said I love you and good night. She went to her son's room and 30 minutes later she could hear Eric snoring. She then fell asleep, she said. At 3:20am she went back into their room and crawled into bed. Eric snores more times than not, so I thought it was weird. I didn't hear anything. I crawled into bed and went on Eric's side of the bed and put my arm over him. He was cold, very cold, so I pulled the blanket up on him but his body just felt so strange to me. It was heavy is the only word I can think to describe it. So I nudged him and said eric, Eric. Nothing. I kept nudging him and just remember the stiffness of his body. I jumped out of bed and ran and turned the lights on. He was pale yellow, mouth open. An urge came over me that this wasn't good. I grabbed my phone and called 91 1. I ran up to Eric to see if he was breathing or had a pulse, but he didn't. Panic had sank in as I was talking to dispatch. She had me pull Eric to the floor to do cpr. As much as I didn't want him basically falling on the ground. I pulled him as hard as I could to get him down and began CPR compressions until the EMT arrived. They immediately took over getting out their fibulator and started compressions. The worst part of all of it was when they were pumping his lungs and blood went everywhere. It's like on replay in my head. She described screaming and crying as the EMTs worked on Eric. She said at one point the head EMT came over to her and told her that Eric didn't make it and then she lost it. She said she immediately went into the bathroom and began throwing up. She said she called Eric's dad Gene and told him something was wrong with Eric and that he had to come over. Quick quote. I told him the ambulance was here but he wasn't breathing. The odd thing about when I had called Gene is it was about 3:45 4:00am by this time and he had sounded so perky on the hello when he answered, almost like he was expecting my call. It was very strange. On another page in the notebook was a timeline. March 4th, Eric passes away. March 5th friends, Bryce, Chelsea, Ali, K, Bri, Ronnie, Amy, Sleepover. Have a few drinks and reminisce. We laughed, we cried, we danced all night. Earlier in the afternoon Katie mentioned a green folder and asked me if I knew where it was. I didn't know what she was talking about. She quickly changed the subject and said we would figure this out. March 6 I call locksmith to open a safe to look for this green folder Katie was talking about. The safe code had been changed and I couldn't open it. Bryce, Amy, Chelsea, Allie, Bri, Ronnie slept over. Amy tried to stop me from opening it and the cops were called. She went on to list out court hearings between herself and the Richins family. Then under November 23, 2022 she wrote I find out Eric had been consulting divorce attorney. Detective o' Driscoll was asked if he was familiar with something called the Walk the Dog letter and he said yes. It was a six page letter written to Corey's mom Lisa on September 12th 13th, 2023. Prosecutor Bloodworth said investigators recovered it on September 14th, 2023, four months after Corey was arrested for murder from a book that was among Corey's personal possessions. At the top of the letter it stated walk the dog but take vague notes so you remember Detective o'. Driscoll. Read more from the letter out loud to the jury. Note that the sky that's being referenced in the letter is Corey's former attorney and Ronnie is Corey's brother.

[Attorney / Prosecutor Brad Bloodworth]

Here is what I'm thinking, but you have to talk to Ronnie. He would probably have to testify to this, but it's super short, not a lot to it. He will need to tell sky at the meeting next week. Upon information and belief, just like they say, a year prior to Eric's death, Ronnie was over watching football one Sunday and Eric and Ronnie were chatting about Eric's Mexico trips. Eric told Ronnie he gets pain pills and fentanyl from Mexico from the workers at the ranch. Not to tell me because I would get mad because I always said he he just gets high every night and won't help take care of the kids. There are pictures in my phone of Eric passed out on the floor or in the chair. Ronnie should have texts from Eric talking about getting high as well. Eric told Ronnie he keeps them in an allergy pill bottle in his work truck so I wouldn't find them. Ronnie never told me about the conversation. Eric finally told me and asked if Carmen could get him some. Eric never wanted anyone to know he had an issue, especially get caught. He always wanted Corey to go down for him. When they traveled. Eric would put his drugs in Corey's bag at the airlines right before they boarded. That way if they were caught, Corey got in trouble, not him. Once they got to whenever, wherever they were going, Eric would pull the drugs out of her bag and it would cause a huge fight. She was pissed he would risk her going to jail for his drug use. He just would laugh about it. Eric couldn't run, couldn't ruin his image that he had drug issues so he would do whatever he had to. Corey has never done any type of pills, didn't like them. Rarely would she consume thc, only if Eric begged her because it was a special occasion. Reword this however he needs to to make the point. Just include it all. The connection has to be made with Mexico and drugs. Ronnie will have the messages to prove Eric confided in him about getting high. It can be short and to the point but has to be done upon information and belief. Lol. They never found pain pills or fentanyl in my house because he had he hid it in allergy bottle and work truck and Cody emptied out work truck within a week so they were never found. When you talk to Ronnie about this, meet up with him in person. I worry sometimes your house and phone are bugged. Maybe drive down to SL and meet him after work without Brie. Tell Ronnie don't overanalyze it. It was a quick 2 minute conversation lol. Tell him I need him to do this. Bring me home and then we will get those damn bitches. Also please text lotto or call tell him do not text me anything about us doing things together ever. Like church skiing trips. Nothing that puts us together. It doesn't look good. We're so close to the end lot. Let's push through. Have the conversation with Ronnie before he meets with sky. Then tell him to tell sky at the meeting about the conversation. Hang in there, we're almost there. Love you to the moon. Take vague notes of all this so you remember before you walk the dog.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

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[Attorney / Prosecutor or Court Participant]

More.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

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[Attorney / Prosecutor]

The evidence will prove that she intentionally or knowingly caused the death of Eric Richins here by means of administering to him the illicit street drugs that she purchased from Carmen Lauber. She intended to kill him with the illicit street drugs. It doesn't matter what illicit street drugs. We'll get into it more. It doesn't matter if it was the propofol, it was the Fentanyl that actually killed him if it was oxy or some other illicit street drugs. She bought illicit street drugs to kill Eric Richards.

[Joshua Kayes (Friend of Eric)]

He.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

He said Corey intended to cause Eric's death probably as early as December 7, 2021.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

She booked a trip for her and Josh Grossman to the Caribbean for April. People don't book that trip. Corey Richards did not book that trip thinking Eric Richards would be alive in April, she book it knowing he would not.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

He brought up how on January 1, 2022, she changed the life insurance beneficiary on Cody Wright's policy from Eric to herself, but then quickly changed it back.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

The evidence proves that Cody. Sorry that Corey Richards didn't understand that was Cody's policy. And when she figured it out, she went ahead and changed it back because she planned to murder Eric. She did not plan to murder Kody, but she planned to murder.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

He pointed out that Corey had talked about getting the Michael Jackson drug both to Carmen and Hayden Jeffs, which was that conversation overheard by Hayden's girlfriend Anna.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Corey Richards was a suburban mother, real estate agent. She does not know a lot about the illicit street drug world but she knows Michael Jackson died from taking drugs. She doesn't know how to order a street drug but she knows she wants the Michael Jackson stuff. She knows she wants it because it is lethal, it is fatal, it kills and she wanted lethal, fatal death.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

He said Carmen Lauber's phone corroborated her testimony about her meetups with Robert Crozier.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

The digital forensics corroborate Carmen Lauber's testimony that five days before Corey Richards murdered Eric Richards, Carmen Lauber purchased for Corey Richards fentanyl from Robert Crozier at the Maverick in Draper. The call detail records show an extraordinary amount of overlapping communication between Carmen Lauber Corey Rich and Carmen Lauber Robert Crozier during that time. We of course don't have the communications. Carmen Lauber deleted them because they were evidence of a drug deal. Corey Richards deleted them because they were evidence of a drug deal and a murder. Robert Crozier said he had lost his phone, but that's an extraordinary number of communications.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

Prosecutor Bloodworth said the evidence proves that Corey used a Moscow mule and a shot to administer the fentanyl to Eric due to the orange notebook police found inside the home.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

She writes it in her orange notebook where she journals what happened the night she murdered Eric. It's a self serving journal. We'll discuss discuss that down the road. But she wrote Moscow Mule and a lemon drop shot and that is consistent with all the toxicology.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

He said Corey began a cover up the night of the murder. All the way through the Walk the

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Dog letter in the orange notebook, she writes she jumped out of bed, ran, turned on the lights, grabbed her phone and called 911. The evidence proves that is not true. The evidence proves that when she returned to their bedroom, Corey Richards says she was in Ashton's room. There's no evidence of that. But she returned from somewhere to their bedroom, unlocked her phone, put it on speaker. There's no call detail records showing a call at that time. But she may have called on WI fi, somebody. That would not appear in the call detail record. It would appear on her phone if her phone had not been deleted.

[Kathy Nestor (Defense Attorney)]

Objection, you, Honor. These are facts that are not.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

Please have a seat.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

She then unlocked her phone again at 3o, 8, 3 10, 3 1, 5, 3 1, 9, 3, 19. And then 15 minutes later, she called 91 1. That is not immediately called 91 1. Perhaps she was staging the scene during these 15 minutes.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

He said at 3, 22 and 12 seconds, there was a receiver activation. This was during the 911 call when the 911 dispatcher asked if she was on speakerphone and Corey said yes. Prosecutor Bloodworth said that was a lie. She was on receiver. He played the 911 call in its entirety.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

The first minute is not the sound of a wife becoming a widow. To echo her friend Chelsea Barney. The first minute is the sound of a wife becoming a black widow. Listen to how Corey richards on the 911 call immediately presents. Very soon after the call begins, presents her alibi narrative. Listen to how she tells the 911 dispatcher where she was when Eric died. She is distancing herself rather than. He's not breathing. He has no pulse. I have to figure out what to do. I need help. She's saying, hey, look, I was not there. I was in my son's room. That's her alibi. She's distancing herself from the time and the place that she murdered Eric. The 911 call operator asks her to perform CPR. Notice how she distances herself from that? No, I don't know how. No, he's too heavy. No, I can't move him. She is not immediately trying to revive him. We're going to run a clock from the time that the dispatcher asks her if she can start CPR to the time she purportedly starts it. It's six minutes. Listen, please, to the portion of the 911 call where the operator instructs Corey Richards how to remove Eric from. From the bed. Listen how the dispatcher says, move to the side of the bed. Corey Richins says she does. Remove the pillows, pull the arm, pull the leg, lift up the sheath, pull him off. If Corey Richards is following the instructions of the 911 dispatcher, Eric Richen's body is on the floor on the side of the bed, not the foot of the bed where it was found. Listen also to her choice of language. She has dehumanized Eric Richards. When she is talking about removing Eric from the bed and she is protesting and she is saying she cannot. She is not saying, I can't move him him. She is saying, I can't move it. Eric is no longer a him to him. She murdered Eric. Eric is an it. Finally, listen to when she says she is performing CPR and the phone is on speaker. The phone's not on speaker. Determine whether she's performing cpr.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

I'm going to play a clip from that call. And while the call played, Prosecutor Bloodworth ran a timer with the caption, time elapsed from when the dispatcher mentioned CPR to when Corey supposedly started cpr. The dispatcher repeatedly tries to get Corey to move Eric to the floor, but Corey keeps saying she can't do it. She finally says she got him to the floor. Around the five minute mark, the dispatcher instructs her how to do cpr.

[Attorney / Prosecutor or Court Participant]

Start pumping the chest hard and fast at least twice per second and two inches deep. Okay, start. Start counting out loud so I can count with you. Okay, we're gonna count. 1, 2, 3, 4. Okay, let me know when you're ready. 1. 1, 2, 3, four. 1, 2, 3, 4. Count out loud so I can hear you. I'm counting with you. One, three, four. One, two, three, four. One, 2, 3, 4, 4. One, 2, 3,4. One, 2, 3, four. One, two, 3, 4. One, two, 3, four. One. If it's easier for you. Am I on speaker? Yes. Okay. 1, 2, 3, 4. Do you know the front door is open? No, it's locked. It's. Are you. I need you to go. Are you. Is there anybody else within the home or the chip view? That's all my kids. Okay. Are you. Are one of them old enough to go and lock the door?

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

Yeah, it's unlocked.

[Attorney / Prosecutor or Court Participant]

It's unlocked now. Okay.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

Prosecutor Bloodworth told the jury to contrast that with what she texted her friend Chelsea. Barney.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

I tried so hard to save him. 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. None of that happened. She's covering up her involvement in murdering Eric Richards.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

He pulled up a document officers gave to Corey at the scene so she could write down what had happened.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

And it says describe in detail what you saw, know or heard of the incident. Where does she start? Eric and I put the kids to bed around 9pm we had a drink. In Corey Richen's mind, that's when the incident started. It was the drink and she knew it because she put the fentanyl in the drink. She didn't start with I walked into the bedroom at 3am My husband was not breathing and cold. Describe the incident. The incident for her begins around 9:15 when she has the drink because she knows that is in fact when the incident began.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

He then moved on to the walk the dog letter.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Corey Britton says Eric gets pain pills and fentanyl from Mexico. She goes on to talk and says Eric finally told me and asked if Carmen could get him some some pain pills and fentanyl from Mexico. Some refers back to pain pills in Mexico from fentanyl. Sorry, pain pills and fentanyl from Mexico. Corey Richards knows four months after she's been arrested for Eric Richards murder, a year and a half after she murdered him, she knows that she bought fentanyl and she has to explain it. And how does she explain it? A year and a half after murdering Eric Richards, she blames it on Eric. Oh I bought it for Eric. That's the sum of the evidence. Her self serving statement asking her brother to testify falsely that she brought it from Eric for Eric. Year and a half after she murdered. Corey Richards did not tell the 911 dispatcher, Hey, I just bought some fentanyl for Eric. She didn't tell the paramedics he might be dying from the fentanyl I just bought for him. He didn't tell the deputies that responded. He didn't tell Detective Woody, he didn't tell Dr. Ulmer, didn't tell Christiansen, didn't tell her friends, didn't tell her family all the off ramps she had to the opportunity to take to say hey I bought the fentanyl for Eric. She doesn't because it did not happen. She did not concoct this story until a year and a half after she killed him. And it is a story, it's a fake story that she wants her brother to testify to.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

He brought up another statement Corey wrote in her orange notebook found in the home.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Corey Richards in the orange notebook writes self servingly when the EMT Walked up to me and said he didn't make it. We did all we could. I lost it. I immediately ran to the bathroom. This is the video of when the EMT walked up to her.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

He showed the video and pointed out that it doesn't show Corey going to the bathroom at any time to throw up. He said when people make up stories, their stories are inconsistent. He pointed to her statement she gave to police and what she wrote in her notebook.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Here, in the orange notebook, Corey Richards says they make the Moscow Mule and the Lemon Drop shot in the kitchen, and then they go to bed and brush their teeth here. They drink it in the bedroom, not the kitchen.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

He pointed out other inconsistencies, like her telling police Eric was on the phone and she went into her son's room. But later, while on the phone with Eric's friend Bryce, she said when she found him and he was cold, he was laying in the same position as he had been when he was asleep. He said her Google searches show what Corey was thinking. Although they can't tell the exact dates, they know it's before she got paid out. Anything from the life insurance policies, which started in June, so they occurred between April and June 2022.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

This one's the most insightful. If someone is poisoned, what does it go down on the death certificate as? She didn't search if someone accidentally ODs, she doesn't search if somebody is dead for unknown reasons. She searches if somebody is poisoned because that is what happened.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

When it was her turn to give closing arguments, Corey's attorney, Kathy Nestor, told the jury that when Corey felt her husband and realized something was wrong, her world collapsed.

[Kathy Nestor (Defense Attorney)]

Reasonable doubt. It's not just a slogan. It's not just a suggestion. It's a constitutional shield that protects the innocent and prevents the state from punishing without truth. And it is the state that has that high burden, the highest burden under the law, to prove each and every single element of each and every charged offense beyond a reasonable doubt.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

She said every fact the state has put forward to prove Corey is guilty has another reasonable explanation. She told the jury that there's no right way to grieve that. Many witnesses claimed Corey wasn't grieving properly.

[Kathy Nestor (Defense Attorney)]

What does that mean? I was unexpectedly widowed when I was not much older than Corey, and I. I had two little boys. How do you judge someone in that moment? If I've learned one thing during this trial, I've learned I didn't grief right. I didn't know that, but it's clear now that I didn't they want you to look at a woman in the worst moment of her life and to judge her grief. There is no right, wrong way to grieve. They're asking you to judge how she is acting at that moment and then use that moment of evidence of guilt.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

She criticized the investigation and said the officers didn't even look for the THC gummies until later.

[Kathy Nestor (Defense Attorney)]

What else happens that morning? Officer Nguyen, he does his little.

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

His.

[Kathy Nestor (Defense Attorney)]

Well, but little. But his death checklist. He says. Did he have any history of prescription abuse? Did he have any history of illicit drug use? And what does Corey tell him?

[Attorney / Prosecutor or Court Participant]

No.

[Kathy Nestor (Defense Attorney)]

How easy would it have been to just say yes if she had just killed him with illicit drugs? Why in the name of God did she just not say yes? Had she said yes, we probably wouldn't all be sitting here today. She didn't say yes because she did not know how he had died. Over the last four years, they've gone back to that house 10 more times and they still can't tell you what happened. Early morning of March 4, 2022, 10 warrants.

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

That's a lot.

[Kathy Nestor (Defense Attorney)]

That's not typical. They were still searching for evidence on February 9th of this year, two weeks before trial. Four years of investigation and they are still trying to find evidence to make their case because they know they don't have enough. They're still trying to prove Corey Richards guilty.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

She said the Richins family and their private investigator, Todd Gabler are the ones who put things into investigators ears.

[Kathy Nestor (Defense Attorney)]

Like I said, he tracked Corey's car. He tracked her family's car. He tracked Carmen's Lawber car. He didn't track Cody Wright's car. He had more to gain from Eric's death than anyone. He didn't track anyone involved in the civil case regarding the trust. He only tracked people that he thought might lead to information for long enforcement. Did he follow up on Eric's trip to Mexico shortly before the death? No. Did he go to Mexico? Did he try and figure out where Eric had been in Sonora, Mexico? No. Nothing about that investigation was unbiased. Nothing.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

She then addressed the Walk the Dog letter.

[Kathy Nestor (Defense Attorney)]

It is absolutely possible that everything she said in that letter was true. In fact, at least three things in that letter were corroborated by the state's own witnesses, but they didn't investigate it. Again, ignore what might contradict your theory. Confirmation bias, reasonable doubt. Also remember, that letter never went to anyone. So it's nothing more than thoughts on paper. That's all that letter was.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

She said it's true. Corey made Eric a drink that night. But that there's no evidence that there was any fentanyl in it.

[Kathy Nestor (Defense Attorney)]

Want to talk a minute about deleted texts and the phone searches just quickly. Deleted texts? They said there were deleted texts off Corey's phone and that it looks like that probably was true. Why would you delete text off your phone? Maybe because you were having an affair over the last two years. You might want to delete that off your phone before your whole husband's family finds out about it. Maybe because she was buying oxycodone. I mean, she asked Carmen for pain pills. Doesn't mean she killed her husband. But you probably want that asked of your phone. The phone searches. So the evidence showed that Corey found out on April 13 that Eric died of a fentanyl overdose. And that's the day they took her phone and she gets a new phone. These searches are all done on that new phone. Searches of how much fentanyl does it take to kill someone? Or how much fentanyl is a lethal overdose. I don't remember exactly. Yeah, because she just found out her husband died of a lethal. You might want to know what that means. And she. She texted other things. They said. Oh, she texted about women's prisons. Of course she's worried. An innocent person would be worried. Anyone would be worried if they just found out that they are a suspect in a homicide investig. She would have been scared to death she was looking for information based on what she found out after Eric died.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

She said the state wants you to believe that Eric had an allergic reaction to fentanyl on Valentine's Day. But if he had an allergic reaction, then he would have had one when he died and he didn't.

[Kathy Nestor (Defense Attorney)]

They're throwing around a lot of theories. Why is that? Because they don't have one. They don't know what happened. Dr. Christensen and Dr. Ulmer testified that the manner of death could not be determined. This is really important. Dr. Christiansen testified the ME's office didn't know enough about Eric's history to determine if it was an accident. They also didn't have enough information to determine it was a homicide. The M.E. had had at least a reasonable doubt as to the cause of death. And the ME isn't held to the high standard that the state is. And there was no evidence that the autopsy couldn't have been amended at a later date if additional information was received. The ME testified. The ME testified. Excuse me. The mi. ME didn't tell you that they couldn't amend the autopsy. He just Told you they didn't. What else did they do? Why didn't they do a hair follicle test? Dr. Christensen said, well, we don't do that unless we're asked to. Would you be asked to do that by law enforcement Again? Summit county was only looking for evidence to confirm their theory, evidence to support that Corey was behind Eric's death. They did not want to look for evidence that contradicted that theory. Had they done that test, we might have our answer.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

She said Carmen Lauber is looking at some very long prison sentences for her drug use and that her only way out is to testify against Corey.

[Kathy Nestor (Defense Attorney)]

Carmen Lauber was not able to tell you that she bought fentanyl. She agreed on the stand that it was the detectives that first put the word fentanyl in her mouth, in her head. She was told by detectives in this case that she bought fentanyl. Eric died of fentanyl. You bought drugs, you bought fentanyl. She took that story and she ran with it because she had everything to lose. And o', Driscoll, detectives o' Driscoll and Detective Maynard told her, you are getting a big giant get out of jail free card. And what do you have to do to get that big giant get out of jail free card? Give them the details that will ensure Corey gets convicted of murder. You heard that from o' Driscoll's own mouth.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

She asked who else had the opportunity to give Eric the fentanyl. Who else was in the house that night? Eric.

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

She.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

She said.

[Kathy Nestor (Defense Attorney)]

Four years later, 10,000 searches, over $300,000 worth of expert witnesses, three weeks of trial, the FBI, the DEA, Homeland Security, the Summit County Sheriff's Office, they cannot tell you how Eric ingested that fentanyl. They haven't done their job. And now they want you to make inferences based on paper thin evidence. They speculated on a number of things during closing, and they want to tell you, they want you to do their job for them. Tell them no. Tell them if they're going to charge a person in your community with the most serious crime there is, they better have the facts, they better have the proof. They better have more than speculation and conjecture, because that's their job. It's not your job. One thing I want to point out here, though, is if after looking at all the ovens, you believe that Ms. Richins accidentally obtained fentanyl when she thought she was getting oxycodone, and then Eric took those pills voluntarily and died, that is not intentionally annoying. That is not aggravated murder. And if you conclude that you must find Corey Richard's not guilty.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

After less than three hours of deliberations, the jury found Corey guilty on all charges, including aggravated murder.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Your Honor, On Valentine's Day 2022, Corey Darden Richens trial and failed to murder her husband and the father of her three young children, Eric Richardson. Over the next 17 days, she did not think, what have I done? Rather, she thought, how can I do better? And then she murdered Eric in the presence of their children, using poison and for money. Such a person should never again lurk among the rest of us. Her children should never worry that they may one day encounter her. For these reasons, the reasons set forth in the state's sentencing memorandum, and the boundless reasons the court has learned from presiding over this case, the pending criminal case, and the multiple associated civil cases. The state requests that the court impose a sentence of life in prison without parole on count one. Five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence on count two. One to 15 years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence on counts three and four, and one to five years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence on count five.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

I don't typically cover sentencing hearings in depth. Oftentimes I even skip over them. But with this case, I found that almost the entire hearing for Corey Richards, which was held on what would have been Eric's 44th birthday, was worth a listen. I obviously can't include everything here, as this episode is almost ending. But there are a few parts I want you to hear. First, Eric's dad and sisters spoke to the judge, talking about what an incredible dad, brother, uncle and friend Eric was. Katie Richins also spoke about Corey and Eric's sons, who are now living with her and her husband.

[Katie Richins Benson (Eric's Sister)]

His three sons are going to grow up and live nearly their entire lives without their dad. They are going to get to know their dad more from the stories we tell about them than their actual experiences. In all likelihood, by the time they are aged 44 years old, which is how old Eric would be today, they will have little to no actual memories of Eric. And they have to go through life without their dad because their mother planned and carried out his murder. She could not have done anything more selfish or more cruel to those boys. In the place of a stable, secure and loving home, Corey gave the boys permanent trauma. They were in the house the night she killed their father. They were awake. They knew that something terrible had happened to their dad. As we heard on the 911 call during trial, one of them even walked into Eric's bedroom where Eric's body laid dead, poisoned by someone who his son should have been able to unconditionally trust, love and depend on. No child should have to bear that trauma. But Eric's three innocent sons will bear that burden. And they will bear it for the rest of their lives. Corey's selfishness and cruelty did not end with Eric's murder. In the time after Eric's death, Corey has done nothing but isolate, manipulate, deceive and do harm to those boys. Almost immediately after Eric died, she cut them off completely from our family, from Eric's family. The isolation was calculated and strategic. Corey used the boys as bargaining chips with my dad. She repeatedly threatened not to let him see his grandsons unless he could convince me, as Eric's trustee of his trust, to capitulate to her legal demands and give her all the trust assets. While isolating the boys, Corey provided them with false and harmful information about me and my family. When DCFS took custody of the boys following Corey's arrest and asked where they would like to go, they expressed fear of my family. The fear was not based on reality, but on what they had been told for over a year. Corey led them to believe I hated them, that I was attempting to take Eric's money for myself, and that I intended for them to be left without support, that they would be homeless and starving. These statements were entirely false and had no basis in reality. Had they not been subjected to that influence, they would have known the truth. Prior to Eric's death, our families were very close. My daughters and his sons had strong friendships, and I had a meaningful individual relationship with each of my nephews.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

She said her family wasn't allowed to see the boys until about 15 months after Eric's death.

[Katie Richins Benson (Eric's Sister)]

The boys hardly recognized the relationship we had. Instead, they viewed my family and me with fear and hesitation, as though we were strangers. Corey also went to great lengths to jeopardize the boy's financial futures.

[Ally Staking (Friend of Corey Richards)]

I know.

[Katie Richins Benson (Eric's Sister)]

I know you are very aware of this. Among other things, she drained the personal bank accounts that Eric had set up for his boys as college funds. She allowed the boys Social Security survivor benefits to be funded, funneled to individuals who were not taking care of the boys. And she sued me in my role as Eric's trustee and personal representative. Not once, not twice, but three separate times. The goal of her lawsuits is singular. She wants all of Eric's assets for herself. Despite her lies and fanciful public portrayal, she knows that none of Eric's assets are going to me, my dad, or my sister. In fact, she knows exactly Where Eric wanted everything to go. And that is to his voice. And yet, for four years, she has aggressively tried to take their inheritance from them. Even now, despite her erroneous debt, a murder conviction, and a string of pending felony financial charges, Corey's civil lawsuits live on. Those lawsuits have been emotionally grueling, all consuming and unimaginably expensive. And tragically, every dollar on those suits is a dollar that Eric's boys will not get. Of course, Corey can't have other people or the public thinking that she's trying to take away her children's inheritance. So for the past four years, both in court and in the media, she has demonized and vilified me. She has hurled wild accusations in my direction, including that I hacked her bank accounts, forged her bank statements, paid off witnesses, unduly pressured law enforcement into investigating her, and quietly pulled the Summit county prosecutor strings. It is despicable that for doing nothing more than trying to honor Eric's wishes, Corey has cast me as the evil

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

doer here, she said, just for carrying out Eric's wishes. Both she and her sister, along with her two daughters, were also in Corey's crosshairs.

[Katie Richins Benson (Eric's Sister)]

One of Eric's sons recently told me that Corey used to say, I will get them one day. Apparently, she was talking about me, my sister and my daughters. Her infamous walk the dog letter, the part the jury did not hear, confirms her desire to harm me. In it, she talks at length about her plans to get at Amy and me, including by targeting my daughters, both of whom are under the age of 10. It takes a sick mind to target children. The mere thought that someone who has so little regard for human life or declaration decency, my one day walk free is horrifying. I worry about the safety of Eric's boys, my daughters, my sister and myself. There is nothing Corey will not do and no one she will not hurt to achieve her own selfish ends.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

She said she isn't the only one who's afraid. Corey and Eric's three boys are also scared of Corey. And speaking for those three boys were three therapists who took the stand to read statements the boys had written. And just a warning. Some of this is heartbreaking. The first statement is from one of their sons, referred to as WR in the proceedings, I woke up to sirens

[Therapist Reading Victim Statement]

and there were a lot of people at my house and I was definitely scared. I felt confused. I was in a bedroom with my brothers and I didn't know what was happening. At first I was really scared because I didn't know what was happening and I Had no control and I felt helpless. I felt really overwhelmed. After my dad died, Cory would put us in the basement while she was with the neighbor. I felt scared because I thought something really bad was happening again. She would take me to places that smelled really bad. Everything she did made me feel uncomfortable. When someone talks about Cory, it makes me feel hateful and ashamed. She took away my dad. It's made me have a hard time trusting people. I was scared that Corey's family would come to my school and take me. I had to go to counseling with DCFS in Heber and I did not like it. DCFS made me talk to Cory and I couldn't do things that I wanted to do. I felt not important to anyone. 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'm worried that she would take me away from Katie and Clint. Once she is gone, I will feel happy and I will feel safer and relaxed and trust people more.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

The next statement was from AR this is the son who Corey claimed woke up with nightmares and whose room she slept in on the night of Eric's death.

[Joshua Kayes (Friend of Eric)]

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

[Katie Richins Benson (Eric's Sister)]

me and my brothers.

[Joshua Kayes (Friend of Eric)]

I had to be a parent to W C and I would walk him to the bus stop, feed him and watch him. You are not concerned about our health. When you got. When we got hurt, you didn't even care once he got ran over by a side by side. You still made him go to the soccer game that day without taking him to the doctors first. You would lock C in his room and I would have to go to the kitchen and bring him food. You shamed us when we didn't want to eat uncooked lasagna you made. We threw it away because we didn't couldn't eat it. Then you made us watch videos of children starving in war areas. You wanted to scare us into eating something that wasn't cooked. 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 at us. He would always argue with my dad and lock the door. You were not playing the role as a real mother does. You were doing the opposite. Now my dad can't be my coach anymore, can't be at any of my games. He won't be at my birthdays. He can't teach me how to drive. He won't be at my graduation. And he can't take me camping or fishing. You made me paranoid about sleeping on my dad's side side of the bed by saying I might die or get harmed when I was just trying to be close to my dad. After you killed him, you took away everything from me and my brothers. I don't want you out of jail because I will not feel safe if you are out. You have never said sorry for anything that you have done to me and my brothers. I don't want you to hurt anyone again. I know that you will need to stay in jail to fully take accountability for what you did to me, C W and my dad. With you and J. I will be able to continue to feel safe and live a happy and successful life without fear of you hurting me or anyone I love. Thank you, your honor.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

The final statement was from their son. C.R.

[Therapist Reading Victim Statement]

c.R. Age 12, now 13. I was 9 when my dad was murdered. What I would like to see happen if the perpetrator is convicted of the crime. I would like to see.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Sarah.

[Therapist Reading Victim Statement]

Yes, my name is Sarah. I'm a licensed clinical social worker and registered play therapist. And I'm going to read the victim impact statement for CR My name and age. Age now. My name and age I was at the time of the crime. C.R. age 12, now 13. I was 9 when my dad was murdered. What I would like to see happen if the perpetrator is convicted of the crime. I would like to see Corey get a life sentence. My thoughts regarding an appropriate sentence for the person who is accused of this crime and if they are found guilty, I think Corey should get a life sentence. Because what she did is very sick. Because it had no reason to happen and it impacted a bunch of people, including me. These are some reasons why I think she should have a life sentence. The information I feel is important for the judge to be aware of in sentencing. I think the judge should know that my dad was a good person and very thoughtful and kind and helped whoever needed help. He was always taking the extra mile to help people. My physical injuries as a result of this crime are as Follows. I was sleeping and then I went to get a drink of water. Then went back to bed. And when I woke up shaking and Bailey called the ambulance and they came and I couldn't talk for a while. I think Corey had something to do with it because she didn't call the ambulance. She called Bailey and Bailey called the ambulance at the er. Corey resisted to help. My blood drawn and kids who usually have this kind of seizure is when they are a few months old to a year old. I learned later that Corey bought more fentanyl and had it in the house when this happened. I think this is what happened. She did what she did to my dad in the living room. My experienced emotional injury because of this crime is described as follows.

[Attorney / Defense Counsel]

Sad.

[Therapist Reading Victim Statement]

I feel mad that I have to feel sad. I went from being scared for my life to feeling really good. I was scared for my life because I didn't eat that much. Cory was always drunk or gone. I was always locked in my room. I can't remember but I am pretty sure the lock was on the outside. Cory threatened she would kill my lizard because we didn't want to watch some weird show with her. All of our chickens died because there was no food or water. My rabbit died because we didn't have food or water. The goats almost starved to death because she bought moldy hay and she didn't water them. Nothing ever got fed or watered. It didn't feel good to worry about my animals. 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.

[Kathy Nestor (Defense Attorney)]

Room.

[Therapist Reading Victim Statement]

I am angry almost all my animals died. I am angry she threatened to kill them. I am angry she killed my dad. I started to feel really good when I moved into a safe place. It was safe because the people around me were safe. Katie and friend. I felt safe at Jake and Shelina because I wasn't with Corey anymore. Counseling. I feel annoyed that I have to go to to counseling and tell the story about what happened 55 million times. I feel better now because I know it's to help me. I would like to not have to go to counseling. I would like to have to not worry about anything after this trial is over. I want the judge to know. I hope Corey gets convicted to life to a life sentence. Corey is always drunk. I want the judge to know. My dad was a good person and I miss my dad. I miss my dad, but I do not not miss how my life used to be. I don't miss Corey. I will tell you that.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

In their sentencing memorandum, which was released to the public a couple days prior to the hearing, prosecutors wrote this about the boys, which has some excerpts of their statements but also provides more details. Eric was a good father. He knew that the defendant tried to murder him on Valentine's Day and he also knew that it was unsafe for his children if he were to leave the home. Eric died protecting his boys and they know it. CR was 9 years old when his mother murdered his father. He is now 13 and wears his father's clothes to school. Following Eric's death, DCFS supported a finding of emotional and physical abuse by Defendant Against Crime. He and his brothers have participated in intense therapy since the defendant was arrested three years ago. AR was three weeks shy of his eighth birthday when his mother murdered his father. The defendant made AR her alibi, thereby condemning her child to be a material witness. If called to testify at trial, AR would have recalled being put to bed early on March 3, 2022 without bathing, which was unusual for the boys. The television was playing loudly inside his parents bedroom and when AR tried to enter he found he was locked out. AR used a broom to try to dislodge a key from above the door frame. Intending to unlock the door and enter the bedroom. AR accidentally hit the wall with the broom, making a noise that attracted his mother's attention. She yelled at AR to go away. She later entered his room and asked what he needed. AR pretended to be asleep because he was angry with her. Later, during the night, his younger brother WR woke and tried to enter his parents bedroom to sleep with them. As was his habit, WR self locked out and slept in AR's bed instead. AR would have testified at trial that the defendant did not sleep in his room with him the night she murdered his father. WR was still in preschool when his mother murdered his father. He has now lived half his life without his father and three years without his mother. His memories of both are limited. He remembers being scared the night of his father's murder and wetting his pants while held in the bedroom before his aunt Katie arrived. Corey Richins was sentenced to the Max and she will serve life in prison without parole. And that's all for this episode. I'll include a link in the show notes to the full sentencing hearing for anyone who is interested in watching it in its entirety. Thanks for your patience with this three parter and as always, thank you for listening. Until next time. At first, I didn't think it was real.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

I woke up to this blinding light, and I was transported to another place. Pluto tv.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

Then I heard a voice.

[Todd Gabler (Private Investigator)]

Come with me if you want to live.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

There were thousands of movies and shows,

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

and they were all free.

[Attorney / Prosecutor]

Truth is that it's just so beautiful on Pluto TV.

[Narrator / Podcast Host]

Free streaming of Terminal Radiator 2.

[Robert Joshua Grossman (Witness)]

Fringe Arrow the 100Nex files may cause excitement, loss of sleep, and sudden belief in extraterrestrials. No credit cards or alien encounters necessary. Pluto TV Stream now. Pay Never

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