Dateline NBC: March 12, 2026 – Emotional Testimony in the Kouri Richins Case, Microsoft Employee’s Murder Twist, Plus More True Crime Updates

Overview

On this episode of Dateline True Crime Weekly, host Lester Holt and the Dateline team delve into several high-profile true-crime cases making headlines. The show’s major focus is the emotionally charged testimony of Kouri Richins’ ex-lover in her ongoing Utah murder trial, followed by dramatic developments in the murder of Microsoft employee Jared Bridegan. Other segments cover updates in cases like the Gilgo Beach serial killings and the verdict in the Michigan farmer Dale Warner’s murder trial. The episode concludes with Dateline’s Josh Mankiewicz previewing his new podcast, "Trace of Suspicion," about a Marine's mysterious death.

1. Kouri Richins Murder Trial: Ex-Lover Testifies

[01:11 – 11:09]

Key Points

• Background: Kouri Richins, a Utah widow and children’s book author, is on trial for allegedly poisoning her husband, Eric Richins, with fentanyl to cash in on his life insurance.
• Prosecution’s Case: Witnesses have testified about Kouri’s debt and alleged motive, including a forensic accountant and a friend who recalled Kouri implying life would be better if Eric was dead.
• Dramatic Testimony: Kouri’s ex-lover, Josh Grossman, takes the stand. His emotional response garnered intense attention in the courtroom.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Swearing In Delay:

  • "[The] clerk started to administer the oath, but Josh seemed to hesitate. So then the judge got involved, dismissed the jurors, and asked Josh on the stand whether he’d tell the truth."
    – Karen Israel (03:39)
  • Judge: "Do you promise under the pains and penalties, penalties of perjury, to tell the truth…?"
    Josh Grossman: "Absolutely." (04:03)

• Relationship Timeline:

  • Grossman met Kouri via a house-flipping ad in South Carolina. Relationship turned romantic in 2020.
    (04:20–04:40)

• Intimate Texts Revealed:

  • "Corey was opening up to him...she grew up scrubbing other people’s toilets … and she wrote that one day, 'I’ll own properties in Park City like all these rich, snooty people.'"
    – Karen Israel (06:17)
  • Text from Corey (Feb 15, 2022): "Like actually in love with me. If I was divorced right now and I asked you to marry me tomorrow, you would?"
    Josh replied: "Yes, in love with Y-O-U. Of course I would." (07:03)

• Grossman’s Emotional Struggle:

  • Courtroom fell silent as jurors read dozens of projected texts. Grossman audibly muttered to himself:
    "Man, man, oh boy, oh man." (06:07–06:13)
  • Grossman breaks down during questioning, prompting a recess.
    Lester Holt: "Do you need a minute or two?"
    Grossman: "I don’t know what I mean." (07:12–07:15)

• Fantasy vs. Reality:

  • The texts revealed "not super concrete plans, rather just details of this fantasy life they could have together."
    – Karen Israel (07:40–08:23)

• After Eric’s Death:

  • Grossman and Kouri went to the Uinta Mountains, where Corey asked him pointed questions about his military service and whether he’d ever killed anyone.
    "She asked me how it made me feel or something along those lines..."
    – Josh Grossman (09:15)

• No Suspicion Post-Death:

  • Grossman said: "Never, never for a moment did I have a clue, a hint, not a fleeting thought that something intentionally might have happened to him." (10:39)

• Defense Cross:

  • Highlighted Grossman's lack of suspicion and asked about his discovery of Kouri’s arrest.
    – Karen Israel (10:24–10:51)

• What’s Next:

  • The defense will present their case, likely calling Kouri’s friends and family as witnesses.

2. Microsoft Employee Murder Case: Prosecution’s Star Witness Withdraws

[13:02 – 21:00]

Key Points

• Incident Recap: Jared Bridegan, a Microsoft employee and father of four, was ambushed and killed in Jacksonville Beach, FL, in February 2022.
• Break in Investigation: Police tied Henry Tenon, a tenant in a property owned by Bridegan’s ex-wife’s new husband, Mario Fernandez Saldana, to the murder via physical clues and money transfers.
• Prosecution’s Theory: Shanna Gardner (the ex-wife) and Fernandez Saldana allegedly plotted the murder due to bitter divorce, custody battles, and trust fund disputes.
• Stunning Development: Star witness and confessed gunman, Henry Tenon, withdrew his guilty plea and ceased cooperating with prosecutors, weakening the case against Fernandez Saldana and Gardner.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Connecting Tenon:
  "They notice a tire outside that appears similar to the tire found at the crime scene. Tenen lets them take the tire… [He] drove a blue Ford truck that matched the truck seen on security footage…"
  – Mike Nardi (15:12)

• Text Evidence:
  "The friends appear to be speaking in code, looking for a magician to make someone disappear. And they use 'stupid' as a nickname for Jared. And they even talked about funeral potatoes, and Shanna directly said, I want them gone."
  – Mike Nardi (16:11)
  (Funeral potatoes explanation at 16:39)

• Motive Explained:
  "Despite a divorce settlement and custody agreement, Shanna and Jarrett still seemed to bicker constantly…Her parents…had established a trust. The view…was that Jared was after that money…language…that Shanna could not control it until she had no further entanglements with Jared."
  – Mike Nardi (16:56)

• Tenon’s Change of Heart:
  "About a month ago, [Tenon's] attorney filed a motion saying Tenon wanted to withdraw his guilty plea, and the judge granted it. So now Tenon has officially pled not guilty…"
  – Mike Nardi (18:55)

• Impact on the Case:
  "Without Tenon's testimony, the prosecution has nowhere near enough evidence to keep Fernandez in jail while he awaits trial."
  – Mike Nardi (19:32)

• Defense's Arguments:
  "Mr. Fernandez does not own a Ford F150. There is no connection between Mr. Fernandez and a Ford blue F150."
  – Defense argument (20:22) "No DNA of Mr. Fernandez was found inside the blue Ford 150."
  – Mike Nardi (20:24) "There is no follow the money. We followed it, we found it. It dead end. And that is the end of the story."
  – Defense (20:37–20:41)

3. Dateline Roundup: Catching Up on Major Cases

[21:00 – 28:47]

Gilgo Beach Serial Killings Update

[23:05 – 24:46]

• Suspect: Rex Heuerman, accused of murdering and dumping the remains of at least seven women.
• New Evidence: Prosecutors discovered Heuerman contacted sex workers over 500 times using burner phones.
  • "According to this latest filing, investigators discovered that Heuerman, using two different burner phones, contacted sex workers over some 500 times..."
    – Mario Garcia (23:33)
• Defense's Position: Argues such evidence is prejudicial, not probative.
  • "They say just because Heuerman is contacting sex workers doesn't prove he's done anything wrong."
    – Mario Garcia (24:01)
• Judicial Status: Next hearing upcoming; trial likely after Labor Day.

Michigan Farmer Dale Warner Verdict

[24:46 – 26:57]

• Case Background: Dale Warner, accused of murdering wife Dee and concealing the body in a fertilizer tank.
• Trial Drama: Deliberations stalled due to juror issues; alternates were found compromised.
• Outcome:
  • "The jury found Dale Warner guilty of second degree murder and tampering with evidence."
    – Mario Garcia (26:43)
  • Dale was motionless except when verdict read; Dee’s family expressed relief.
• Sentencing: Scheduled for May.

Real Estate Brothers Sex Trafficking Trial

[27:19 – 28:42]

• Accused: Oren, Tal, and Alon Alexander (celebrity real estate brokers).
• Charges & Testimony: Accused of rape, sex trafficking, and exploitation; 11 women testified.
• Defense Argument: Asserted all encounters were consensual.
• Verdict:
  • "Mario, they returned a verdict on Monday and found the brothers guilty on all count."
    – Lester Holt (28:10)
• Sentencing: Brothers face life in prison.

4. Spotlight: Josh Mankiewicz on "Trace of Suspicion" Podcast

[28:47 – 33:59]

Key Points

• Podcast Premise: Explores the mysterious death of Marine Todd Sommer, his widow Cindy's unusual conduct, and a decade-long legal saga.
• Case Overview:
  • Marine mysteriously dies; Cindy’s actions after his death (insurance inquiries, spending) provoke suspicion.
  • Critical toxicology report shows arsenic poisoning, fueling murder investigation.
  • Cindy gives her first interview in years to Dateline; addresses public scrutiny over her lifestyle and grieving.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • On justice:
    "The question that I want people to think about at the end is, what constitutes justice?"
    – Josh Mankiewicz (29:18)
  • Cindy’s defense:
    "I didn't grieve how people thought I should...My moral compass may have been off."
    – Cindy Sommer (33:27)
  • Josh’s advice to listeners:
    "What you think is going on is not what you think is going on. It's a ride all the way to the end, all the way to present day."
    – Josh Mankiewicz (33:47)

Timestamps for Highlight Segments

• Kouri Richins ex-lover testimony: 03:34–11:09
• Microsoft employee murder twist: 13:02–21:00
• Gilgo Beach murder update: 23:05–24:46
• Dale Warner verdict: 24:46–26:57
• Sex trafficking brothers: 27:19–28:42
• Trace of Suspicion interview: 28:47–33:59

Episode Takeaways

• Emotional testimony from Kouri Richins’ ex-lover is a pivotal moment, providing critical insight into her personal motives and mindset before and after her husband’s death.
• In the Microsoft murder case, the unexpected withdrawal of the gunman’s testimony shakes up the entire prosecution strategy, highlighting the fragility of cases built on plea agreements.
• Updates on other major cases continue to build on the themes of motive, evidence, and how circumstantial versus direct testimony shapes outcomes.
• “Trace of Suspicion” promises a complex look at justice, character, and evidence, underscoring the power of uncertainty in criminal investigations.